After much delay and negotiation the planning application relating to the 306 houses behind Church Street and Thorpe Downs estate was approved via Planning Committee on Tuesday, along with the 3 houses at the bottom of Thorpe Downs Road.
The Burton Mail were not present at the committee and had already printed a report prior to the meeting mainly based on the football ground as opposed to the development. Their report below draws information from the Facebook Page set up by a local resident who deserves mention for his actions in keeping residents informed via the group and also allowed us to communicate to residents through this forum. I will not embarrass him by naming him.
http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/Shock-homes-approval-means-Gresley-FC/story-22943497-detail/story.html
A significant number of residents attended the committee to see the item debated for well over an hour. The final vote was made with 7 voting for the application and 6 voting against. Whilst Planning is quasi-judicial and can not be subject to party voting, the vote was split with Conservative voting for and Labour Voting against. Please see below attached news report from the last major development in Church Gresley ward. A case of deja vu!
http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/vote-huge-housing-plan-gets-OK/story-21509584-detail/story.html
One of the main areas of debate related to the inclusion of this scheme into the emerging Local Plan that is currently being deliberated through the Planning Inspectorate and this was said to be a significant factor in the justification for allowing it.
The local plan has been put to the vote twice in Environment & Development Services Committee an also in Full Council. On all of these occasions the vote has been split by one vote with the Tories voting it through on all occasions. Whilst we all appreciate the need for development we are frustrated with the lack of spread throughout the district, with most of the developments being in already developed labour wards in the urban core and on the fringes of Derby. We also had concerns over the amount of responses to the plan throughout the district and felt that it may have been better advertised through newsletters rather than only on the internet.
During the site visit for the committee it was clear from the reaction of the vast majority of those there that the single access through Rockcliffe Close was inadequate but despite pleas for a review of this, the advice from the Highways authority was considered acceptable.
Despite our objections and a very well prepared objection speech by local resident Kevin Clarke the development was granted consent. The 3 house development at the bottom of Thorpe Downs Road was also passed despite concerns over flooding.
We would like to thank residents for giving feedback and attending the meeting as well as the various consultation events. Though the development has gone though and we are all disappointed, it may have been worse had several concerns not been addressed through our and residents feedback.
So what happens next?
The development of 306 houses was for outline permission. A more detailed application will be submitted for planning permission. As with the outline permission, this will be subject to feedback from residents. When we receive notice of this we will let residents know on this blog.
If you believe the Burton Mail, the football ground has been approved. This is not the case. A separate planning application will need to be submitted as it relates to a separate development which has not yet been submitted.
Interestingly enough, the person who had the casting vote on the local plan was the current Chairman of the Council who voted in favour of the local plan despite an impassioned plea from a fellow Woodville Councillor. The said Chairman now appears in the Burton Mail highlighting a petition regarding road safety in the area he previously represented as a County Councillor. He had every opportunity to vote against the local plan yet is gaining publicity for this.
http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/Road-safety-campaign-Swadlincote-400-home-plan/story-22935546-detail/story.html
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