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Housing developments

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Housing developments

Postby Wizard9999 » 03 Sep 2014, 09:14

All

Feel a little guilty that my comment in Mike's thread has diverted focus away from his very good news. Therefore thought remedy was to start a new thread in what I thin is the right location and any discussion anyone wants on this topic can happen here.

Bob I would say you really want you local plan approved, if you do not have one it will be like my patch (Hart) where it is now an effective free for all for landowners. Because there is no plan and because there is not an adequate forecast land supply (they need to have a list of approved proposals for 120% of what is actually required) effectively almost all local policy from the past falls away and it is the National Planning Policy Framework that applications are judged against. the 'Golden Thread' in this document is a "presumption in favour of sustainable development". Nowhere in the 120+ pages is "sustainable" and inspectors seem to have been instructed to take a liberal view of this as Government (which appoints them) want house building as a driver for economic recovery.

So what does this mean? Settlement boundaries count for nothing and any land owner who has land previously rejected for housing scrambles like crazy to get their proposal in before enough has been approved elsewhere to hit the 120% threshold when there seems to be a little more scope for rejection being upheld.

So if your local plan is rejected you'll almost certainly end up with your local land owner apply for all those houses you mention, plus more in any other fields they own.

It's a scandal, but it will never get called out because everyone bags on about there being a housing crisis and / or need for more building. All well and good, but where I live now the problem is there will effectively be no control over where it happens.

And finally, consequences for those involved at council? Former head of planning who oversaw the submission of a local plan heavily criticised and rejected has just been promoted to co-Chief Executive of the local authority!

Terry.
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Re: Housing developments

Postby Mike G » 03 Sep 2014, 10:20

Yes, it's a ridiculous situation, Terry. The thing is, not only did local councils have local framework documents in place previously, but they were given rather a lot of time to produce the new Local Plans........which they would have had to be doing anyway under the old system, because area plans only looked a max. of 10 years ahead. I know there is lots of consultation involved, but given that most councils managed perfectly well within the time limits, it is pretty scandalous that some didn't. Having said that, there may have been to politicking involved in some instances, especially in councils which were in "no overall control" (ie there wasn't a single party holding a majority).
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Re: Housing developments

Postby Wizard9999 » 03 Sep 2014, 11:24

Mike

Don't think it was down to politics, one party in control of council throughout period. Inspector slammed the submission as the calculation of housing need was flawed and they failed to adequately consult neighbouring authorities - which I am told was clearly spelt out in the requirements.

Sadly down to stupidity and incompetence. But of course nobody responsible is held to account and it is local people who are left to suffer the consequences. Makes my blood boil!

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Re: Housing developments

Postby Rod » 03 Sep 2014, 11:46

Our village has an approved local plan with defined boundaries but has used up all available large building plots. So now infilling is taking place, where Developers are buying up chunks of gardens and squeezing several houses in.

In Winchester, a major developer has finally got his way after years of appeals and will start building about 2000 homes later this year. This will have a devastating effect on the City and was fiercely resisted by the Council and citizens for many years to no avail!
A lot of infilling is taking place there too with one particular road, which has very large properties being bought up and replaced with blocks of flats and town houses.
To the south of the city, a developer is building 200 new homes which will have a major impact on the already congested highways and is proposing to build 500 more - again being resisted by the Planners. But it seems all the developers have to do is to appeal and they get their way?

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Re: Housing developments

Postby RogerS » 12 Sep 2014, 14:05

Interesting letter in The Times today from an architect in response to the apparent dearth of brickies which is supposed to be holding up housebuilding. He, the architect, had proposed a number of house designs that didn't use brick or minimised their use to get around this shortage but the local planners always refused because 'they (the houses) wouldn't fit in with the others around them.

The letter then went on to say that with sort of attitude, it was the Local Planners who were holding up house building. Be interested to hear Mike's take on this.
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Housing developments

Postby Rod » 12 Sep 2014, 15:34

In Winchester there's lots of timber clad houses being built so the Planners here don't have that attitude - though some are pretty horrid designs!

http://search.carterjonas.co.uk/pss/ima ... 187_02.JPG

Only from £924k!! Each :)

This is an example of the many infills, where a large extremely nice property on a large plot has been flattened and replaced by Mock Georgian 2 bed Apts from £895k
This is one of about 5 others developments on the same road.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/new-homes-fo ... 4352.html#

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