Friends of Winchcombe – Action Letter – February 2017

You need to ACT NOW to object to the Beechcroft proposed development for Almsbury Farm.
You may think initially that this is not of immediate concern to you BUT there is a very strong likelihood that this is one of several applications from developers relating to development of AONB sites in Winchcombe.  The closing date to object is 2nd March 2017.
Advice on objecting to planning applications.

INVALID OBJECTION REASONS

  Perceived loss of property value.

  Loss of a view.

  Impact of construction work.

  Restrictive covenants.

  Fence lines etc.

  Personal matters or views about the applicant.

  I don’t like the application.


VALID OBJECTION REASONS

  Loss of light or overshadowing.

  Overlooking / loss of privacy.

  Landscape impact.

  Visual amenity (but NOT loss of private view).

  Traffic generation (including cumulative effect)

  Excessive bulk or scale.

  Road access and inadequate road system in surrounding area.

  Better alternative sites available.

  Local, strategic, regional and national planning policies.

  Previous planning decisions (incl. appeal decisions)

  Nature conservation; harm to rare plants or animals.

  Impact on a listed building.

  Impact on the setting of a listed building.

 

 
GENERAL ADVICE

• Note carefully the closing date for representations.
• The main objective is to avoid decisions being made by council employees and to put the decision in the hands of Tewkesbury's elected representatives; evidence says that we stand more chance with the planning committee. This is achieved by getting at least 10 letters of objection in by the deadline submission date. Therefore we urgently need a minimum of 10 households to object.
• An objection can be as simple as "I object to this planning application" but clearly it is far better to provide VALID reasons. You don’t need to use all of the objections in our sample letter, just choose those that you are most comfortable with and vary your words to make your letter personal.

• If the number of objections is large, it is possible (though unlikely) that the applicant may withdraw the application.
• On submission of an application, involve your BOROUGH councillors - this is what you elected them for. Send them a copy of your objection and ask for their support.
• One golden rule - however emotional you feel about a planning application, objective hard facts are what counts.

Please DON’T amend the NPPF Section  if you include it in your letter.
 
 
 
Your address – Winchcombe – Cheltenham – Glos. – GL54 XXX
 
Miss Lisa Dixon,
Tewkesbury Borough Council Planning Dept.,
Council Offices,
Gloucester Road,
Tewkesbury, Glos., GL20 5TT                                                                                                   Date
 
Planning Applications Ref. Nos. 16/01453/FUL   and   16/01454/LBC
Dear Miss Dixon,
I write in connection with the above planning applications. I have examined the plans and I know the site well. I wish to object strongly to the development of the care home and assisted living units in this location for the following reasons
Conservation Area and AONB

• The proposed site of the development is particularly ill-considered. It is in the Winchcombe Conservation Area and the AONB and building here would diminish the striking views from many public footpaths above the town. The development would also cause harm to the setting and significance of the conservation area, and cause harm to the landscape and scenic beauty of the AONB.
  • The site borders the parkland of a Grade II listed historic house and forms part of the historic and rural approach to Sudeley Castle.
  • The site contains a Grade II listed Cotswold Barn and 7.9 acres of Greenfield land
  • The site is outside the existing built up southern limit of Winchcombe and on the south side of the river Isbourne that creates a natural boundary.
• There are many other locations throughout Tewkesbury Borough that are not in the AONB where this type of development would be far better located. Planners should consider developing in the wider region before considering building in our very precious AONB.
• It is important to protect the attractiveness of the AONB viewed from the town and elsewhere.

 
Light Pollution
 

• Development of the AONB on this scale and with buildings of the proposed height would undoubtedly result in unacceptable light pollution from the onsite roadways, car parks and residences. This would result in materially altering the light levels outside the development and adversely affect the use and enjoyment of nearby residential housing and open spaces.

 
  NPPF
·         Paragraph 116 of the National Planning Policy Framework requires applications for major development within an AONB to be refused unless there are exceptional circumstances (“exceptional” in this context connotes rarity and relates to the development itself and not any benefits to the future occupiers). This application cannot be considered as an exceptional circumstance and in the context of Winchcombe, this application is for a “major” development.
 
 
Traffic

• Traffic is already very bad (sometimes intolerably so) in Winchcombe, and the cumulative effect of more development on this scale would add a substantial extra burden on our town.
• Vehicular access to and from the site is via Vineyard Street and over a narrow bridge. The applicant has endeavoured to dismiss traffic concerns on the back of highly flawed traffic surveys that were conducted between 28 November 2016 and 4 December 2016. This period is not representative of traffic flows during at least 8 months of the year when Sudeley Castle is open for visitors and walkers in the area are abundant. Also during this survey period, some roads in Winchcombe were closed to all traffic due to Severn Trent Water works resulting in far less traffic through the town than normal.
• The applicant also dismisses traffic pressure by claiming that Vineyard Street is a non-through route. In actual fact, Vineyard Street is indeed a through route for 8 months of every year. The addition of this development would cause enormous traffic problems for Vineyard Street and especially at its junction with the B4632 Gloucester Street.
• Additional to increased traffic created by the residents of 53 assisted living units, the care home itself would require a considerable number of visits by service vehicles carrying laundry, food supplies, general and clinical waste, medical supplies etc. Many of these vehicles would be 3.5 ton and some would be 7.5 ton with the resultant risk of compromising the integrity of the bridge and causing noise, environmental and vibration pollution in Vineyard Street. These vehicle movements would cause great traffic pressure on the junction of Vineyard Street and Gloucester Street.
• There is firm evidence that an average of 17-27 staff would be employed daily, not 5 as suggested in the planning application, adding further traffic problems for Vineyard Street and again at its junction with Gloucester Street. Additionally there would be traffic movement from visiting Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Doctors, Community nurses etc. and on training days, there may be considerably larger numbers present and at shift changeover time there would be increased traffic.

Pedestrian and Mobility Access

• Pedestrian access to and from the site via both Vineyard Street and Castle Street would be via very narrow and inadequate pavements entirely unsuitable for use by elderly and infirm people.  Castle Street has only one pavement and it is far too narrow for use by mobility scooters / wheelchairs. Vineyard Street has only one useable pavement for mobility scooters / wheelchairs and most journeys would then entail having to cross Vineyard Street at both its southern and northern ends.
• I contend that the steep gradients of both Vineyard Street and Castle Street are unsafe for the use of mobility scooters / wheelchairs that would likely be used by many residents. The average gradients of these roads are 9.7% and 16.7% respectively. Expert advice puts the Average Maximum Safe Gradient as 6-8%. The safe negotiation of the junctions at the top of both Vineyard Street and Castle Street is also very difficult for mobility scooters / wheelchairs.

Medical Resources

• The age demographic and residency criteria of residents in both the assisted living and nursing units would inevitably cause a strain on the local medical infrastructure as this work would be additional to that already arising from within the community served by Winchcombe Medical Centre.

 
General

• Winchcombe’s infrastructure and services already struggle to cope with the current housing numbers; adding more pressure to these would be overwhelming.

 
Yours sincerely etc.
You may send your letter by post to Lisa Dixon at the address on the heading of this letter or alternatively email it to her at:  
lisa.dixon@tewkesbury.gov.uk
 
 
It would also be useful to copy your letters to your 3 Borough Councillors at:
councillor.mason@tewkesbury.gov.uk
councillor.allen@tewkesbury.gov.uk
councillor.day@tewkesbury.gov.uk

Development at Almsbury Farm
Applications:   16/0153/FUL and 16/01454/LBC
 
Formal Proposition:-
 
Winchcombe Town Council supports the principle of developing a scheme of specialist housing for the elderly and the construction of a Care Home, including the restoration of the historic barns, to a scale and extent no larger than that proposed in these applications, and subject to the following observations:-
 
a.     the County Archaeologist being satisfied that no issues of archaeological interest would be adversely affected.
 
b.   this Council believes that the Traffic Survey is fundamentally flawed in that the survey was undertaken at times and dates in the off-peak season when the Castle was closed to visitors and should be repeated at a time when the Castle is open to the public.
 
c.       the applicants giving a binding undertaking to ensure that the proposed Assisted Living Units would remain as such in perpetuity.
 
d.      negotiations are undertaken to increase the number of smaller units intended to satisfy identified local housing need to 12 in total.
 
e.       the applicants be asked to consider the introduction of a mini-bus service for the use of residents in accessing local and regional facilities.
 
f.         the applicants should liaise with the Highway Authority to rationalise the car parking arrangements and provision for pedestrians and mobility scooters on Vineyard Street.  The architectural character of this historic street in the Winchcombe Conservation Area should be paramount.  It should also reduce or remove the suggested car-park in front of the Listed Barns, and that, if necessary, the site layout be adjusted accordingly.
 
g.       the roofing material to be used throughout the scheme should be limited to Cotswold tiles.
 
