Author Topic: Reasons for refusing the Coate development planning application (Read 2667 times)

Jean · « **Reply #60 on:** November 21, 2011, 07:50:11 PM »

Quote from: bobwright on November 21, 2011, 04:32:56 PM

Jean - The missing Core Strategy is a great concern. There is a case that the changed housing requirements meant the new strategy could show the Coate area was no longer required. However the Tory Administration have not provided a new Core Strategy which would act as a local plan .

Exactly so. We learnt at the Coate Planning Inquiry that SBC has now produced a revised draft Core Strategy in draft. It would appear that they haven't deleted the Coate policy - the position regarding the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has been altered, the road access to Green Hill altered (Green Hill is on the Coate Water side of Dayhouse Lane) and something else to do with highways. We have no details and, no doubt, the Cabinet will wave it through...

The Localism Bill has now been enacted as the Localism Act - not that it means much in practice. It's just a lot of hollow words from a conservative government that doesn't want to hand over more decision making to the people. No doubt, much will be made about the consultation process - we are already consulted to death!

I have no idea what housing figures they will be using in the revised draft Core Strategy. It looked promising in the last draft document (May 2011) as SBC anticipated a new house-build rate of only 800 units a year for 5 years. Under these figures, Coate would not need to come forward in that time. I suspect that the housing allocation has been increased. We shall see...

Jean · « **Reply #61 on:** November 21, 2011, 07:51:35 PM »

Quote from: Alex on November 21, 2011, 04:58:02 PM

I wonder if anyone has yet asked where these developers live themselves. In the midst of their developments or with space around them, not overlooked and with countryside views?

I wonder if I can guess.

You can guess and the answer is not Swindon!

Simon · « **Reply #62 on:** November 21, 2011, 10:17:50 PM »

(My emphasis)

Quote from: bobwright on November 21, 2011, 04:32:56 PM

Drawing on information from the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment and or other relevant evidence, Local Planning Authorities should identify sufficient specific deliverable sites to deliver housing in the first five years. To be considered deliverable, sites should, at the point of adoption of the relevant Local Development Document:
– Be Available – the site is available now.
– Be Suitable – the site offers a suitable location for development now and would
contribute to the creation of sustainable, mixed communities.
– Be Achievable – there is a reasonable prospect that housing will be delivered on the site
within five years.

Given that the northern development area still isn't finished, and that ~~the front garden~~ Wichelstowe is barely started, do any of us really think that if this particular lot of develpers win the appeal, that they will deliver the development that they promise, and within five years?

Or are they just land banking?

Thank you Jean, for being such a tireless force against the desecration of a much loved area of open space.

I just wish I was able to do more to help

bobwright · « **Reply #63 on:** November 21, 2011, 10:38:03 PM »

Jean - some of the best advocates for Swindon don't live in Swindon but they do care about Swindon. Some of the best speakers in the planning meeting defending Coate did not live in Swindon but I was glad they valued Coate as highly as any Swindon resident.

If it makes sense for people who care based on what they value about the location then developers do not have any excuse.

jennyb · « **Reply #64 on:** November 22, 2011, 08:35:41 AM »

Having completed my 1st pass at the Planning Report for the Croft School Proposal ( Planning Committee 6.00pm Tues Nov 29th) I read this in Section 6.15 iit states that.

'the Open Space and Audit and Assessment (2011) identifies that within Old Town and Lawn there is a 'surplus' of general recreation , of which this area of open space is defined as such, the Audut indicates that even with this loss there would continue to a sufficient capacity of open space within the Ward. On this basis there would not be a policy objection ot the loss of the open space'

The Croft is covered by a 1956 covenant. The Croft was chosen by SBC as a school site in 2009. A 2011 assessment that the public knew nothing about decided the land could go...

Smacks of justification after the fact..

Have SBC set themselves up to be the defendant, the judge, the jury and the appeal court...

Is any green space safe in Swindon?

Democracy..what's that....

Jean · « **Reply #65 on:** November 28, 2011, 01:52:07 PM »

The Secretary of State will make his decision about the planning application on or before 3rd April 2012.

We need a fingers-crossed smiley!

Martin Wicks · « **Reply #66 on:** November 28, 2011, 07:14:50 PM »

Good luck Jean. It won't be for lack of effort.

I Could Do That · « **Reply #67 on:** November 29, 2011, 12:47:07 PM »

Yes.
Thanks for hanging in there

the gorgon · « **Reply #68 on:** February 27, 2012, 02:42:50 PM »

Seems that the farmland around Coate pretty much backs onto the newly announced Marlborough Downs Nature Improvement Area. As far as I can tell from the map a part of this NIA falls certainly within the boundaries of the Borough of Swindon http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/biodiversity/funding/nia/projects/default.aspx.

Wonder if anyone bothered telling Chairman Bluh about this

Jean · « **Reply #69 on:** February 27, 2012, 07:17:09 PM »

Quote from: the gorgon on February 27, 2012, 02:42:50 PM

Seems that the farmland around Coate pretty much backs onto the newly announced Marlborough Downs Nature Improvement Area. As far as I can tell from the map a part of this NIA falls certainly within the boundaries of the Borough of Swindon http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/biodiversity/funding/nia/projects/default.aspx.

Wonder if anyone bothered telling Chairman Bluh about this

Unfortunately, the countryside between the Downs and Coate Water isn't included in the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. As such, this means that it isn't included within the boundaries of the NIA.

