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My mother and her two neighbours(all 70+ years of age) live in 3 separate large bungalows on the site of our local county council (the bungalows are right on the edge of the plot at the start of the main access road) the current building is being ripped down in March 2012 and they are ‘planning 300 new houses’ on the grounds. (£300k+ private housing)
They are having meetings this week for local residence to look at the plans etc, my brother is going to have a gander tonight.
Last year when the scheme was in its infancy they said the 3 bungalows will not be effected apart from a bit of noise and dust as you would expect when ripping down a huge council office building, they said the houses would be nowhere near the bungalows and the access road would not be used for site traffic but an alternative road setup.
One of mums neighbours went up last night to have a look at the plans and the ‘show’ home and two other houses are going to be right on the road directly next to the boundary of his and mums house and the current main access road will be used for site traffic. When he pushed them for further info they were ‘very sketchy’.
Has anyone appealed against anything like this, I guess in the grand scheme of things it’s going to go ahead and there is **** all we can do?
But you must be able to appeal and atleast get compensation for noise and dust etc? Mum has stated she is not going to move and I can’t blame her but she is getting seriously stressed about it already and to be fair does not need this at her age especially after dad passing away.
Sorry for the long post!
Cheers
Appeal, get local support, form a Group, petition..
We've done it in Harrogate against a huge development of 2000 new homes just over the road from Harlow Carr Gardens..
Have they achieved planning consent?
It sounds more like they are carrying out pre application consultation. If so, then there's probably a chance that you can influence the proposals.
Big opportunity to influence this. We had a development near us and got the access changed and it moved a bit further away
IME if someone stands to make money out of the proposal then you'll have a hard time standing in its way unless you're prepared to spend an equal or greater amount of money fighting it. However, usual practice seems to be to put in the worst possible proposal that won't get rejected outright first with the expectation that some changes will have to be made and they end up with what they really wanted whilst still being able to say "we listened to local concerns". So when the planning application goes in respond to it in a reasonable way with reasonable objections and there's some chance you'll get changes made. And don't get stressed about it - it's far too easy to get wound up about these things. Good luck!
Go to the council planning office and have a look at what has actually been submitted. Then if necessary raise any objections after seeing the official proposals.
Disruption from vehicles gaining access to the site, muck and noise probably won't be enough to stop it in my experience.
Get some bats in the old building. Not OAP's 😉
We had some in a steading behind us scupered the whole project, any trees there? If so get a tree preservation order on them.
Y
cheers all,
it's hard as ive told mum she is going to have to get used to the fact theres going to be hell of alot of noise and mess 'if' it gets the go ahead.
any trees there?
yes theres a big wood right behind mums fence but this is NOT being touched as the access road runs alongside it.
Got involved with something like this when new houses were in the planning stage on some land behind my parents bungalow.
My parents and their two neighbours were told from the beginning that the new builds would not effect the three bungalows in any way. We took a look at the plans and saw that one house was to be built so close to the back of my parent's bungalow that you could see into their livingroom and bedroom windows from the upstairs of the new build.
We got together with a local group that purposed the site and the school that was on it at the time (primary school closed down due to cuts) should be turned into a community centre. Got petitions going, went to the relevent meetings and went through all the correct channels. Even contacted local newspapers and TV. Our objections were overturned/over ruled (not sure now on the wording). Parents now have no sunlight coming in through said windows due to the houses, and little privacy.
Fight it every way you can. Good luck.
bored in my break hope this works... bungalows are in the top left of this picture..
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its quite funny looking at this aerial view it looks as if the bungalows have nothing to do with the plot however the turning point into the bungalow carpark is right at the bottom of the access road.
Where are the new houses going to be?
I'd guess where the large building is now HTS
Where are the new houses going to be?
the majority all to the right of the access road that runs alongside the wooded area. those two big buildings are going to be ripped down.
the show home is going to be on the tiny green verge to the left of the bungalows, just off the roundabout.
I suspect that you are probably going to have to lump it.
More than 10 objections and it'll be referred for the councillors to view, though tbh if it's a big development they'll be fully aware regardless. I've been out of Planning for a couple of years now but the application will considered on its own merits. Though I'd wonder, with most councils being skint, whether this sort of development may have more chance of going through at the minute as it'll incur a sizable Section 106 charge which will go into the councils coffers.
nobody likes having new development near them but houses have to be built somewhere and if it's genuinely unsuitable or undesirable for the site and locality then they probably won't be approved.
