ALBRIGHTON & DISTRICT CIVIC SOCIETY (ADCS)
Development East of Shaw Lane
As reported in our November article, Jessup had submitted another Planning Application (18/03579/FUL) for the same site but this time excluding the area of land on which his previous Application had the enormous 3 storey Care Apartments Building. However all other matters were the same including his proposal for traffic access to/from Shaw Lane and for drainage to be connected into the Shaw Lane sewer – both of which are ridiculous and to which we object. Shropshire Council planning committee heard this Application on 20th November.
The Albrighton Development Action Group – which emerged from Civic Society discussions - mobilised again and prepared a Report detailing, with evidence, why the Application was unacceptable and should be refused. The Group is fortunate having members with relevant skills and experience including legal, engineering, water management & drainage, traffic, management and they gave a lot of their time and effort to produce another good report which was sent directly to all members of the Shropshire Council Planning Committee. Usually the planning committee members receive a report prepared by the Planning Officer who take parts of the various objection letters/reports by those who write in and then provides his response and recommendations – thus the members do not necessarily see the objection letters/reports submitted unless they go to the planning portal website and of course with so many Applications to consider we can understand that they may decide to rely on the Planning Officer’s report.
We are grateful that many residents came to the meeting and demonstrated their support for the three local people who were allowed to address the committee – Cllr Peter Woodman (for the Parish Council), Geoff Catling (resident) and Shropshire Cllr Malcolm Pate. Although the Planning Officer may address the committee without time limit and as many times as he wishes the planning procedure says our two local speakers are limited to 3 minutes each and our Shropshire Cllr to 5 minutes and once only. However the Action Group had done its homework and all three gave professional speeches which got to the heart of the matter.
Providing the committee members with a copy of the Action Group Report a few days before the meeting so they can study the detail of our objections also goes some way to offset the disadvantage of not being able to speak at greater length.
The Committee voted unanimously to Refuse the Application. Below is an abstract from the official notice giving the reason for refusal:-
- the vehicular access to the development being solely onto Shaw Lane with no assurance at this stage that access from Kingswood Road to the south could be achieved, which is the preferred option for the site as shown on the SAMDev Policies Map S1Map, with the consequence that the nature and scale of the development would create traffic flows that would exacerbate the existing traffic congestion already experienced in the Shaw Lane area because of the close proximity of the School, Railway Station and Doctors Surgery, to the detriment of highway and pedestrian safety;
The following matters were included in the set of our objections but were not given as reasons for refusal in the official notification. However these aspects may re-emerge in future Applications which Jessup says will be made.
Drainage connection to Shaw Lane sewer.
As stated in the Planning Officers report the management of surface and foul water would be covered by a “Planners Condition” which we do not agree with as being a satisfactory way forward. There are a number of Consultee comments in the planning application that, in our view, cannot be considered in isolation and a more holistic approach is required to avoid any further deterioration to the current flooding problems in Albrighton.
Piecemeal Applications.
Until the Jessup proposals for the area not included in this latest Application (where in the previous Application the Large Care Apartment building was located) are known, the overall impact on design, community amenities, open space and car parking cannot be properly assessed. Many residents feel that this is a cynical strategy of piecemeal and stealth manipulation of the planning system.
For more information please see www AlbrightonAndDistrictCivicSociety.co.uk or contact:
Peter Woodman – Chairman (T: 372225) 31/32 High St or Rod Smith - Secretary (T: 372765)