On the 1st of July the Planning Committee of Woking Borough Council voted 9 for and 2 against the rejection of the planning application to build a 3 storey block of flats on the site of the old library building. The grounds for rejection were that the design of the proposed building was in clear breach of the local development plan, also known as the Core Strategy. It was in beach in that it was out of character with building in the immediate area and given the number of flats proposed there was a strong case of over development. The policy in question is CS 21. The second reason for rejection was the lack of dedicated parking and the lack of access for service vehicles. This was in beach of policy CS 18.

Our Ward Councillors Saj Hussain and Melanie Whitehand both spoke during the debate and Councillor Hussain actually proposed the rejection of the plans. The motion was seconded by Councillor Ian Eastwood. The majority of speakers were against the proposed plan. This was a difficult decision as the flats would be of affordable rent.

A number of Councillors raised issues with regards the memorial garden that was planned for the front of the proposed property. The main argument being that it was too small and was an insult to those it was meant to recognise. The memorial garden is not mentioned in the reason for rejection because, technically, it is not a planning issue.

So where does the Council go from here? New Vision Homes may come back with a revised plan or the Council may suggest an alternative use for the land. What would residents like to see this piece of land being used for? Please feel free to contact us with suggestions.

The planning application from New Ideal Homes to demolish the old library site and build a 3 storey block of flats is scheduled for the next meeting of the Planning Committee. The plan is to build a 3 storey block of flats containing 3 x 3 bedroom and 6 x 1 bedroom flats. All flats to be leased as affordable homes.

The Local planning Authority recommend that the application is accepted although in their own words the design fails to meet the Council’s own standard on minimum space between new build and an existing dwelling and fails to meet the standard on dedicated parking, there isn’t any but still recommend acceptance.

What is a disappointment is the land has always been available for community use. In 1945 it was the site of a YMCA youth centre and then in the 1950’s the library took over the site. Once this site has gone it will mean that there is no community owned land in the centre of Knaphill.

The applicant and the Local Planning Authority refer to the building on the old Clifton’s site as a benchmark for the new building, is that good planning.

The Planning Committee meeting is to be held on 1st July and it will be interesting to listen to our Ward Councillors represent the views of local residents. This meeting is open to the public or can be watched on the Councils webcasting site.

Phil Stubbs

Knaphill Planning Update 20 June 2014

PLANNING COMMITTEE AGREED TO NEW HOUSES OVERLOOKING SCHOOL SWIMMING POOL

Woking’s Planning Committee, at its meeting on 11 June, approved the demolition of the existing houses and the building of 4 semi-detached houses and two flats on this site. 126 & 128 High Street sit right next to Knaphill School grounds. The flats will be close to the location of the current houses with the 4 semi-detached houses at the rear of the gardens and close to the boundary fence of Knaphill School and its swimming pool.

Prior to the start of the debate the Planning Officer announced that one of the planning conditions (condition 15) had been removed as he felt that another, more general condition covered the issue. The Planning Officer did not give the meeting any reason for this change and the Councillors did not seriously question this decision.

The issue is the need for screening between the new houses and the school’s open-air swimming pool. According to the developers brief the applicants had discussed the proposal with the school’s Head Master and it had been agreed to plant a Cherry Laurel that would be maintained at a height of 2.7 metres and not any higher as not to affect the school’s pool area via hedge roots. Condition 15 required planting of a hedge prior to the houses being occupied and for the hedge to be maintained in perpetuity. This was withdrawn by the Planning Officer but the Councillors would not accept to screening was adequately covered by other conditions and therefore a new condition was drafted. The conclusion was that it is left to the Council Planning Officers to agree with the developer the type of hedge or fence and the height.

Although some Councillors expressed their concern with the location of the proposed new houses in relation to the swimming pool they agreed to the development and passed responsibility for agreeing adequate screening to the Planning Officers. One Councillor added that if the school was unhappy with the screening provided by the developer they could place their own screening immediately behind the swimming pool. Why should school funds have to be used to meet the failings of the developer and the Planning Authority?

