Summary
Plans to build 44 homes in a Gloucestershire village have been given the go-ahead amid concerns over parking and the council’s professionalism in how they dealt with the application when approving it. MF Freeman has been granted permission to build the new estate on more than five acres of farmland off School Lane in Whitminster.
Details
During the debate, councillors took issue with “eye contact” and verbal communication between council representatives and the developer‘s representative, though they insisted this was simply to avoid miscommunication. The housing proposals sparked concerns from Whitminster Parish Council whose members believe the plans will lead to overdevelopment on the site.
Parish councillors were also dissatisfied that there had been no “meaningful” public consultation over the detailed design and facilities. Henry Clegg, of Black Box planning, represented MF Freeman at Stroud District Council’s development control committee meeting on September 22. Want to see more of the stories you love from GloucestershireLive?
Then make us your preferred source on Google. To add GloucestershireLive as a preferred source, simply click here He said 30 per cent of the homes would be affordable housing and extra parking will be provided. Mr Clegg said the development is “of high quality and sustainable design” appropriate for its location on the edge of the village.
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And he went on to say officers recommended granting permission and highlighted the scheme’s benefits. “The site has already received approval for housing in principle,” he said. He also said family-run county business MF Freeman provides developments that “stand the test of time through high quality design and energy efficiency”.
Chris Hunt, representing Whitminster Parish Council, called for a transport plan to be added that includes access times to avoid construction traffic clashing with the school run. He said the parish council also had concerns over a number of issues and said the density of housing was too high. “The stacked/tandem parking is causing the blocking of cars,” he said.
“We’ve seen issues with tandem parking in Great Oldbury where people avoid the tandem parking and park in the road causing all kinds of nuisances.” He also said that although visitor parking spaces have been increased the bays now restrict the footpath and cars would protrude into the road.
During the debate, concerns were raised after the authority’s senior planning lawyer spoke with the developer’s representative to ask for a clarification over the proposal’s affordable housing. Councillor Lindsay Green (C, Berkeley Vale) protested saying “that shouldn’t be happening” and that it was something she hadn’t seen before.
Report source: Gloucestershire Live