Do you know who is doing the devlopement??
Regardless if they are not being touched, get a tree preservation order on them. Just in case they "accidentally" cut them down. To create more space for housing.
Seems like there could be some concerns with overlooking and privacy for the show homes as they do seem like they might be close, but this needs a lot more detailed information such as where habitable rooms are and the distance between homes.
You might be able to influence site access if they can use the other exit from the roundabout, which will reduce the impact of construction a bit. However, there will always be noise and disruption.
You will get an opportunity to make representations during the statutory consultation period once a planning application has been lodged. Objections do need a basis in planning policy to carry weight.
cheers all, dont know who developers are but persimmon are all over the place where we live so could be them.
infact the more i look at the pic mums house is the one closest to the wood so atleast she is a bit more sheltered.
she just rang and the guy living in the one right by the roundabout is getting a vaulation tomorrow! he aint staying
you could suggest the main site access is from the other exit on the roundabout? for one show home being built I wouldn't expect too much noise/dust - a bit but not loads and loads.
he aint staying
Good luck to him trying to sell it!
The site appears to be ideal from a designer point of view.
With both the Section 106 contribution, jobs and social housing / private homes I think you will be on a sticky wicket. With the trees and the access road I'm unsure what or how you would direct an opposition to the development.
IME if someone stands to make money out of the proposal then you'll have a hard time standing in its way unless you're prepared to spend an equal or greater amount of money fighting it.
This. I've seen people almost drive themselves into the ground, fighting a futile battle they were never going to win.
Harsh as it may seem, there's very little indeed individuals or small groups can do to stop development. simply because there's too much to gain by so many other people, for small voices to be heard.
You have to balance what you think is 'right' against reality. S'the way of the World. Some battles just aren't worth the stress, tbh.
Might have a positive effect as now they are more likely to get planning to develop the site and developers love bungalows. If your mother might consider the same you could look into getting planning for a larger house or even a little row of link houses, sell up and buy something properly in the country/closer to the family/whatever.Good luck to him trying to sell it!
The existing office blocks are monstrosaties in poor condition, resedential housing will improve the area. Sounds like objecting just to screw the system for compo, No worse than suing the council for tripping up on the pavement.
a lot of the angst on this thread seems to be completely misdirected.
the real issue here is sustainability. 40% of landfill in the UK is builder's rubble. as usual any concerns about development are based around the fact that people don't want change, don't want disturbance, are worried about losing money or just plain old nymbyism. pitted against this is the development lobby who are only interested in making cash. the real issue doesn't even get considered.
the solution is to use the buildings as they are and develop them in such a way that creates the least amount of landfill and does the least amount of environmental damage. as a result, houses get created, buildings get salvaged, the environment is better off and the op's mom would have little to worry about.
but i suppose as there's less cash generated, it just never gets considered.
ithink you need to look subjectively at this. your mother and her friends homes arnt on or pert of the development. its on the other side of the road.
demolition is a fairly quiet process as is construction and any and all nosie will be in in working hours mon - fri
the current site clearly has a large population and looking at the carparks hundreds of car movements each day. i'd suspect that housing will mean reductions in both.
the three bungalows will also then be part of a larger affluent community at a time when your mother and her friends are at most need of good neighbours.
Trailmonky, you ever heard of a site waste management plan? Would like to know where you get you figures from as almost all the " builders rubble" as you call it is recycled, it's too valuable to dump in landfill, as is all plasterboard waste, timber waste, etc. Materials are specified from the green guide to obtain the most sustainable materials available. Typical normal developer bashing about them making money, the average profit margin is approx 4 percent, add to this the substantial section 106 payments made to the local authority, local employment, 35 percent affordable housing provision on most sites. Most of the big developers are open to local residents concerns and in most cases will revise layouts to suit. I have been doing this job for 20 years and get fed up of I'll informed comments regarding developers making money as I would love to see it. As for sustainability take a look at code for sustainable homes which almost all developments are built to and also considerate contractors scheme which places responsibilities on the developer.