It is disappointing that two sound medium sized houses are to be demolished and replaced by 6 new dwellings with its associated increase in traffic. What I found amazing is that Surrey’s Education Authority were not required to make a comment. Doesn’t the Education Authority have an opinion on private houses overlooking a schools swimming pool?

The lesson from this application is that for Knaphill it is houses, houses and houses and to hell with the consequences.

The planning application 2014/0077 is on the agenda for this weeks Planning Committee. The applications to demolish the current two houses and build 1 block containing 2 flats and 4 houses (2 blocks of semi detached houses). What has concerned a number of residents is the fact that the four houses are very close to the boundary of Knaphill School and the houses will overlook the school’s swimming pool.

The recommendation to the Councillors on the Planning Committee is to accept the application.

The Planning Officer, in making this recommendation, makes a passing reference to the close proximity of the new houses to the open-air swimming pool. One would have expected the Planning Officer to seek a view from both the school and the County’s Education Department. No reports from either the school nor the Education Dept, if they have been made, are available to members of the public.

Knaphill Planning Update 04 June 2014

Knaphill Planning Update 21 April 2014

Woking Borough Council has published the revised planning application for this site (PLAN/2014/0215). The application calls for the demolition of the old library and the building of a three storey apartment block. The building will contain 9 apartments, 3 apartments will have two bedrooms, suitable for 4 people per apartment and 6 apartments will have 1 bedroom, suitable for 2 people.

Those who have been following the Council’s plans for this site will know that the original plans were withdrawn and Belfour Beatty on behalf of Thamesway held a public consultation to listen to residents views. They clearly ignored the comments they received because there is limited change to the number of people they wish to squeeze into the new building.

The planning application continues to use the new building opposite (Tesco’s plus 12 apartments) as the model to follow.

The proposed block for the library site will only have access from the High Street, no dedicated parking and the smallest of gardens at the rear.

A sardine tin is still a sardine tin even if you change the outer cover, and that is what the people will feel like, living in a sardine can, if the Council go ahead with the proposed plan.

This application is down to the Council, it is there land and Thamesway are the Council’s agent so if this monstrosity is built then there is only the Council to blame.

Residents can voice their opinion direct to the Council either in writing to the Planning Office or online via developmentmanagement@woking.gov.uk. You can also contact your local Councillors; Melanie Whitehand, Richard Sharp and Saj Hussain. If you do comment make sure you include the reference number PLAN/2014/0215.

Phil Stubbs
secretary@knaphill.org

NEW PLANNING DECISIONS

 

PLAN/2013/1229

Variation to the conditions imposed on the new house built between 58 and 62 Chobham Road.

The planning application that was approved had no windows on the side of the house facing No 62. The developer went ahead and put three windows into this side of the house and then submitted a planning application for retrospective approval.

 

This retrospective application has been approved by the Head of Planning under delegated authority.

 

Application permitted. Decision taken by Planning Officer, delegated authority.

 

PLAN/2013/1081 Barnbrook Sinclair, 1 & 3 High Street, Knaphill

This is an application to gain outline planning permission to demolish the current building and build a four storey block of flats. There would be 10 flats four of which would be two bedroom flats but only 10 parking bays. This building, as well as the old headquarters of Barnbrook Sinclair, is also the home of the pet shop Pets Kingdom and PC repair A&E PC Repairs both of which will lose their premises if planning permission is granted.

 

The planning application has been rejected by the Local Planning Authority on the grounds that the village could ill afford to lose the shops and office accommodation housed in the current building.

 

Application rejected by Planning Officer.

 

PLAN/2013/1122 & 1124 Tesco’s 15 High Street

Installation of an ATM to the shop front.

The installation of 6 bollards in front of the proposed ATM and shop front.

The above two planning applications are linked. Local residents have asked if another ATM in the village is required. If Tesco’s feel that it is important for the store to have its own ATM then residents want to see it relocated from the Fosters Lane end of the building.

 

Planning Committee approved the installation of an ATM at the Fosters Lane end of the building. The number of bollards was reduced to 4 and these will be located outside the store entrance.

 

Application approved by Planning Committee.

