Planning Committee – 18 May 2017

Speaker Statements

Application No. 17/00301/NMA Page

8 Crowstone Road, Grays, Essex, RM16 2SR

2 This application can be found on pages 25 to 32 of the Agenda.

Resident – ########### – In Objection

Application No. 16/01512/FUL Page

Land Adjacent Astons Villa And Appletons, Brentwood Road,

Bulphan, Essex

2 This application can be found on pages 35 to 50 of the Agenda.

Ward Councillor – ############# – In Objection Agent – ############## – In Support

Planning Committee – 18 May 2017

Reference: Site: 17/00301/NMA 8 Crowstone Road, Grays, Essex, RM16 2SR

Statement of Objection

Speaker: ##############

We Object to these Plans in the following area’s :

1. Thurrock Planning portal guidelines Current Depth 2. Annexe 1 of the 1997 local plan. 3. Right to light 4. Privacy 5. 45 degree rule 6. Decision notice ref point 2 7. Plinth 8. Plans availability 9. Side windows 10. Property damage 11. Working Hours 12. We will also be providing Photo’s

Reference: Site: 16/01512/FUL Land Adjacent Astons Villa And Appletons, Brentwood Road, Bulphan, Essex

Statement of Objection

Speaker: ###############

Thank you for allowing me to speak on behalf of the many residents of my Ward that have contacted me regarding this application.

Could I firstly draw you attention to the record of attempts to occupy this site. This land has had many applications over the years for development and always rejected by this council as inappropriate. This is because this parcel of land falls within the green belt. Two years ago occupation occurred with two large mobile homes. The occupants established connections to electricity, water and drainage, none of this was approved. Enforcement action was taken by this council to remove these homes.

Here we are back again; the applicant has provided several reasons why this application should be approved, children’s education, health of some members of the

2 family, location better than current location. I would like to comment on some of these.

I will start with children’s education; this location is possibly one of the worst places to travel to and from school. Public transport is next to non-existent and there are very few footpaths. It follows that this reason is not valid. From your documents, it reads that this family currently reside in Watford and have little connection with this area. It has been established that far from permanently living at that site, they do have a semi-nomadic lifestyle. It has also been established that access to specialist treatment for a family member is better served at their current location as it is closer than the proposed site.

None of these items establish any special circumstances that require consideration by members of this committee, and as this site is on green belt, and there are no special circumstances it follows that this application should be rejected by you.

I urge you to follow the recommendation and refuse this application.

Thank you

Statement of Support

Speaker: #############

First let me say that we disagree with the officer’s recommendation. We have tried to engage with the Council to put together an acceptable application. We submitted a Health and Education Statement which I trust the Committee have had to time to review. There is a substantial unmet need in the Thurrock area, the most recent caravan count indicates there are 39 unauthorised caravans in Thurrock. A consent here would be a positive initiative, militating against the unmet need figure.

The National Planning Policy Framework, and its Planning Policy for Traveller sites, is supportive of the provision of sites for Gypsies and Travellers in certain circumstances, and particularly where VSC’s exist, as in this case. There’s a number of material considerations when taken separately or together can out weigh harm, policy issues or other considerations.

A case for “Very Special Circumstance’s” has been put forward which includes:

1. Applicants are Romani Gypsies and they have Gypsy Status for planning purposes. 2. There is an unmet need for pitches within the district, and there is even more unmet need in the region as a whole. This fact carries significant weight. 3. The applicants need a place to live to access consistent Healthcare and Education. This fact carries significant weight. 4. The applicants need a place to live, & Council needs to balance their duty of care and the unmet need, together with their targets for pitches in the area, and residual obligations carried forward from the Housing Act. 3

5. If refused, we believe that the issue of a necessary five year supply of land for the Gypsy Traveller community will have been ignored. If a local authority cannot demonstrate an up-to-date five-year supply of deliverable sites, then according to the NPPF at least a temporary consent has to be granted. 6. The site is sustainable, and sustainability is more than just the distance to the shops, doctors or buses. 7. Any new site in the area is going to be in the open Country side or Greenbelt. This site is bounded on every side by existing development, so there’s limited impact, and screening can be improved. 8. The Human Rights act, and the implications of Article 8 of the Human Rights Act, is engaged in this situation. 9. There are no objections from Highways or the EA.

There are No objections in policy terms that are not out weighed by the personal circumstances or VSC’s.

Planning guidance says that if a condition can address concerns raised by a planning application, then consent should be granted with a relevant condition.

Conclusion * The site is sustainable. * All necessary services are available. * Visual impact would be minimal.

We urge the committee to look favourably on the planning application and grant permanent planning permission, if not permanent than a temporary consent.

Addendum from ################

I will respond to points raised in the objection.

First the number of previous planning application relating to the site which have been unsuccessful are irrelevant, the previous application that was allowed at appeal is relevant.

Other applications with that postcode could be relevant, and the Council Website brings up 149 applications (many successful). The successful planning applications for sites which have been made within that postcode are relevant.

 Replacement Dwelling Glenfield Brentwood Road Bulphan Essex RM14 3SL Status: Permitted  Rear extension with a depth of 8 metres from the original rear wall of the property, with a maximum height of 4 metres and eaves height of 2.54 metres. Glenfield Brentwood Road Bulphan Essex RM14 3SL Status: Permitted  Certificate of lawfulness in respect of single storey rear and side extensions and two storey rear extension. Glenfield Brentwood Road Bulphan Essex RM14 3SL Status: Permitted  Demolition of industrial type building and replace with a single storey garden room/domestic storeroom and removal of 3 no. temporary buildings and replace with a domestic garage. Garlesters Farm House Brentwood Road Bulphan Essex RM14 3SL - Status: Permitted  Construction of five detached two-storey dwellings with separate double garages (revised application following approvals of 11/00174/FUL & 12/00488/FUL) with rooflights in rear elevations of all properties. Status: Permitted  Change of use from garage to habitable dwelling Uppham Hall Brentwood Road Bulphan Essex RM14 3SL Status: Permitted  Demolish existing dwelling and erect new three bedroom dwelling. The Gables Brentwood Road Bulphan Essex RM14 3SL Status: Permitted  2 storey house and detached garage (Replacement of 1 and 2 Garlesters Cottages. - Status: Permitted  Extension, alteration and renovation of existing dwelling. Garlesters Farm Brentwood Road Bulphan Upminster Essex RM14 3SL Status: Permitted  Alterations and Extensions to chalets. Ye Olde Plough House Brentwood Road Bulphan Upminster Essex RM14 3SL Status: Permitted  Swimming pool villa Ye Olde Plough House Brentwood Road Bulphan Upminster Essex RM14 3SL - Status: Permitted  Alteration of existing and erection of additional 20 chalets. New car parking and landscaping. Ye Olde Plough House Brentwood Road Bulphan Upminster 5

Essex RM14 3SL Status: Permitted  Infill of existing covered way to form bedroom extensions, stores and walkway. Ye Olde Plough House Brentwood Road Bulphan Upminster Essex RM14 3SL - Status: Permitted  Five Blocks of chalets 8 number of units per block. Ye Olde Plough House Brentwood Road Bulphan Upminster Essex RM14 3SL - Status: Permitted

All the above applications (14) are in the Greenbelt and presumably they are all sustainable, other wise the LPA would not have grated them. Also other successful planning applications which have been made within that postcode or nearby (such as the 19 houses close by) could be relevant because they demonstrate sustainability etc.

Second, the applicant is ############ who has no connection to Watford; however his son some times uses a Watford address to access health care, as it is not possible to access health care without a postal address.