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).
Please do read through this Planning Summary, and we strongly urge you to also take the actions that we at the PWRA will be taking (see Objection reasons in RED INK) in response to the new applications listed.
Running Total of Additional Housing Units in the PWRA Area (from 2018):
Total: 3449 housing units
of which:
Approved: 1864 housing units
Pending: 348 housing units
Refused: 1075 housing units
Withdrawn: 162 housing units
Applications Refused
47 Graham Road (Ref: 22/01792/FUL) 4 houses. Comment: Reasons for refusal: i) Over-development and out of character; ii) Highways, car parking, and vehicular movement concerns; iii) Unacceptable bulky waste and refuse facilities; iv) Fire safety concerns; v) Flood risk concerns
108-120 Pampisford Road (Ref: 21/05373/FUL) 67 flats. Comment: Reasons for refusal: i) Over-development and out of character with surroundings; ii) Visually overbearing and harmful to the amenity of neighbouring properties; iii) failure to provide certainty of impact on biodiversity and ecology.
1a Smitham Downs Road (Ref: 22/04053/FUL) 8 flats. Comment: Reasons for refusal: i) Out of Character with the area; ii) ‘Unneighbourly form of development that would harm the amenity of neighbouring properties’ (Quote from the Decision Notice – First time I see that form of words used!); iii) Poor standard of accommodation proposed; iv) Inadequate cycle storage; v) Car parking and highways concerns.
Significant New Applications
66 Brighton Road (Ref: 22/05023/FUL) Rear and side extension of existing property to increase it from the current 2 x 2 bed flats to 4 x 2 bed flats, with a total of 2 car parking spaces. Comment: Nearby properties have been / are being converted into flats. This property is in need of improvement in its existing form. Propose a neutral stance.
14 Oakwood Avenue (Ref: 22/05346/FUL) Construction of a new house adjacent to the existing house, which it is proposed to extend, creating 1 x 4 bed house and 1 x 5 bed house, each with 2 car parking spaces. Comment: Yet another application for this property, lodged just before Christmas. The developer is appealing a refusal for a block of 18 flats, and has also submitted an application for two new houses on the site. This application is a variation on the two house proposal, looking to extend the existing house and construct a new one adjacent to it. Propose a neutral stance on this latest proposal.
7 Smitham Bottom Lane (Ref: 22/05098/FUL) 7 x 4 bed houses (6 being semi-detached), with 14 car parking spaces. Comment: This property is next door to the former Woodcote Reservoir which is currently being developed into 9 flats. Whilst the proposal for 7 Smitham Bottom Lane is for houses vs flats, a very intensive development of the site is proposed. The houses look very small for 4 beds, and the gardens / amenity space for all but one house (on the back left of the site) look very small. One house is also located on the front right of the site and could put additional stress on the protected badger sett on the former Reservoir site. Propose objection based on: Over-development of the site, Detrimental to the amenity of occupiers of adjoining properties, Ecology concerns.
Appeals
87-89 Foxley Lane (Ref: 22/03333/FUL) 22 flats. Comment: Appeal against refusal of the planning application as being over-development of the site.
41 Woodcrest Road (Ref: 22/-1816/OUT) 8 flats. Comment: Being appealed as beyond the 8 week period the council have to determine planning applications.
Withdrawn
102 Foxley Lane (Ref: 22/01654/FUL) 9 flats