Change of use from builders yard & offices to a Travellers Site with 4 pitches.

Hod Hall Lane is the first planning item on the Planning Committee Agenda for Wednesday 7th January at 2pm. The planning officers are recommending refusal, but not on the grounds that many residents had written – drainage, access and sewage etc. The officers say, that we do not require any more sites in the North of East Cambs as we have 27 pitches, out of the 28 pitches, required by 2011.
There will be a site visit at approximately 11.30am on that day (7/1/09) where the planning committee will arrive by bus to look at the site. There will be no opportunity for members of the public to lobby the committee members at that time. . ECDC have received 62 letters of objection. The committee meeting is open to the public at 2pm and one objector will be given 5 minutes to state the case against the application. The applicant will also be given 5 minutes. The officer’s summary is below.

“Proposal: Change of use from builders yard & offices to a travellers site with 4 pitches (08/00965/FUL) Applicant: Mr. M Rugzkiewicz

1.1 The application proposes a change of use to provide four gypsy/travellers pitches, including the provision of four single storey day rooms, and hard standing areas.
1.2 The main considerations in determining the application are the existing level of provision and need for sites in the area, the impact on the character and appearance of the surrounding area, residential amenity and highway safety, the sustainability of the site, the possible presence of legally protected species on the site, and drainage and flooding.
1.3 The most up to date information on need in the local area indicates that only 1 further pitch is required in the northern part of the District in the period to 2011. This proposal would exceed that requirement by 3 pitches. In the absence of an established need for the proposed pitches, it is considered unacceptable to allow the proposed development, which would be on land designated as countryside.
1.4 For this reason, it is recommended that the application should be REFUSED.”
Full details of the planning committee agenda is available on the East Cambs web site (agenda item 4) including the main matters raised from residents letters on.
http://www.eastcambs.gov.uk/docs/agendas/planning/pl070109_H258.pdf

   Leave a comment