Appeal to stand up to applications

I write concerning the planning meeting re Woodside Farm on Tuesday evening. There was a proposal to refuse the application that received a tied vote of 5/5 and the chair chose not to cast the deciding vote but elected to put in a counter proposal which then saw the application approved with conditions. In my opinion the influence of WDC officers in trying to sway planners was, on this particular application, excessive.

The travesty of this is that the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) clearly states that any development must be sustainable. One clear aspect that was not raised or debated was one of infrastructure, especially schools. Both Fieldgate Lane (94 houses) and Woodside Farm (280 houses) have no provision for a school and local schools already have a severe lack of places.

These two sites will generate approximately £374,000 to go towards schools. However there is no land allocated for a school; local schools have already been expanded to accommodate Warwick Gates’ residents so where will the children from the new development go to school? Also £374,000 is nowhere near enough to build a school and neither WCC nor WDC cannot afford to spend money due to the £92m cuts!

This point along with others such as GPs were not even considered as points for refusing the application although it is a valid reason within the NPPF.

Planners appear to be afraid of refusing applications as they are in fear of them going to appeal and in their words “it will be taken out of our hands.” The threat of going to appeal is not a planning reason for refusal and it is about time planning committees considered local residents’ and objectors’ views.

Trevor Wood, Landor Road, Whitnash