When the government was designating the area for AONB status in the 1970s, the Coate Water area was proposed for inclusion. Building the M4 and upgrading the A419 at the same time put paid to that. It was decided that the M4 was a convenient line to draw on a map to limit the northern boundary of the AONB.

Jean · « **Reply #70 on:** March 20, 2012, 11:46:38 AM »

For those of you who haven’t been notified directly, the Sec of State’s decision letter and the Inspector’s report for the Coate appeal has been published.

It is with a heavy heart that I need to tell you that planning permission has been granted. I haven’t had a chance to read the document yet.

This is not an unexpected decision. Quite frankly, I can’t see any planning grounds to seek Judicial Review that would hold up in the High Court.

We have been badly let down by the statutory authorities such as Natural England and English Heritage as well as Swindon Council’s planning team who pushed the site forward for development.

More anon...

Jean

Alex · « **Reply #71 on:** March 20, 2012, 11:52:40 AM »

As I have said elsewhere- I really hate this.

I don't just feel sick- I also feel angry and powerless as once again, it has been proved to me that my opinion counts for nothing in the eyes of those who make these decisions.

Our lovely countryside and our heritage being sold off to the highest bidders, yet acres and acres of brownfield sites at Cheney Manor Industrial Estate rots while it could so easily be developed for housing.

This is not right.

the gorgon · « **Reply #72 on:** March 20, 2012, 12:04:29 PM »

Sickening news.

All I can hope for is that the good people of Chiseldon and Lawn will give Cllr Bawden a bloody nose for his role in this. Hopefully every other Tory that sold us down the river will get their just reward as well

Muggins · « **Reply #73 on:** March 20, 2012, 12:09:50 PM »

I hope the sec of State, nips over to Pickles and tells him that, community engagement - localism and all the other stuff they want us to join in, is a total waste of time. That's 50,000 put off forever.

Not nice feeling is it Alex. I sincerely hope that whatever council we have after May, nakes it as difficult as possible and enforces every type of planning requirements they can.

And I agree with Jean about English Nature and all those other nature and culture charities and organisation who fall short of their aims.

Anothr step back to that 3rd world country.

the gorgon · « **Reply #74 on:** March 20, 2012, 12:23:35 PM »

All we can hope for is that the next administration is agressive in securing the land that isn't going to be build on for future generations - making the best of a bad situation.

Looking at the Swindon Link article http://www.swindonlink.com/news/coate-housing-plan-cut-to-900-homes I can't help but think that the developers were very crafty by only proposing development on the GWH side of Day House Lane and near the disused brickworks and gritting depot (i.e. near existing developments). That way they could talk about maintaining the countryside around coate water, whilst getting their foot in the door for development.

Steve Wakefield · « **Reply #75 on:** March 20, 2012, 01:20:20 PM »

Quote from: Muggins on March 20, 2012, 12:09:50 PM

I hope the sec of State, nips over to Pickles and tells him that, community engagement - localism and all the other stuff they want us to join in, is a total waste of time. That's 50,000 put off forever.

Muggins

I know this may seem ironic to some, but I think you will find they are one and the same person $:-\$

Muggins · « **Reply #76 on:** March 20, 2012, 01:50:29 PM »

Ah, that's why Mr Muggins and I were discussing things at cross purposes earlier on then.

There you go then, quite clearly (and really) the right hand doesn't not know what the left hand is doing.

jennyb · « **Reply #77 on:** March 20, 2012, 04:03:01 PM »

During the Coate inquiry... I met Mr Buckland MP after he had made his submission.

He was very concerned about the development and said to me ..what will happen if the Hospital needs to expand?

What indeed...

carole bent · « **Reply #78 on:** March 20, 2012, 04:11:46 PM »

Dear Jean & Co, So sorry to hear the news today. Corn Exchange, Croft and Coate - what rubbish decision making goes on.

Thank you for doing everything you could have possibly done - how tragic that the lure of profit & power seems to have way too much influence. I just can't believe that so many people could say "no" and be ignored . Could Natural England have done more?

the gorgon · « **Reply #79 on:** March 20, 2012, 04:54:45 PM »

Quote from: jennyb on March 20, 2012, 04:03:01 PM

During the Coate inquiry... I met Mr Buckland MP after he had made his submission.

He was very concerned about the development and said to me ..what will happen if the Hospital needs to expand?

What indeed...

Well the more I look at the plans the more I realise that the developers have been more crafty and cunning than a fox who's just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University...

Have a good look at:
http://194.73.99.13:8080/WAM/doc/Revised%20Drawing-313967.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=313967&location=VOLUME5&contentType=&pageCount=1
and
http://194.73.99.13:8080/WAM/doc/Revised%20Drawing-313966.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=313966&location=VOLUME5&contentType=&pageCount=1

What if the hospital needs to expand - they've allocated a chunk of land for hospital expansion.

Site access - this adapts the existing access points to Woodbine Terrace.

Day House Lane is a safe cycling route to the downs - preserved as there is no site access via DH Lane other than on bike or foot.

Damage to rural setting of Coate Water - green buffer between Coate Water and site, the site also includes parkland between DH Lane and housing. Also all development is around existing buildings.

Damage to setting of RJ museum - park/open space at top of DH Lane and historic hedgerows preserved (including Day House Copse).

Would stop proposed canal route - canal route is included in the plans.

Large supermarket/district centre would create traffic - no large supermarket in the plans.

They managed to do enough to weaken the case against development such that I suspect we were always doomed to fail in our attempts to stop it.

SBC are going to have to watch the developers like Hawks to ensure that they stick to their plans.