Advice re Objecting to new housing Estate

laurz121

27col wrote: »

I'm sorry TOB, you cannot have it both ways, either it is going to be a small development or there are going to be hundreds of houses. Which is it? QUOTE]


Actually the number of houses changed again from a few hundred up to thousands.

The_Old_Bag wrote: »

I have just found out that a Building firm are applying to build a 'small' housing estate in the fields virtually next door to me.

suddenly changed to

The_Old_Bag wrote: »

hundreds of new families will be adding to the village-to-city commute every day

and in turn changed to

The_Old_Bag wrote: »

a couple of thousand 3 storey houses

carefullycautious

If there is such a shortage of affordable housing in your area, why don't these people move to where there is affordable housing ?

Maybe 'these people' dont want to move and would like to be able to stay where they have social support from family and friends. You make people sound like a sub species just because they cant afford the ridiculous prices that have been bandied about for years. Anyway rant over.

Im afraid you are just going to have to accept that this development will likely take place.
I have recently been told by a land agent that in the west midlands alone where I live there is going to be another 400,000 homes built. This will mean that our little town which has been added onto throughout the years will become a suburb of Birmingham along with others. Im afraid that in years to come I doubt that there will be many true villages left, and whatever land/views are left will be owned by the national trust.

I know of some really desirable houses that for many years had uninterupted views over fields/farmland not any more they have 3 storey new builds practically in there back gardens.

I must admit I hate these 3 storey new builds they are an eyesore that age quickly and look dreadful. Much prefer semis but of course the builders can cram on more.

The_Old_Bag

withabix wrote: »

Old Bag, I'm not cursed or bemoaning anyone. I certainly don't feel the need to resort to personal insults due to lack of justification like you do.

You chose to move to a village - why shouldn't other people be entitled to?

As you are a nimby,

Right !

I ask a question.......mega crime against humanity I should have realised, and am called a name I have never even heard of before, by someone who does not even know me !!
You then claim " I certainly don't feel the need to resort to personal insults"
Post 14 "the OP and the fact that they are a NIMBY"
Post 33 "I still can't see any genuine grounds for objections, just extensive straw clutching nimbyism."
Post 36 "Why people think they can start threads on a public forum and then expect not to have opposing opinions voiced is beyond me. There is no obligation on us to a)agree with the OP, b) support their opinion or c)not post other opinions. People who think differently should stick to writing letters to newspapers and avoid public fora"
Post 37 "Your own prejudice is what is driving your objection"
Post 38 Originally Posted by libra10
TheOldBag posted looking for advice on a problem withabix, not a lecture!
"....should probably put their shovel away then"


I am repeatedly accused of 'made up crimes' (notice the use of those inverted commas again!) - such as not wanting young people living in my village. I point out that said youth are MY children and their friends......but Cknocker who has accused me of said ficitious crime never respond to that fact.

You address another ficticious offence -"Just because you live in a village doesn't mean you can be excused from having new houses built. Why do you think the village was built in the first place???"
Cknocker said "if you object to evry application, in the end you will find your self confornted with a plan for a massive development that will destroy your village"

I have replied to explain we have continual building and small developments going on in the village, which no one ( least of all me) has a problem with.
Do either of you acknowledge this factual information. No!.

People then continually talk about my post office closing or about to close due to lack of use - which I again point out is not the case. It is under threat, and it is not due to "lack of use". Again, no notice is taken of this fact !!

You accuse me of "trying to create a reason to object" and Cknocker said "you do not have an objection", and 27col said " you have no valid reason for objecting and are just casting around desperately for something to put in an objection letter".
I hoped I had quite patiently explained this was not the case. In my mind I have very valid reasons to make an objection. Apparently I also have a legal right. Although clearly none of this weighs with you. Just the mere fact I object to the development is enough evidence for you.
If the planning dept disagree with my objections, so be it.

