8 houses on green in front of house

[Deleted User]

I have received an application for a build of 8 houses plus parking for 16 cars for a green that is used by 18 houses directly in front of my and neighbours houses that is very close to my property and will change the look of the street completely and would be directly facing my property and others.
any advice on how to oppose this and get some advice preferred some free advice if possible.
thanks in hope. 

user1977

What do you mean by "is used by 18 houses"? Used for what? Are they entitled to use it?

[Deleted User]

Sorry everyone uses the green it is a green in front off houses a green space the ref for this app is 21/02004/FUL if it helps
sorry i am really new to this 

eddddy

Deleted User said:

Sorry everyone uses the green it is a green in front off houses a green space the ref for this app is xxxxxxxxxxx if it helps
sorry i am really new to this 

Which planning authority is it? (i.e. what is the name of your local council and/or what it the name of the town or village?)

That reference has been used by lots of planning authorities.


(As long as you're comfortable that everyone that reads this thread will be able to work out more or less where you live. If you're not comfortable with that, maybe edit your post and remove that planning reference.)

[Deleted User]

Thurrock council tilbury
how do i edit post totally new to this 

HobgoblinBT

Thurrock planning portal can be found at.  https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/search-planning-records/planning-records-online 

Looking at the planning application, the land has been privately owned for some time so there is no loss of amenity to the OP or the other houses around it, so I don’t think you could object to no longer being able to go onto the land.  

You could check if provision has been made for the soon to be mandatory electric vehicle charging points for the parking spaces that are not directly connected to each property.

eddddy

When planning consent was granted for the estate of 307 houses in 1984, that area was designated as "open space" - and it looks like it should have been landscaped with some trees.

see: https://regs.thurrock.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=HZPNWTQGI9000


The current planning application includes a comment from a consultee:

Plumb Associates is contracted to provide landscape, arboriculture and ecology advice with regard to planning matters to Thurrock Council; the comments set out below are provided as part of this arrangement.

The site is currently an informal amenity green comprising mown grass with groups of small shrubs and single tree. No information has been given regarding the value of the green for existing residents; for example, how it is currently used. If the loss of this amenity space is considered acceptable in planning terms, there would be objection on landscape grounds to its loss given the lack of facilities and landscaping.

So maybe object making a big deal of the fact that the original developers didn't landscape the "open space" as they should have done...

And explain what an important amenity space it is for local residents - that it's extensively used by families, children etc, and that there are no other safe open spaces nearby for children to play etc.



Edit to add...
Do you know who cuts the grass and trims the hedging? Do you have to pay an annual charge for grass cutting and hedge trimming?

Titus_Wadd

I'm not expert but the points of objection have to be relevant planning matters.  We have a patch of land opposite the front of our house (slightly uphill as well) with outline planning for two houses.  We have been in discussions with the Planning Authority as the same builder built ours and a couple of others on the same plot.  The builder did not provide a drainage plan for the whole site and now we need to know how the surface water will drain from the 2 new houses.  Being on a slope the builder should have calculated and installed adequate soakaway crates in our garden to cope with the site uphill changing from absorbent rough grassed area to two large non-permeable surfaces of large detached houses with drives, garages and patios where the rain-water will run off downhill to our property.

Also if you have a local residents' association you can ask them to submit objections on your behalf.  If they have someone who can lobby on your behalf and is familiar with the key planning objectives of your local council they will save you wasting time complaining that the "outlook won't be as pretty", which our LPA would dismiss.  The more residents you can engage to comment individually the better, but only planning matters will be taken into account: Would they be taller town houses meaning their bedrooms could look down into your habitable rooms and bedrooms?  Is there adequate parking planned?  Will they be landscaping some areas and replacing trees and shrubs they remove?  Also check for established tress which may have Tree Protection Orders (TPOs).

Make contact with a local councillor for your ward, or one from another ward nearby who is more sympathetic.

Don't miss the cut-off date for public comments through the planning portal.  You may be able to attend the planning meeting and have a couple of minutes to argue your case, but in my experience the decision feels to be already made by this point, and it's stressful if you're uncomfortable speaking to a large meeting (assuming Covid rules allow these meetings to continue).

Best of luck, but realistically most councils are desperate to add to their area's housing stock and would need a good reason to refuse permission but you might get the plans tweaked. 

Planning officials don't check for private rights over the land so it might be worth asking around residents who have lived there for over 20 years who might remember rights over the open space from years ago.  If some house owners have rights of way or other easements, concerning that patch of land, mentioned in their house deeds these won't have expired just because they haven't been used for a while.   Planning Authorities don't check for these rights.  Anyone with such an easement could contact the developer/land owner to insist their right is not compromised.

Section62

Deleted User said:

I have received an application for a build of 8 houses plus parking for 16 cars for a green that is used by 18 houses directly in front of my and neighbours houses that is very close to my property and will change the look of the street completely and would be directly facing my property and others.
any advice on how to oppose this and get some advice preferred some free advice if possible.
thanks in hope. 

I can't get access to the plans or maps at the moment, but if this area was provided as open space as part of the original development, then the applicant for the new development will need to demonstrate that requirement no longer exists.

There has been quite a lot of work since the 1980's on issues surrounding exercise and health - for example getting children playing outdoors should be part of the local council's strategy to deal with childhood obesity.

If this area of land has been available to residents for recreation/amenity for an extended period of time then there are potentially two big spanners the existing residents could throw into the plans.

The first is identifying whether this area has a deficit of open space/amenity land. And if it does, what policies does the council's local plan have in relation to the loss of further land to other forms of development?  The issue is not just the loss to existing residents, but that a housing development will increase the population needing access to somewhere to exercise and play.

The second possibility is exploring whether the land could be appropriate for a 'village green' application.  The land doesn't need to be in a village for this process to be used.  If the land has historically been used by locals in the way a village green might (e.g. exercise, leisure, games) there could be sufficient grounds to make it worth making an application. If nothing else then as a delaying/publicity tactic whilst the residents gather more objections from people in the local area.

lincroft1710

On a 50 yr old private estate in my town, there were several "greens", these were sold off, a year or so ago and now PP is being sought for individual houses on each green large enough. Haven't checked recently if any have been approved. 

[Deleted User]

Problem is everyone's a NIMBY and also everyone wants to preserve the green belt. Developers don't want to have to build amenities or transport links so many of the remaining sites are less than ideal. We need new houses desperately.

As such I think it's going to be a difficult one to fight. The council will have targets for new homes that they need to meet.