Grimsargh Parish Council have had a series of discussions among ourselves and with a number of local residents and we are compiling our
response on this application. This will be discussed and finalised at our meeting on the 8th January 2015.
We would encourage residents to submit their own objections to the proposals. You have until the 12th January 2015 to get your responses in to Preston City Council. This extension has been agreed with the Planning Officer.
We always advise people to only use their own words in compiling any submission. Items you may wish to consider including:
Planning Policy
Central Lancashire Core Strategy
The proposal directly contravenes Policy 1 of the Central Lancashire Core Strategy, which says that in the villages “….development will typically be small scale and limited to appropriate infilling, conversion of buildings and proposals to meet local need, unless there are exceptional reasons for larger scale redevelopment schemes”.
This proposal is not small scale, not infill, has no identified local need, nor exceptional reasons to justify it.
Emerging Local Plan
Policy AD1 (b) re-enforces the Core Strategy Policy 1, again re-iterating only small-scale development for the villages. Policy HS4 does allow for new housing development adjoining the villages for affordable housing for specified local needs. There are no identified local needs in Grimsargh.
Rural Identify of Grimsargh
Protection of the rural identity of villages features strongly and repeatedly through the adopted and emerging local planning policies. This development would have a significant detrimental impact on the rural identity of Grimsargh. The visual impact driving along the main road through the village would be marked – changing completely the aspect across open fields as one leaves the village.
Although the site for this proposed development is not within a designated Area of Separation – at the time of the Sites for Preston Consultation, the main perceived threat for Grimsargh merging was with Preston to the South. However – with the adopted Ribble Valley Strategy and those major developments there is now a high level of concern over the village merging with the sprawling developments which are spanning out from Longridge.
Traffic
Traffic through the village has seen a marked increase over the past decade and there are now daily significant tailbacks stretching through the village and beyond in both directions during busy periods. There have been a number of instances recently when additional disturbance factors (e.g. temporary traffic lights, incidents on the motorway) have caused total grid-lock on the main road through the village. This is before the addition of the 64 houses within the forthcoming Wain Homes development off Ribblesdale Drive and all the housing that is to take place in Longridge as a result of the adopted Ribble Valley Core Strategy and the emerging Preston Local Plan – somewhere in the region of an additional 900 houses to be built.
Your Personal Concerns
Do add anything that you are particularly personally concerned about - perhaps schools places, the affect on wildlife, loss of agricultural land, etc.
Responding to the Application:
Please note that any and all adults may submit an objection – it is not limited to one per household. Objections can be submitted in one of three ways:
Online – on the Preston City Council website. On the website, click where it says “Make a comment on this application”. You can write your comments there.
Via email to: devcon@preston.gov.uk. Ensure that you include the application reference number 06/2014/0902, together with your name and address.
Via post to: Planning Department, Town Hall, Lancaster Road, Preston, PR1 2RL. Ensure that you include the application reference number 06/2014/0902, together with your name and address
Preston City Council gave us an official revised date of the 12th January 2015 for objections. Also be aware that more than one submission can be made by one individual – if, for example new relevant information is acquired, this can be forwarded.
Some additional articles/papers that you may find interesting:
A recent House of Commons Report: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmcomloc/190/190.pdf
An article in the Daily Mail discussing Gladman’s approach to such new developments: