No
Draft Local Plan Review
Representation ID: 2392
Received: 12/02/2017
Respondent: Peter Steele
Loss of sporting facilities. The land should be retained for sporting use as SMBC policy is not to sell the freehold.
Impact on character and appearance of the surrounding area. Out of scale and character compared to housing in the vicinity.
Will reduce existing car parking and provides inadequate spaces for the volume of homes proposed. On-street car parking will increase.
The site is unsustainable as it does not meet the accessibility criteria in the National Planning Policy Framework.
There will be degradation of services for local residents whose schools and medical facilities are already oversubscribed.
Proposed Housing Allocation 18
I strongly object to the proposed development of 100 houses on land off Sharmans Cross Road for a number of reasons...
1. These grounds are intended for use only for sport facilities and SMBC policy is not to sell the freehold. The developers have already restricted the use of the grounds for sport by various dubious commercial tactics. I believe it is morally wrong for the developers to force this permanent loss of sporting facilities
2. Similar tactics have been used to apply pressure to the adjacent independent Tennis Club and its membership, attempting to 'bribe' the members with new improved clubhouse facilities. This devious approach conceals their attempt to acquire the freehold from the Club Directors, who do not have huge financial resources for the legal support necessary to resist this. Without acquiring this freehold the developers cannot proceed with the scheme, but if they do acquire it the club would lose its independence and the very asset that supports its own viability. Again, this is morally wrong to force the club to have to defend its very independence.
3. This development not only wipes out sports ground facilities, but seeks to replace them with a totally unacceptable density compared to the surrounding area. At approximately five times the density of property on Winterbourne Road, this is totally unsuitable, out of scale and character compared to existing housing in the vicinity.
4. The development destroys existing car parking and provides inadequate spaces for the volume of homes proposed. Street parking in the area is already chaotic and this scheme will severely affect safety and congestion through increased street parking.
5. As the site location does not meet any of the criteria of The National Policy Framework, it is unsustainable with regard to access to local amenities within 800m/10 min walk.
6. This development will lead to a degradation of services for local residents, whose Schools and Medical Facilities in the area are already oversubscribed.
A previous application for this site has been refused and another withdrawn, this is a further attempt to destroy local sporting and leisure facilities for commercial profit. It must not be allowed to succeed.