Back on February 23rd there was some drama in the Council Chamber. It was over an application off London Road in Rayleigh, to demolish the existing Elizabeth Fitzroy home for handicapped adults, and build a new care home with 43 houses. Some of these would be in the Green Belt, and could count towards the 550 proposed for ?North of London Road?
The Development Committee was split down the middle on this in February. 12 councillors wanted the scheme refused , another 12 felt it had some merit and wanted a decision deferred for more discussions. Anyway, it was refused, but only after a chairman’s casting vote.
A revised scheme comes back to the Development Committee next Thursday 30th August- Application No. 12/00279/FUL. It is still recommended for refusal.
The Environment Agency want more information about flood prevention:
Environment Agency : “Advise that the site is within Flood Zone 1 and is therefore considered to have a low risk of flooding from tidal or fluvial sources. However, as the site is greater than 1 ha in size the application must therefore demonstrate that the additional surface water generated by the development will not increase flooding on or off site, post development. The Agency has reviewed the submitted Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) and does not consider it currently demonstrates the full details of how surface water will be managed from the site. Therefore raise a holding objection.”
There are 19 letters of objection from residents, with comments such as:
o London Road is already heavily congested, not only at peak times but throughout the day, including three serious accidents recently including a taxi losing control and ploughing into a children?s play area. Enhancing the access point to allow more traffic onto it will only lead to more difficulties.
o Will generate up to 250 cars on a very dangerous road with shockingly thin paths and few pedestrian crossings.
o London Road has shops, a school and a public house. It is only a matter of time before a child or pedestrians are involved in a serious RTA.
o Close proximity of access points and junctions causing accidents including a fatality. How many more people will have to die before you realise there are too many exits onto the London Road in such a short distance?
o All surrounding roads suffer from on street parking when events are held at the school, Rayleigh Town Sports and Social Club, the community centre, scout hut , Pope John Paul Hall and petrol filling station and shop each impacting onto the road network causing problems.
o The area is saturated with development including the recent Bellway application. How much more is planned with phases 3 and 4 and the care home at 247 London Road?
o Lack of facilities in the area with schools already full and only a small local GP practice.
o Construction traffic will cause nuisance.
o By adding more dwellings on the flood plain will increase the risk of flooding and the increase in concrete footings will push the water table up.
o Lack of local infrastructure to accommodate this many families for schooling and doctor?s surgery .
o Do not understand why the developers wish to re-position the care home to cause maximum intrusion/overlooking to No. 8 Gunn Close and will spoil the look of Gunn Close as a small mews type development, making it appear part of a much larger site
The County Council say there is a shortage of early years and secondary school places and want some money:
Essex County Council Schools, Children and Families Directorate: Advise there should be sufficient primary school places at a local school serving this development. Advise the Commissioning School Places in Essex Plan indicates a deficit of 16 secondary school places at the Sweyne Park School serving this development against their permanent capacity, even before new housing is taken into consideration. With regard to Early Years and childcare provision the local ward for this development would be Sweyne Park. According to the Essex Childcare Sufficiency Assessment the ward has no full day care available and no nursery school at the moment.
Based on the information provided it is estimated that the development proposed will result in 3.83 additional Early Years and childcare and 8.5 additional secondary school places being required. Therefore formally request a financial contribution of ?176,650.
District Council Officers say:
The site is considered to be in the general location ?north of London Road? identified in Core Strategy Policy H2 for housing post 2015. The housing trajectory set out in the Council?s annual monitoring report does not anticipate any of the total quantum of 550 units being delivered before 2018/19. The general location does not therefore feature in the Council?s five year land supply 2011-2016. It is, however, noted that the potential 14 units on that part of the site not in the Green Belt are counted for delivery in 2013/14. Notwithstanding this, there is no pressing need for the release of the site as a whole to contribute towards the five year supply for housing in the district.
Whilst there would likely be public benefit from the replacement of the care home facility, there remains no strong evidence in the applicant?s submissions to demonstrate this to be the only opportunity for the building to be replaced. The release of Green Belt land for development in the general location specified in the Core Strategy north of London Road, in itself provides an opportunity, if the site is part of that release, for the likely increase in value of the land and the provision for a new facility within the comprehensive treatment of the area, rather than by a piecemeal proposal as presented in this current application.
Overall the District Council Officers recommend refusal.
You can download the report from this page – look for “Timber Grove, London Road, Rayleigh”.
There is another application in London Road, which we will write about tomorrow.