Purley Planning Summary – 3rd January 2021
The current volume of planning applications and decisions in the PWRA area can make it challenging to keep up with what is being proposed for our area. Consequently the PWRA Planning Officer now prepares a summary of planning activity in our area so we can more easily track this, and determine the action we will take for new planning applications.
We believe that this will also be useful for members and publish it here so YOU can quickly see what we believe to be the most significant planning matters in the PWRA area, the actions we will be taking / have taken, and enable members to take their own actions (eg objecting or supporting new planning applications).
Running Total of Additional Housing Units in the PWRA Area (from 2018):
Total: 2448 housing units (incl the 21 (vs 19) flat proposal for 88 Riddlesdown Road)
of which
Approved: 1343 housing units
Pending: 720 housing units
Refused: 263 housing units
Withdrawn: 122 housing units
Applications Granted
39 Pampisford Road (Ref: 20/02280/FUL) Demolition of existing family home and construction of a block of 9 flats (2 x 1 bed, 4 x 2 bed, 3 x 3 bed) with 4 car parking spaces. Comment: PWRA had objected.
Applications Refused
123 Foxley Lane (Ref: 20/05226/FUL) Demolition of the existing property and erection of 7 x dwelling houses. Comment: Reasons for refusal: i) Adverse impact on Webb Estate Conservation Area; ii) Comprehensively out of character with surrounding area; iii) Harmful to the amenity of neighbours; iv) Failure to protect trees on the site: v) impact of highway safety; vi) Failure to consider servicing and refuse arrangements.
2 More Close (Ref: 20/06045/NMA) Proposal to move car parking spaces and cross-over closer to the main entrance to the new block and use previous location as a communal garden. Comment: It maybe coincidental that the site of the proposed communal garden is that where an application for 2 houses (in addition to the flats) was previously proposed earlier in the year. A new planning application is required to consider this proposal, not an NMA.
36 Oakwood Avenue (Ref: 20/01658/FUL) 4 X 4 two storey semi-detached houses & 4 x 4 single storey semi-detached houses). Comment: Reasons for refusal; Overdevelopment, Out of Character, Unacceptable impact on adjoining business (Cattery).
112 Pampisford Road (20/04290/OUT) Demolition of the existing property and erection of 7 flats (5 x 2 bed, 2 x 3 bed) with 4 car parking spaces. Comment: Reasons for refusal: i) Out of character, ii) Overdevelopment, iii) Poor amenity for occupiers and neighbours, iv) Highways.
41 Woodcrest Road (Ref: 20/04957/OUT) Demolition of existing family home and construction of a block of 8 flats. Comment: Reasons for refusal: Out of character, Highways and traffic / pedestrian safety, Inadequate provision for disabled access, Inadequate amenity space. PWRA had objected. See Appeals section.
Significant New Applications
Ummed Villa Birch Lane (Ref: 20/05428/FUL) Demolition of existing house and construction of a 4 bed / many roomed house incorporating dormer extensions, accommodation within the roof space, double garage, swimming pool, and separate two bed annex. Comment: PWRA takes its lead from the Webb Estate. A very impressive looking submission, somewhat undermined by references to London Borough of Sutton as the planning authority, and the Webb Estate not being a conservation area!
19A Box Ridge Avenue (Ref: 20/05870/FUL) Demolition of the existing family home dwelling house and construction of 9 flats (6 x 1 bed, 2 x 2 bed, 1 x 3 bed) with 4 car parking spaces. Comment: Whilst this is not a very detailed application, from the material submitted it looks to be for a ‘brutalist’ block which would dominate the site with little communal space (or car parking). Object based on: Loss of a family home, Over development of the site, Out of character, Detrimental to the amenity of adjoining occupiers, Traffic and highways.
36A Box Ridge Avenue (Ref: 20/06068/FUL) Construction of a two storey front extension and conversion of existing house into 5 flats (3 x 1 bed, 1 x 2 bed, 1 x 3 bed) with 5 car parking spaces. Comment: Object based on: Loss of a family home, Over development of the site, Out of character, Detrimental to the amenity of adjoining occupiers, Traffic and highways.
725 Brighton Road (Capella Court) (Ref: 20/06601/GPDO) GPDO application for 132 ‘studio’ flats. Comment: This is the second GDPO application for ‘studio’ 132 flats. It appears to be the same as the previous application with no internal layouts for the ‘Studio’ flats. The proposal states that only 19 car spaces will be provided (15 + 4 disabled). As before we should write to the Case Officer expressing concern at the lack of detail on the proposed ‘Studio’ flats and completely inadequate car parking for a proposal of this size in a highly trafficked area (incl the adjacent Recycling Centre).
