8/4/2008

Local News in Fleet

18-year homes fight ends in victory

Never-say-die campaigners are celebrating victory in their 18-year fight to stop a new development overshadowing their homes.

A government-appointed inspector has thrown out plans to demolish two family houses at 28 and 28a Kings Road, Fleet, and replace them with eight homes.

Hart District Council officers refused the application before the scheme even got to be discussed by councillors on the planning committee.

But developer Landstone appealed against the decision and the application was thrashed out before the planning inspector during a day-long informal hearing at Hart District Council’s Fleet headquarters in February.

The inspector has now ruled in favour of residents and thrown out the scheme, a decision that has delighted neighbours.

Kings Road resident Liz Woodford, who has been helping to fight applications to redevelop the site since 1990, said: “Obviously we are all very pleased with the result.

“We didn’t like the plan, the council didn’t like it and now a planning inspector has given it the thumbs down.”

Mrs Woodford said campaigners were interested to read the inspector’s comments on the unsuitability of the devel-opment for future residents.

She added: “He ruled that the development would have been too cramped for the size of the houses proposed and some of the gardens would have been too small for families.

“He also concluded that car parking was too tight and would result in the danger of overspill into the busy Kings Road, particularly as the plan did not allow for visitor parking.”

Campaigners had branded the latest scheme as the most damaging yet.

Mrs Woodford said: “We thought the 1990 and 2004 applications were over-development of this site but the latest scheme was the biggest plan to be proposed.

“In 1990 there were 26 bedrooms, in 2004 there were 28 bedrooms and now we had eight four-bedroom homes, with two of them having a design that gives them the ability to be turned into five-bedroom houses.”

Neighbours were also concerned that several homes would overlook garages on the proposed development site.

Hart District Council planning officials dismissed the latest scheme for several reasons.

They ruled the proposed development was unac-ceptable as it would appear cramped and was not in keeping with the character of the area.

Officers said they could not be satisfied the proposed development would not have an adverse impact on the Bourley and Long Valley

Site of Special Scientific Interest.

They also pointed out no contribution had been offered towards the local transport plan or off-site leisure and open space recreational facilities.

Mrs Woodford said: “Everybody has worked hard to achieve this result and as always we have been a good team.

“We thank councillors of all political persuasions for their support and help, particularly at the appeal.”

Campaigners are now wondering what will happen next to the controversial development site.

Mrs Woodford said: “This is now almost a 20-year saga and nobody has ever come forward with a proposal that has been accepted by residents or a planning inspector.

“It just goes to show that there is an inherent difficulty in redeveloping this particular corner site.”

Bentley-based Landstone said it was disappointed with the decision.

It said the latest application was drawn up to overcome the eight reasons the 2004 application for planning permission was refused.

The company said it incorporated significant changes to the bulk, scale, form and design of the proposed development.

It added that the latest development was all two storeys high with second floor accommodation in the roof space, compared to six of the earlier houses being three storeys high.

The distance from the development to the site boundary had also increased and important trees would have been safeguarded.

First printed in: Fleet News and Mail