Advice on Opposing Large Scale Development/Planning Application

rocky_robin

I live opposite a small scale garden/nursery business which has been trading for over 100 years.

The owners have been trying to sell for some time but have been unable to get planning permission for houses due to oversupply in the area.

In January an application was submitted to build an 80 place children's nursery, medical centre and 100 bed nursing home on the site.

Local opinion is mainly against the development although the 2 owners live in the houses either side of the site.
Traffic and parking are already an issue in the area

Outline permission has already been granted for site layout and access and the addition of a mini roundabout outside my house.

Just wondered whether there were any bodies giving free advice or such like given that the developers have the architects,lawyers,planners and "big bucks" at their disposal

We are now waiting for the second application for "reserved matters" in terms of building materials,height and massing etc

Just wondered if anyone could point me in the right direction of further grounds for objection, as we've tried all the usual ones and this is going ahead despite the fact the developers have not actually provided any evidence that these services are in short supply

sallyrsm

You don't live in Ottershaw do you?

planning_officer

If they've got outline permission for layout and access, then it's only really worth you objecting to the remaining matters, i.e. scale, appearance and landscaping. Basically, as layout is approved, the footprint of the buildings are established - you can object to the height and appearance of the buildings if they are not in keeping with the area or are of a poor design. If the landscaping proposed is inadequate, that's another valid objection.

rocky_robin

The development is in Timperley, Trafford

http://planning.trafford.gov.uk/MVM/Online/Generic/StdDetails.aspx?PT=Planning%20Applications%20On-Line&TYPE=PL/PlanningTechAppraisalPK.xml&PARAM0=101618&XSLT=/MVM/SiteFiles/Skins/trafford/xslt/PL/PLTechAppraisalDetails.xslt&FT=Planning%20Application%20Details&PUBLIC=Y&XMLSIDE=/MVM/SiteFiles/Skins/trafford/Menus/PL.xml&DAURI=PLANNING

I guessed that scale,massing,landscaping,lighting etc would be the only valid objections once the footprint had been agreed.

It's just ironic as the only people who have supported it are the people selling the land and the people buying it but as the Planning Department said, they're not actually breaching any planning regulations and therefore they can't oppose it.

They haven't actually proved any statistical need for 1 of these services let alone all 3, so we may well end up with 3 empty buildings.

I don't hold out much hope, given that the footprint was probably more controversial than the buildings themselves but it's worth a try

fitshase

Speak to your other neighbours to see how they feel. Normally on a large scale planning application (or controvertial ones), the full planning application goes to the planning committee for their decision.

The planning officer will make a recommendation to the committee but it is the committee who make the decision. Normally, these committees allow one person from the applicants and one person from the objectors to speak for 1 minute at the committee meeting.

Now, if you research the points Planning Officer has mentioned with your neighbours and nominate a spokesperson to speak at the committee. Write your speech and practice it, making sure you make all of your objections within the timeframe given (the committee will stop you mid-sentence if necessary).

lapat

is it the little florist with a big garden center round the back..
if so he has been trying to sell it on for a few years now due to ill health
looks like hes managed it....

rocky_robin

fitshase wrote: »

Speak to your other neighbours to see how they feel. Normally on a large scale planning application (or controvertial ones), the full planning application goes to the planning committee for their decision.

Outline went to Planning Committee and was passed despite 95% objections, the only letter of support being from the owner of the site.

Our local councillor is on the Planning Committe but left the room during the discussion "due to his friendship with the applicants" which might explain why he was reluctant to take objections very far.

I'm doing a leaflet drop for the next application for the reserved matters and also going to thumb through the Unitary Development Plan to see if there are any areas where the application falls short.

The Garden Centre is on Deansgate Lane, Timperley. Given that the local paper are already running articles about the new development and the closure of the garden centre (an emotional day apparently) as are the developers it would appear to be a "done deal" despite the fact the application for reserved matters has not been submitted.

rocky_robin

rocky_robin wrote: »

I'm doing a leaflet drop for the next application for the reserved matters

Anyone know where I can get a template or stencil so that I can do a one-sided sheet of A4 that people will actually read and can provide all the details of what is planned, how to contact the council, what grounds to give for opposing/supporting etc etc

lapat

fitshase wrote: »

Speak to your other neighbours to see how they feel. Normally on a large scale planning application (or controvertial ones),

if you look at the planning permission on the webiste above and do a letter drop to the couple of hundred neighbours that are listed to the site

rocky_robin

I'm basically going to a do a leaflet drop but probably expand the number of houses as those that were written to regarding the planning application are the bare minimum that the council felt the need to tell.

I want to be able to advise people of how to phrase their objections or comments in a way that will be taken into account rather than the usual "don't like it", "too big" etc or indeed if people want to comment in a positive way.

At the end of the day,I'm sure it will get passed but if it has taken into account all these views/concerns then that's the best we'll have to settle for.

Now that they've got outline, the land is actually "worth something" and the garden centre is closing anyway, so I wouldn't be surprised to see other applications in the pipeline to see what else they could build on the land.