8 March 2011
Following a meeting with representatives of Kingswood Parish Council and the Keep Kingswood A Village campaign group Cotswold MP, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, at the request of the Parish Council, has formally asked the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles MP, to call in the application made by Taylor Wimpey to build 37 new houses in the Chestnut Park site in Kingwood.
The Planning Officer at Stroud District Council has recommended the development, which goes before the Council’s Development Control Committee today, Tuesday 8 March.
The development has been recommended despite the widespread local opposition to it. Indeed, of the representations on the application, which included over 400 letters, 99.75% were opposed to the development.
These objections have concerned a number of matters. Firstly, the Government’s Planning Inspector recommended a maximum of 50 houses on both Tyndale View and Chestnut Park sites in Kingswood. 41 houses have already been built in Tyndale View which means that this development would exceed that number by 28 houses.
Secondly, this development will have a considerable impact on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Planning Inspector specifically stated that the site would be “read at longer distance views”. This point was illustrated clearly by submission of photographic evidence to the District Council that this development does not conform to this.
Thirdly, there is considerable concern locally that this development will exacerbate flooding problems. The Tyndale View development has apparently caused houses to flood which have never flooded before and the concern is that a new development of this size would add to the risk of flooding.
Finally, the development as it is would result in a 16% increase in the growth of Kingswood village within three years. This is above the emerging Government thinking on appropriate levels of growth, which the Community Right-to-Build initiative is proposing to set at 10% within 10 years.
Commenting on the matter Mr Clifton-Brown stated, “I was disappointed to see the Planning Officer’s recommendation for this proposal. I do not feel that the Council have paid the due attention the vast numbers of local objections to this development and that is why I have requested that the Secretary of State call in this particular application.”
“At the very least I would hope that the Council would talk to Taylor Wimpey and request that their proposals are modified to take into account the concerns over the size of the development, the impact it will have on the AONB, the flooding problems it may cause and the sustainability of such a scheme in an area that has already seen large population growth in the last few years.”
The Planning Officer at Stroud District Council has recommended the development, which goes before the Council’s Development Control Committee today, Tuesday 8 March.
The development has been recommended despite the widespread local opposition to it. Indeed, of the representations on the application, which included over 400 letters, 99.75% were opposed to the development.
These objections have concerned a number of matters. Firstly, the Government’s Planning Inspector recommended a maximum of 50 houses on both Tyndale View and Chestnut Park sites in Kingswood. 41 houses have already been built in Tyndale View which means that this development would exceed that number by 28 houses.
Secondly, this development will have a considerable impact on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Planning Inspector specifically stated that the site would be “read at longer distance views”. This point was illustrated clearly by submission of photographic evidence to the District Council that this development does not conform to this.
Thirdly, there is considerable concern locally that this development will exacerbate flooding problems. The Tyndale View development has apparently caused houses to flood which have never flooded before and the concern is that a new development of this size would add to the risk of flooding.
Finally, the development as it is would result in a 16% increase in the growth of Kingswood village within three years. This is above the emerging Government thinking on appropriate levels of growth, which the Community Right-to-Build initiative is proposing to set at 10% within 10 years.
Commenting on the matter Mr Clifton-Brown stated, “I was disappointed to see the Planning Officer’s recommendation for this proposal. I do not feel that the Council have paid the due attention the vast numbers of local objections to this development and that is why I have requested that the Secretary of State call in this particular application.”
“At the very least I would hope that the Council would talk to Taylor Wimpey and request that their proposals are modified to take into account the concerns over the size of the development, the impact it will have on the AONB, the flooding problems it may cause and the sustainability of such a scheme in an area that has already seen large population growth in the last few years.”