h.      the applicants be requested to provide facilities to enable the replacement of some of the services lost by the closure of Winchcombe Hospital.
 
i.      the applicants should demonstrate that there is sufficient capacity in the foul drainage system to accommodate the anticipated flows from the development.
 
i.        the applicants entering into a S.106 Agreement containing the following provisions:
(i)      appropriate financial contributions being made towards the new Cemetery off Mount View Drive, Winchcombe Park and the local Health facilities.
(ii)     the provision of a dedicated footpath/cycleway between Vineyard Street and Castle Street either through the site or elsewhere through the Sudeley Estate.
(iii)       the provision of at least 12 residential units to satisfy identified local need.
(iv)      the provision of a scheme to ease the flow of water under the bridge at Castle Street to reduce the risk of flooding.
 

We are holding a Friends of Winchcombe meeting at 7:00pm on Friday, 17th Feb. at the Abbey Fields Community Centre to discuss the Planning Application to build a 52 bed care home and 53 assisted living units at Almsbury Farm.

Please note that this is additional to the Town Council meeting and is specifically so FOW can respond to the outcomes of the Town Council meeting and to understand FOW members feeling and requirements.
  
Please do join us, feedback and let us have your views.?

 
FACT: This Planning Application is another proposal to develop on Winchcombe’s AONB.

This is a photograph of the actual greenfield area of the site. 

​

CLARIFICATION: The assisted living housing will not be sold without restrictions. Residents “will need to undertake an independent care needs assessment” (plus age restriction). The units will be sold on lease “with restrictions that none can be sold on, or let, without signing a deed of covenant regarding the terms of their occupation”.
AND: Care packages will have to be paid for by ALL residents. (Including personal care, laundry, meals & housekeeping).

ARGUABLE: The application claims that Vineyard Street currently has a “very low traffic base”.
BECAUSE: The traffic surveys undertaken to justify this were carried out during a 7 day period, from Monday 28th November to Sunday 4th December 2016, during a seasonally very low traffic period.
BECAUSE:  Sudeley Castle was CLOSED during this period and there were very few walkers. Traffic would have been considerably lighter than for the previous 7+ months and annually.

ARGUABLE: The application claims that “Vineyard Street is a non-through route”.
BECAUSE: It is a through route for 7+ months, every year, when Sudeley Castle is open.

ARGUABLE: A claim is made that “it is generally considered that around 2 kilometres (1.24 miles) is an acceptable distance for pedestrians to walk to nearby facilities & amenities”.
The application quotes the following distances and times to support the development location:

• Co op food store      650m,         8 minutes.
• Library                    750m,          9 minutes.        
• GP Surgery           1300m,        16 minutes.

BECAUSE: The review seems to underestimate the possible immobility of those using the proposed development. A care home and assisted living accommodation is for people requiring care and with some form of impediment. Is it reasonable to expect residents to walk those distances or in those times?

INCONSISTENCY: The application supporting information acknowledges that one of the concerns expressed at the September 2015 exhibition events was the proposed car park [on the opposite  side of Vineyard St.]. They also claim that “this was removed as part of the scheme presented at the July 2016 events, and was seen as an improvement by respondents”.
BUT: In a site plan reproduced in several of the 63 application documents, ”the location of potential addition car parking” is indicated in a very similar position.

 
Please do come along to the Friends of Winchcombe meeting on Friday17th Feb at 7:00pm, Abbey Fields Community Centre; hear the discussion on this proposal and give us your views.

The public will have an opportunity to speak before the debate so please attend?
It has been decided that an Extraordinary Council Meeting will be held on Wednesday 15 February (after Planning) at approximately 7.30 p.m. to discuss the above application.  
​Location Winchcombe Abbey Fields Community Centre, Back Lane, Winchcombe.
LBC application ref 16/01454/LBC
If you would like to speak before the meeting, please familiarise yourself with the documents (there are 63 of them) on the website.  This can be accessed by the link in the attachment to this email.

http://publicaccess.tewkesbury.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=OIMM77QDLU500.

The Planning Application for the Almsbury Farm site is live on TBC website and responses need to made before March 3rd 2017.

The Proposal is for construction of a 52 bed care home and 53 assisted living units and includes the conversion of Almsbury Barns.
There is a parking area proposed on the other side of Vineyard Street which is also on ANOB.
The reference is 16/01453/FUL

Follow this link for more detailed information:

http://publicaccess.tewkesbury.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=OIMM77QDLU500


​More to follow soon.