With regards to the op's concerns, talk to your local planning officer to see if outline planning has been granted and if the developer has a public consultation evening/ day go there and raise your concerns, you will be surprised at how approachable most are as the last thing most developers want is to fall foul of local residents as the the success of the development will rely on good community relations.
Trailmonky, you ever heard of a site waste management plan? Would like to know where you get you figures from as almost all the " builders rubble" as you call it is recycled
I have been doing this job for 20 years and get fed up of I'll informed comments
Apologies, my figures are incorrect. Builders waste does not account for 40% of land fill, it's actually 24% but this still makes demolition and construction as the single largest industry contributor to waste in the UK. I've studied historical conservation at degree level and the information that I've quoted comes from DEFRA and is quoted in an essay entitled Only Connect - Sustainable Development and Cultural Heritage by Kate Clark.
If you are a developer and are interested in sustainability then you might want to find it and read it.
If they are going to stick a load of social housing there and fill it with scrotes then I'd be fed up.
On the flipside, if they are building a load of £250k + houses, it will be a) better than living next to a derelict council building, b) push up the value of the bungalows.
Anywhere inbetween would range from being a bit of an inconvenience to palatable IMO
Ask them to translate all the plans etc into Urdu,(they are obliged by law to do so) that ought to delay matters for a while and give you plenty of opportunity to formulate your objections and a plan of action.
They were probably initially written in Urdu flip, so not much of a hinderance.
*awaits*
*reminds people that they are allowed to have a sense of humour*
Is the development in England? if so the Localism bill will apply where the developers have a responsibility to liaise with the local community.
In my experience you will struggle to get compensation for noise and dust, the best you can hope for is a planning restriction on hours of work and dust surpression during the dryer months.
Seeing as its a brown fields site, I doubt you will halt the development.
*reminds people that they are allowed to have a sense of humour*
remind me when something humorous turns up
Having just been through years of this shit (ours was slightly different as the scumbag developer was trying to land grab our property/properties to get into their site) I'd suggest you take the attitude that you make sure you do your best, within your capabilities, to stop the proposal becoming a reality. If it succeeds don't let that be because you did nothing.
Check everything the developer is saying....chances are they will have misrepresented the truth.
Spend countless hours dredging through your local authority's planning policy and find out where the developer is flouting these.
Find a natterjack toad on the site...or a bat roost in the building they need to demolish.
Make it personal....throw whatever you have got at them.
MAKE THEM BLEED.
......................and just remember that your mother's life is being disrupted so that Conservative Party funds can be filled with bribe money from the construction industry.
GlennG
The developers who plagued us were a lying, bullying bunch of scum who should have been prosecuted for malfeasance at the Old Bailey for the way they synchronised moves with their buddies on the local councils....they were aided by top dog big bullying lawyers...and "the best" planning consultants. They were at it from 2004 until early this year when their latest scheme was turned down, and they cost one neighbour at least £10,000 in legal fees and another probably between £1,000 and £3,000 AND UNTOLD STRESS ON THE WHOLE LITTLE NEIGHBOURHOOD.
And it looks like the whole nightmare might be revving up again.
You might think it's all a good clean game...I bloody don't.
Ask them to translate all the plans etc into Urdu,(they are obliged by law to do so)
As they are for all recognised languages of the UK, including Welsh.
In fact there are more Urdu speakers in the UK than those fluent in Welsh.
For legal matters, you are entitled to have the use of a BSL signer, if you are deaf.
And I think you may also be entitled to have documents produced in Braille, if you are Registered Blind.
Seeing as its a [b]brown[/b] fields site, I doubt you will halt the development.
Would a 'brown field site' require documentation to be written in Urdu, then? Or Sylheti?
Gujarati???? 😯
I can help you out with advice, tactics and strategy. Have a look at my blog at http://planningblog.org, see what you think and maybe get in touch. Contact details (incl. email) on the blog.
I'd say that your mothers chance of objecting to the planning application is limited it's a brown field council building... planning applications go to the council.....councils are desparately in need of money at the moment....
I'm slightly struggling to see what the objection is? More traffic (they live next to a roundabout next to a formerly busy building - the cars passing per day from a 300 house estate will probably be lower), view destroyed (live next to a derilict building), loss of property value (don't see this one either), the disruption? Or is it just an objection to change?