83 Downlands (Ref: 20/05942/FUL) Construction of a two-storey side/rear and single storey rear extension, side and rear roof extension, installation of 5 front rooflights and alterations to ground levels at the front and rear to provide 5 flats (3 x 1 bed (2 x studio), 1 x 2 bed, 1 x 3 bed) with 4 car parking spaces Comment: This is a second application for this semi-detached house to be converted into flats. I quote the full description of the proposal to illustrate that this is not a simple house conversion. The earlier (May 2020) application was refused. PWRA had objected. Whilst the application refers to 4 car parking spaces these are not visible in the planning application documents (whilst it does appear that the existing (single) garage is retained). This revised scheme does not overcome the objections previously raised. Object based on: Loss of a family home, Over development of the site, Out of character, Detrimental to the amenity of adjoining occupiers, Traffic and highways.
36A Foxley Lane (Ref: 20/06090/FUL) Demolition of family home and construction of a 4 storey block of 7 flats (3 x 1 bed, 2 x 2 bed, 2 x 3 bed) with car parking for 7 cars accessed from both Foxley Lane and Plough Lane. Comment: This property is adjacent to the doctor’s surgery on Plough Lane. 4 of the 7 car spaces will be accessed from Plough lane immediately adjacent to the patient’s car park for the surgery. To squeeze the proposal on the site there is very little occupier amenity space. Object based on: Loss of a family home, Over development of the site, Out of character, Detrimental to the amenity of adjoining occupiers, Traffic and highways.
86 Foxley Lane (Ref: 20/05698/FUL) Construction of a 2 storey side extension to provide 2 flats (1 x 1 bed, 1 x 2 bed) with 1 additional car space. Comment: This house is at the junction of Foxley Lane and Bridle Road, and has already (in 2002) been converted into 4 flats. This proposal will add 2 more flats and 1 additional car space (to make a total of 5). Propose a neutral stance.
121 Foxley Lane (Ref: 20/05946/FUL) Demolition of existing family home and construction of a three storey block of 9 flats (5 x 2 bed, 4 x 3 bed) with 9 car parking spaces. Comment: This application has been made following the appeal dismissal for the previous proposal (see Appeals). It is one storey lower than the previous proposal and is more sympathetic to the surrounding area architecturally. Nevertheless it is still substantially larger than the current building. Object based on: Loss of a family home, Over development of the site, Out of character, Detrimental to the amenity of adjoining occupiers, Traffic and highways.
8-10 Grovelands Road (Ref: 20/05376/CONR) Comment: This is a Section 73 application to vary details of this planning consent. Looking through the changes it is clear that these are not small changes, but ones which fundamentally change the development from that which gained approval. Examples of the changes proposed: Increase the height of all blocks by at least ½ meter, The removal of measures put in place to ensure the development would not result in direct overlooking into habitable rooms and private outdoor space of adjoining properties, The 3rd floor of Andrew East Block is no longer set back, increasing the mass and bulk of the block and resulting in overlooking into neighbouring properties, The general removal, or scaling back, of screening and other measures, to prevent overlooking and invasion of privacy, for neighbouring properties. In view of timing I have already made representations objecting to these proposed changes.
20 Manor Road (Ref: 20/06275/OUT) Demolition of existing family home and construction of 4 detached houses (2 x 5 bed, 2 x 4 bed) with 8 car parking spaces. Comment: This is the second outline application for the redevelopment of this property. Object based on: Loss of a family home, Over development of the site, Out of character, Detrimental to the amenity of adjoining occupiers, Traffic and highways.
922 – 930 Purley Way (Ref: 20/06224/FUL) Demolition of 5 family homes and construction of three blocks of flats ranging from 6 – 12 storey’s totalling 155 flats with 6 car parking spaces. Comment: Object based on: Loss of a family home, Over development of the site, Out of character, Detrimental to the amenity of adjoining occupiers, Traffic and highways.
1 Smitham Bottom Lane (Ref: 20/06319/FUL) Demolition of existing family home and construction of 17 flats (3 x 1 bed, 5 x 2 bed, 9 x 3 bed) with 15 car parking spaces. Comment: Object based on: Loss of a family home, Over development of the site, Out of character, Detrimental to the amenity of adjoining occupiers, Traffic and highways.
Appeals
121 Foxley Lane (Ref: 20/00382/FUL) Demolition of existing family home and construction of a four storey block of 9 flats. Comment: Appeal dismissed. Reasons for dismissal: Out of Character, Inadequate refuse storage, Uncertainty on impact of existing trees. PWRA had objected.
41 Woodcrest Road. Having had their third application refused the applicant has now appealed the second application they made. Whilst this is not yet on the planning portal the planning advisor for the applicant has written (recorded delivery) to previous objectors advising of the appeal and inviting them to put comments on the second and third applications on their website (ie they then control the output which could then be put to the inspector!). At very least this is underhand. Advice from a planning consultant is that under no circumstances should objectors do this, and all Woodcrest Road residents have been notified.
Withdrawn
Rear of 115 / 115A Foxley Lane (Ref: 20/04147/FUL) Construction of a 5 bed house in the back gardens of 115 /115A Foxley Lane with access from Foxley between the two existing houses.
36-38 Smitham Bottom Lane (Ref: 20/01583/FUL) Demolition of existing care home and construction of a new 67 bed care home.