Cknocker assumes I am trying to keep my chocolate box village unspoilt - and ! point out it is not picturesque, just a normal bog-standard village.
No response to that fact either.

If I say I have lived in the village all my life - you will accuse me of refusing to let 'outsiders' in.
If I say I moved into the village - you will accuse me of a "pull up the gang plank I'm aboard." attitude, per 27col
So whatever I say apparently is wrong - and you have the cheek to accuse me of prejudice !

Whatever 'Objection' I give is also apparently not valid, and I have asked repeatedly for an example of what YOU would consider an acceptable objection.

If you say "because it is home to the lesser spotted MSEr" I am hardly likely to quote that in my letter to the planning dept, unless we actually have a lesser spotter MSEr living on the land in question !!

CKnocker, I did not "want grounds for an objection",
I asked " does anyone know where I can find out on what grounds I can base my objection ?"

For example ( here is a purely hypothetical scenario by the way !!)
If I say we regularly have Lions in the field and the area will be the worse for losing them should houses be built there......
If I said there are Lions who come to the field and it will be dangerous to the new residents and the builders -
Or... Lions live in the field, their natural habitat will be destroyed.

All the same factual information but perhaps addressed to specific wording of planning rules.
I am not "inventing" an objection, presumably the developers and planners can either prove or dis-prove the existence of Lions......
So what is your problem ?

By the way, 27col, "houses being built somewhere unsuitable, it is not your problem, or that of anyone else who has not bought one of them" is not true. If they are built on a flood plain in the field next to me and existing properties including mine, end up being flooded because the water cannot drain away naturally as it has for centuries, of course it is my problem !!
Although presumably me fearing actual damage to my house as a result to this development is just nimbyism

The_Old_Bag

carefullycautious wrote: »

If there is such a shortage of affordable housing in your area, why don't these people move to where there is affordable housing ?

Maybe 'these people' dont want to move and would like to be able to stay where they have social support from family and friends. You make people sound like a sub species just because they cant afford the ridiculous prices that have been bandied about for years. Anyway rant over.

Im afraid you are just going to have to accept that this development will likely take place.
I have recently been told by a land agent that in the west midlands alone where I live there is going to be another 400,000 homes built. This will mean that our little town which has been added onto throughout the years will become a suburb of Birmingham along with others. Im afraid that in years to come I doubt that there will be many true villages left, and whatever land/views are left will be owned by the national trust.

I know of some really desirable houses that for many years had uninterupted views over fields/farmland not any more they have 3 storey new builds practically in there back gardens.

I must admit I hate these 3 storey new builds they are an eyesore that age quickly and look dreadful. Much prefer semis but of course the builders can cram on more.

Thanks carefullycautious....that was actually my exact point.:T
How can building hundreds of houses in my back yard help Cknockers Cornwall homeless ??
They won't want to move away from their jobs and family and friends.

A nearby Council have recently announced that a large secondary school, which is about 8 miles away from me will close down - due to lack of numbers.!!!
1) If the population in 'the area' is growing so much they need to build family homes on green belt land in a rural setting.....how come they are closing schools ?
2) If there are services and facilites and school places available and ready THERE, why build family houses HERE and have to either lay on buses, or have parents/pupils commuting ?
3) More likely, because there are nearer local secondary schools, any new secondary age resident will presumably want to/be allocated to these local schools. So local schools are overwhelmed. Those 8 miles away are closing down !!

I suppose some people would argue that if the village population expands so much they will build a bigger and better school in the fields just opposite the new housing estate.
Which makes so much good environmental sense.
Spend a fortune closing down/demolishing a perfectly good, modern, secondary school because of numbers.
Build new housing out in the sticks in an area most people don't want to move to, then spend more millions building another school to accommodate these new residents. !
Brilliant !
Now explain to me why pure facts like this make me a nimbyist ???

p.s Several of my friends have sold houses in the village over the years - to move to different houses in the village, or to other villages. The Estate agents tell them, there is very little market for village property outside of existing residents.( 95% of people I know and work with have never even heard of the village, let alone know where it is !!)
i.e. people from other villages/ towns are not clamouring to move here. So building this estate is not in response to a local housing need. Just to financial considerations by the developer/land owner.
If young families move here because it is the only place to find affordable social housing.....it will be for that 'housing' reason. Not because they want to move to this village.

The_Old_Bag

Night folks.

Note to self, next time you want information, ask Jeeves :rolleyes:

planning_officer

withabix wrote: »

Sorry, I meant planning policy, however this is supported by enabling legislation is it not? (Otherwise developers would be able to successfully challenge this regularly).

Yes, true - the planning legislation says that applications should be decided in accordance with the relevant planning policies in the Development Plan, "unless material considerations indicate otherwise".

planning_officer

The Old Bag - I do feel sorry for the grief you appear to be attracting on this thread - which is entirely unjustified! As someone else says above, fortunately we live in a democratic society where you have the right to object and it is not for others to judge on whether you have valid grounds of objection or not.

Going back to the development in question, has an application actually been submitted yet, or is it just in the pipeline?

In answer to your original question, there are two stages in considering your objections - firstly, the principle of the development, i.e. is the land marked for residential development, or is it open countryside and not designated? Is it Green Belt? AONB? If the principle is unacceptable, then the developer will have a very hard job getting planning permission.

Secondly, once you know whether the principle is acceptable, then think of the detailed objections (and even if the principle is unacceptable, then there's no harm in mentioning any detailed issues that are relevant) - firstly think how the development will affect the village and existing community. How will it affect the landscape surrounding the village, is the development too densely planned, is the design of the houses and layout of the estate in keeping with the surrounding development or is it cramped and overdeveloped? Is the existing infrastructure sufficient - roads, transport links, public transport, together with school places, shops, etc. Is the road access to the site sufficient for the extra traffic? Does the site form part of a designated landscape? Are there any protected trees? Protected species? Any issues of flooding - perhaps near a river? Also think of the visual effects of the development on those living closest to it - will the houses be visually intrusive? Will any overlooking be caused?

I would advise though to just choose the concerns that you really have - rather than listing a whole load of objections, whether they affect you or not - if you choose the latter, it will perhaps come across as if you are objecting for the sake of it, rather than actually highlighting how it will really affect you and the other villagers.

There are plenty of potentially valid planning objections to choose from, but without knowing the site in more detail, it's impossible to say which are applicable in this case. Over to you...!

jack_spratt_2

Thank you Planning _officer for a sensible reply!!

Has the original poster considered employing a planning consultant to argue his case ???
I can assure you property developers know every trick in the book

The_Old_Bag

Many many thanks for all the very practical advice I have been given - I have just made a list of all the points and am heading off to the local council offices now !

Information I have so far managed to discover.
Only people whose property actually border the field have been contacted.
I have eventually managed to spot 2 notices up on lamp posts - after much hunting and walking may I add.

They are applyiing for outline planning permission - but apparently makes reference to "future developments"! So remember when I said it is starting at hundreds, but who knows where it will end :cool:

The plans would break the Local Plan which clearly states "planning permission will not be granted for built development, or any other development which would have a significantly adverse effect on the appearance or character of the landscape"!
Since the landscape is green fields and trees, and its current use agricultural, how can building several hundred 3 storey houses not have an "adverse effect on appearance or character"??

It also apparently goes against the "emerging Local Development Framework Core Strategy" - whatever that is!!
The application undermines the "sustainable strategy for housing land allocation"
It is also apparently "contrary to the development plan.....and would result in a significant loss of 'Greenfield' land".

Must dash, people to see, developers to thwart ....:D

Hugbubble

Cknocker wrote: »

TOB, you want my post code, here you go TR14, send em down, go for it!

God Bless Camborne!