 

PLAN/2014/0021 Heathview, Grindstone Handle Corner

Build a second storey extension above existing first floor single storey extension. Convert existing garage into a habitable room and replace existing conservatory roof with a pitch tiled roof.

 

Application approved by Planning Officer

 

PLAN/2013/1235 23 Sparvell Road

Erection of two storey rear extension

 

Application approved by Planning Officer

 

PLAN/2013/0350 48 Lower Guildford Road

Erection of a two bedroom detached house.

The original application was rejected under delegated powers. The grounds for the rejection were that the proposed development would result in an incongruous overdevelopment of the site in breach of CS21 and CS24 policies.

 

The applicant submitted an appeal on 12/12/2013.

 

The appeal has been rejected.

 

 

NEW PLANNING APPLICATIONS & APPEALS

 

PLAN/2014/0077 126-128 High Street.

Demolish current houses and build 4 houses plus one block of 2 flats.

This plot is next to Knaphill School and the new houses will be close to the school play area and swimming pool.

 

PLAN/2014/0215 Old library, 20 High Street.

Demolish old library and build a 9 residential unit (3 x 2 bedrooms + 6 x 1 bedroom)

Awaiting details

 

OUTSTANDING PLANNING APPLICATIONS

 

PLAN/2013/1114 New Haweli, 22 High Street

Application is to fit black tiles on the front of the take-away.

 

PLAN/2014/0067 41 Highclere Road

Demolition of existing dwelling and outbuilding and the erection of 3 detached houses with garages.

 

Note although the address is given as Highclere Road access to the new houses will be in Lane End Drive.

 

PLAN/2014/0081 Land at Brookwood Farm, Coresbrook Way

Application for new footpath and canal bridge to link new junior section of Brookwood Primary School and existing school.

 

In looking at the detail the footpath appears to have become footpath and cycle way.

 

 

AMEND/2014/0087 Tesco, 15 High Street

Variation of condition 2 to allow a 5 minute newspaper and magazine drop off.

 

Condition states no deliveries before 8.00am and after 8.00pm.

 

 

PLAN/2013/0856 – Brookwood Farm

Reserved matters application for the access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale for the erection of a primary school.

In December Woking Borough Council (WBC) Planning Committee deferred making a decision on the above application. One of the main reasons for deferment was due to the fact that Surrey County Council (SCC) had withdrawn a planning application for a new footpath and bridge connecting the two school buildings (more on this later in this report). There was also concern with regards general access to the school both on foot and for vehicle access. SCC had also failed to give any details on the materials to be used in the construction of the school and the Planning Officer stated in his report that if the materials are not carefully selected it could result in stark form of development within the landscape. Finally Councillors have issues with parking for parents dropping or collecting children.

 

Note: The developer has added more details to the plans in line with the request from the Planning Committee.

 

 

PLAN/2013/0864 Brookwood Farm

New footpath and canal bridge.

This application is linked to the planning application, reported on above, for the building of a new school building on Green Belt land in Brookwood Farm. The footpath and bridge are to link the new school building to the school on Connaught Road. Surrey County Council plan for a new bridge to cross the canal, at the rear of the Connaught Road School and linked to a footpath that will go across the Country Park to the new school building on Brookwood Farm.

This application has been withdrawn by SCC. First, Natural England has raised a number of objections to the plan and secondly, local residents in Brookwood were opposed to the public footpath continuing through the school grounds and onto Connaught Road. See PLAN/2014/0081 above.

PLAN/2013/0940 16 – 39 Chequer Tree Close

This application from the above residents is to change of use of open amenity land to become residential land by moving fence line.

Brookwood Farm Development

We understand that there are ongoing negotiations between Woking Borough Council and Cala Homes over the purchase of the land owned by WBC. Cala Homes have closed their Information Centre in Connaught Road, Brookwood.

 

Esso Service Station, High Street

The owners of the Esso Service station have applied for a change to the premises licence. They are seeking permission to sell alcohol from 06.00 to midnight seven days a week plus permission to sell hot food from 23.00 to midnight seven days a week.

 

Note This report does not attempt to cover all planning issues in Knaphill. If you have any questions or points on the above please feel free to contact the KRA.

Phil Stubbs

24/03/2014