Plans to build four bungalows on a site along the A428 in Caldecote were given the go ahead at the planning committee meeting on Wednesday 3rd July 2013. The site had previously been granted planning consent for use as a 20-pitch touring caravan park in May 2012, in a controversial decision that was made in the face of strong local opposition.
The planning consent is for a development of two 3-bedroom chalet bungalows and two 5-bedroom chalet bunglaws, with a shared access off St Neots Road. The properties are to be built to a high eco standard, and will benefit Caldecote village in general due to the S106 contributions as well as additional contributions for some sport & leisure facilities for the young people of the village.
The site located next to Casa de Foseta, is one with a chequered history. In 2009, application S/1708/09/F for the erection of 4 bungalows was refused on the grounds that the site was outside the village framework, that it did not meet with the housing mix policy or provide for affordable housing, and that it did not provide adequate ecological data to assess the presence of Great Crested Newts and the potential impact of the development on that species.
The site lay dormant after that, though used for a short time as a paddock to keep a couple of ponies. It was also on a watch alert because there were fears in the village that it could potentially be illegally occupied.
A new planning application S/1383/11 for Change of use to touring caravan park was given approval with conditions in May 2012. That was ironic really, considering the fact that the site was on a watch alert! The approval caused uproar in the village as already explained in a previous article. Further more, enforcement action had to be taken when the site owner commenced work on building out the caravan park without complying with the pre-commencement conditions. Work on the site subsequently stopped, whilst the site owner considered his options.
In December 2012, application S/1516/12/LD for lawful development certificate as storage site for 4 transportable stores for Fosters Circus was refused because of a recent change in the law regarding a time usage requirement for such applications.
For the current application S/0255/13/FL, the land owner consulted with the parish council to come up with a scheme that would be acceptable to the village, and which would benefit the local community. In so far as all concerned accepted that the site is outside the village framework, it is never the less in a ribbon of development along the old St Neots Road. The design of the proposed dwellings is in keeping with that of the existing buildings along that road, namely bungalows and chalet bungalows in large gardens. The applicant also confirmed willingness to provide monies in lieu of affordable housing, as the RSLs that had been approached did not want to take on a small number of houses on a development.
Prior to the publishing of the meeting papers, the council had received thirteen letters from residents of Caldecote, mostly supportive of the proposal for houses on the site, but some expressing reservations that a precedent is being created. By the day of the meeting, around fifty further letters were received by the council, all but a handful in support of the application. Those against the application cited issues such as lack of school places and additional strain on the drainage infrastructure. Before the debate began, the committee chairman, Cllr Robert Turner, commended the residents of Caldecote for their effort in engaging with the process and writing to the committee members to express their support for the application.
In considering the application, the committee listened to the points made by the residents that spoke on behalf of the village. Dr Catherine Hills and Bill Maughan both of whom live close to the site, spoke to the committee on behalf of the village in support of the application, outlining the positive effect it would have on the nearby local business (Cozy Pets hotel), and the character of the area. Colin Fotland was present but his letter, outlining opposition to the touring caravan park but supporting the residential proposal, was read out by the planning officer. The parish council’s support was well presented by Cllr Saskia Barker who explained the benefit that would accrue to the village, in particular to the young people, from the additional funding that was to be made available to the village by the applicant to build a skate park. She also highlighted the fact that the buildings are to be built to a high energy efficiency standard in keeping with the districts’ green aspirations.
In my address to the committee, I focused on the material planning considerations namely the principle of the development, the character of the area, sustainability of the proposed development and the housing mix. I pointed out that the site was not the gap between Caldecote and Hardwick, as the boundary of both villages was at least another hundred or so yards toward Hardwick. In addition, the site is bounded on three sides by other properties, itself being formerly part of the garden of Casa de Foseta.
On the issue of sustainability, I informed members that the site has the shop at the BP garage close by and is less than 5 minutes walk from the nearest bus stop and transport link, compared with Caldecote itself where residents had to walk 15-20 minutes from the village. I also provided statistics on recent market house sales that confirmed that the housing mix was suitable. In concluding, I asked members to consider the response from Caldecote residents, and not just listen, but agree with them on this occasion, referring to Cllr Sebastian Kindersley’s comment that it was time to right a wrong that had been done to the village last year.
The issue of school places was raised and discussed, but as the County Council had not made any comments or made any request for funding, it was not considered to be detrimental to the case. After much deliberation, the vote was taken and the application was given delegated approval by 7 votes to 5. The planning conditions will now be discussed, negotiated and agreed with the applicant with input from the Parish Council.
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