Monday, 3 September 2018

Planning Application Tips - notes from the Surprise Inn Meeting


Rather than minutes below are bullet point notes from this evening. We hope they are presented correctly, please email Drew at sandpitsroad@gmail.com with any amendments or additions.
(Please also see the comments to the end of the article which is additional information provided by Michelle from SandpitsRoad)

Thank you to the 50+ people who attended the meeting at the Surprise Inn, chaired by David Percival from Sandrock Place.

Also in attendance were Trevor Ashby, President of Spring Park Residents’ Association [SPRA) and Councillor Jason Cummings.

The deadline for comments or objections is 11 September 2018 (although this has changed from 09 September so perhaps aim for this date) via the Council’s online portal at http://publicaccess2.croydon.gov.uk/online-applications/ (search “Sandrock”)

Residents can also email dmcomments@croydon.gov.uk or send a letter to:
Development Management, 
Place Department, 
Bernard Weatherill House, 
8 Mint Walk, 
Croydon 
CR0 1EA.

(If emailing or writing a letter remember to include the reference 18/03022/FUL)

Tip for completing the online comment 

The online portal “times out” after 30 minutes, and if you don’t submit your comment within this time you will lose everything! We suggest that you compose your submission in a Word and then copy and paste the text into the portal. You have a limit of 2000 characters, so you will need to be succinct.

Cllr. Cummings and Mr Ashby both advised that the planning committee will only consider objections based on legitimate, planning related issues.

Objections should be submitted separately, and not be based on a generic, template. The following points are for guidance of the types of issues that hold more water with the planning committee.

Reasons for Objections

For example, with regards to the Croydon Local Plan 2018 (see below for full wording) an objection could be raised on the basis that:

with regards to SP1.2 of the Croydon Local Plan 2018, this planning application does not contribute to enhancing a sense of Place

with regards to SP1.2 of the Croydon Local Plan 2018, this planning application does not improve the ‘character of the Place’”

“with regards to SP4.2 of the Croydon Local Plan 2018, this planning application does not recognise the distinctive qualities, identity, topography and opportunities of the Place.

“with regards to SP4.2 of the Croydon Local Plan 2018, this planning application does not recognise the skyline and the roof forms of the Place.

Other good reasons for objection:

The place is not an area of focussed intensification.

The application does not respect maintaining a viable public house.

The plan allows for the accommodation of 2 large recycling bins per block. One for general waste and one for recyclables. This is not in line with Croydon’s policy of separating glass, paper and food waste from landfill waste.

Who else to contact

Cllr. Cummings also suggested contacting our local MP and London Assembly member. Their details are:

Sarah Jones MP
Labour
Business address: 
43 Blackhorse Lane
Croydon
CR0 6RT
Bus. phone:  020 8191 7066

Steve O'Connell
London Assembly Representative for Croydon and Sutton
Correspondence address: 
City Hall
The Queen's Walk
London
SE1 2AA
Bus. phone:  020 7983 4405
Fax:  020 7983 4419

A general suggestion when submitting comments is to think about what you as a resident would want from the development, your compromise.

REMEMBER THE DEADLINE IS 09 SEPTEMBER 2018.


EXCERPTS FROM THE LONDON AND LOCAL PLANS
The Croydon Local Plan 2018

Policy SP1: The Places of Croydon
Sustainable development
SP1.1 When considering development proposals, the Council will take a positive approach that reflects the presumption in favour of sustainable development contained in the National Planning Policy Framework. It will always work proactively with applicants jointly to find solutions which mean that proposals can be approved wherever possible, and to secure development that improves the economic, social and environmental conditions in the area. Planning applications that accord with the policies in this Local Plan (and, where relevant, with polices in neighbourhood plans) will be approved without delay, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Where there are no policies relevant to the application or relevant policies are out of date at the time of making the decision then the Council will grant permission unless material considerations indicate otherwise – taking into account whether:
a. Any adverse impacts of granting permission would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in the National Planning Policy Framework taken as a whole; or
b. Specific policies in that Framework indicate that development should be restricted.

Policy SP4: Urban Design and Local Character

SP4.1 The Council will require development of a high quality, which respects and enhances Croydon’s varied local character and contributes positively to public realm, landscape and townscape to create sustainable communities. The Council will apply a presumption in favour of development provided it meets the requirements of Policy SP4 and other applicable policies of the development plan.

SP4.2 The Council will require development to:
a. Be informed by the distinctive qualities, identity, topography and
opportunities of the relevant Places of Croydon;
b. Protect Local Designated Views, Croydon Panoramas, the setting of Landmarks, other important vistas and skylines; and
c. Enhance social cohesion and well-being.

Places of Croydon
Focussed intensification
The objective of focussed intensification is to maximise use of the existing growth capacity and to support a “smart” spatial vision for the borough. Specific areas in Croydon are identified for focussed intensification where further growth can be accommodated through more efficient use of infrastructure. They have sufficient capacity for growth due to the high availability of community and commercial services that can be found in and around District, Local and Neighbourhood Centres.

 The London Plan 2016

Heritage & Culture
Policy HC7 Protecting public houses
A: Boroughs should
1) protect public houses where they have a heritage, economic, social or cultural value to local communities, and where they contribute to wider policy objectives for town centres, night-time economy areas and Creative Enterprise Zones
2) support proposals for new public houses to stimulate town centre regeneration, cultural quarters, the night-time economy and mixed-use development, where appropriate.

B: Applications that propose the loss of public houses with heritage, cultural, economic or social value should be refused unless there is authoritative marketing evidence that demonstrates that there is no realistic prospect of the building being used as a pub in the foreseeable future.

C: Development proposals for redevelopment of associated accommodation, facilities or development within the curtilage of the public house that would compromise the operation or viability of the public house use should be resisted.

COMMENT


Michelle from Sandpits Road kindly sent me some other notes which included reference to the above, but also:

Due to the history of the road and that part of development incorporates a building dating around 1867 - the proposed plans are significantly over developing the site.

They don’t meet with the character of the defined Place and it’s characteristics - style is out of character with properties and character of local area of Shirley Place, most inappropriate as the area is not an area of focussed intensification as confirmed in the Croydon local plan - this area is not part of that defined area of focussed intensification. There is not enough public transport available to support this kind of development in a non-intensification area.

Croydon Local plan sp1.2 not appropriate and/or does not improve the character of the area does not contribute to enhancing a sense of Place nor improve the character of the area whatsoever

Sp4.1 and 2 is not in keeping with the distinctive qualities/topography or views of the area of the Shirley Place, neither does it recognise the sky lines or the roof falls of the locality. Modern design is completely out of character.

Recycling issues - x2 1000litre bins are proposed for new development with combined recycling and a landfill bin - they need to define more space for more bins as proposed bins will not be able to recycle according to Croydon’s recycling policy

No communal open space; no play space for children for the number of people who could reside in the development. The housing section of the development has a 7m bank (safety implications) and to reach local open space must cross a main road to access local Shirley Hills.
Michelle also noted to mention (in no particular order):
Loss of Trees
Badgers
Area of natural beauty

Should be something for the community

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