TrustNews Jun 20
Planning Appraisal Group
The work of our Review Panels has continued since the lockdown, but has moved on line. This is more work for everyone, especially the PAG Chairs and we should be grateful to them for keeping the planning review process going. As anticipated the number of applications has started to fall but, because of the time lags involved, for most of the period covered by this report we were dealing with cases filed before 23 March and this was close to 140 cases. Just recently we have seen a lot of applications for relatively minor projects, perhaps a reflection of the fact that people are at home with time to think about what they might alter.
The Winchester position on Nitrate Neutrality can now be found on line at www.winchester.gov.uk/planning/wcc-position-statement-on-nitrate-neutral-development.
There are still quite a number of decisions which have not been made and seem to be waiting on documentation of compliance with this policy. The review panels saw their first use of this last week. Unfortunately it was on an application for a house in multiple occupation (HMO) to which we and some councillors had objected, but which was allowed. This underlines our view that in the currently ongoing review of the Local Plan the issue of student housing and that of HMO’s more broadly needs to be addressed. The picture with regard to student housing will be unclear until the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on overseas students and thus on University and student funding becomes clearer.
There is another issue which probably cannot be dealt with at the local level, and this concerns the damaging impact of permitted development on design standards and on our roofscapes. A recent appeal decision showed how a threat from the appellant to go down the route of permitted development led to approval of a dormer that WCC had refused. The inspector argued that at least the dormer proposed was less bad than that which might have been allowed to go ahead under permitted development.
The Trust has recently received a number of complaints about the appearance of shop-fronts. As far as l can tell the ones complained about have not gone through planning. All alterations should submit a Full Advert Consent (AVC) application. l have contacted WCC to ask what can be done about those that have not gone through planning. The shop-fronts policy for Winchester City is in any case overdue for review.
The McCarthy & Stone proposed care home in Weeke has come back again with a revised plan, which our panels found no more acceptable than the previous one. It is not that we fail to see the need for a care home, we just do not think that one designed in this way is appropriate.
Mary Tiles
Members and Public Comments
The Trust welcomes informative comments from local people, but must avoid being influenced by vested interests or personal matters. Individuals who believe their interests are being threatened by proposed schemes are advised to contact their Ward Councillors, who have more influence over such matters. If you would like to see details of Trust objections to planning applications and their fate, please go to the monthly PAG reports on our website.
Mary Tiles