I am pleased to say that I heard from the planning officer this afternoon, who is dealing with this application, to tell me that he has decided to refuse this application.
The key reason for refusing it is that the officers were not satisfied that the information was submitted sufficiently addressed the potential noise and traffic impacts of the proposed change of use.
The decision will be published on the planning portal website tomorrow.
Of course the developer may submit a new planning application but good news for now!
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I'm a bit confused by this. From what I can tell from the planning documents the development will be explicitly car free, and presumably it's within the council's powers to refuse a parking permit to anyone registered to those addresses. Obviously traffic impacts during construction would almost certainly be severe if construction vehicles are needed to serve the site. Perhaps that's what the officer's concerns are focussed on? Can anyone (Liz) shed light on this?
I would hope council planners would push for the current vehicular access alongside the Sweet Tree Bakery to be permanently closed to motor vehicles post-construction. At the very least the access road needs a gate/bollard and the pavement need to continue across the entrance. At present, drivers are a persistent hazard to me and my children as we cross here, most of whom do not stop before driving out, with many of those distracted by looking at their phones, etc.
Grant, I can't quite see how the lane next to Sweet Tree Bakery could be closed to vehicular access? I must admit I had not been down there before, but went yesterday, and there is a veritable road along the back of the shops and businesses, full of parked cars which presumably belong to them. I would think they need them, and access for deliveries?
There are also two business-sized rubbish bins - I wonder if Veolia empty these? If so, could not the flats above the businesses have bins at the back too?
Annabel - re bins, I am in conversations with officers & Veolia to see if larger bins can be provided for the flats above the shops. They are just carrying out some work in the meantime to remind residents about authorised collection times etc and I have said that if this does not deliver any improvements then we nee to look at bigger/better /different bin provision for the residents above the shops.
Thanks, Liz. But at present I believe they leave their rubbish in bags on the pavement, which doesn't seem very satisfactory whatever day of the week they leave them there, if there were an alternative ?
Yes, there are set times (late at night & early morning) for dumping /collecting rubbish. I am working with officers & Veolia to ramp up the communications about this to residents so that they are full aware of the times but personally I would like to trial some sort of bins to see if this helps matters although apparently bins can attract even more rubbish but I think it is important to try it and see!
Sorry, the cars are not parked in the roadway, but at the back of the premises.
Hi Grant, Happy to get clarification on this plus also the unit size and if that was never an issue.
BR, Liz
Thanks Liz. I guess it'll come out in the officer's report. It would seem odd if unit size is not a 'material consideration' in planning, I thought 'density' was, but I know very little of the planning system!
Should point out that I don't disagree generally with the objections...
Great news, thank you, Liz! They didn't, however, address the question of the very small size of the units, it would seem.
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