One of the campaigns I have been championing recently has been a community campaign against the redevelopment of 22 Alexandra Road. The plan that has been put forward is to turn it into four flats.
The outcome of this application was due to be decided at Planning Applications Committee on Wednesday
Things this week did not turn out quite as we expected!
Following a dramatic site visit where members were met with residents waving banners (see above),officers had been continuing to recommend that this application be approved.
This however, was much to the horror of many local residents who feared the application would lead to more parking problems and lead to a detirioration of the Conservation area.
So we held our breath and hoped that Members of the PAC would overturn the officers' recommendation when it came to the crucial decision.
Then, late on Wednesday afternoon (on the day of the PAC meeting) I received an email from officers saying that they were changing their recommendation...to REFUSAL.
One of the two reasons given was that:
"The proposed layout fails to demonstrate that it complies with the Local Planning Authority’s standards in respect of vehicle parking. This could result in on-street parking/reversing movements on Alexandra Road and neighbouring roads, adversely affecting road safety and the flow of traffic, and in conflict with Policies CS18 (Residential Conversions) and CS24 (Car/Cycle Parking) of the adopted Core Strategy"
Although we couldn't quite work out what had prompted this last minute change of heart by officers residents and those of us who had been campaigning against this application and I were delighted about this u-turn and hopeful for a good outcome.
This change did not happen entirely by accident - throughout the week residents from across the area had been flooding officers and members of PAC with emails and messages complaining about the accuracy of the officers' report and raising lots of concerns about the proposed development they didn't feel had been addressed.
I had been playing very much a supporting role behind the scenes - trying to advise residents how they could have the most impact. As the photo below shows, a large number of residents (including children) turned up to the PAC meeting to hear the decision and where they unfurled some excellent banners and revealed t-shirts with anti-development messages under their coats:
There was a huge sense of expectation as we waited for our application to be determined. One banner read: "let justice be done" adding to the atmosphere of drama.
However, our delight turned out to be shortlived as it seems as two senior (Labour( members of the Planning application stated that refusing the application could have the effect of making the Council as planning authority liable to a costly appeal.
Members of the PAC expressed grave concerns about the last minute u-turn by officers' and the way the applicato in had been handled (arguing that it was very unfair on the developer who had been given very little notice of the change) and concluded that the application should be deferred to the next meeting.
This is the second time this flawed application has been deferred. At each stage of the process new problems and new concerns have been raised by officers and residents.
I really hope next time it is thrown out once and for all for the good of the local area.
I will continue to work alongside local residents to support them and to try and achieve if not outright refusal at the next meeting then as a minimum big improvements on this application.
Once again I take my hat off to our constituents for the excellent campaign they have waged. They are a credit to our community.
And so our fight goes on: to the next PAC meeting!
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