Many of us are very concerned about recent planning proposals, with planning too often seeming like something done to communities rather than something we have control over ourselves.
That’s why I was delighted to accept the invitation to come and attend a public meeting organised by Watton Town Council last night where over 250 people came to voice their concern at the flood of inappropriate planning applications. I explained my pledge to work with residents in Watton to make their voices heard and ensure all residents and the Town Council are in control of the planning process by producing a proper Town Plan, helping guard against large scale over-developments.
This new vision of planning – with residents and towns in control, not the Government – is why I set up my Norfolk Way campaign, showing that, with small businesses and smaller pockets of housing in villages and towns, it IS possible to build new houses AND maintain our heritage, as well as to drive the ‘Rural Renaissance’ we need, making our area a vibrant hub of enterprise and opportunity. That’s why I lobbied for and helped pass the landmark Localism Act – to give local neighbourhoods and councils more control over local planning, and am leading the charge for broadband and fast rail links.
As I said last night, I am committed to working with and supporting Breckland District Councillors and Watton Town Council on drafting a Plan for Watton, to make sure all residents have control over their own community.
I also pledged to continue working with the community in OPPOSING the unwanted developments and to help make sure every resident in Watton has a voice by publicising how people object. When a planning inspector at appeal considers whether a development is ‘sustainable’, he or she weighs up the following factors:
- Local, strategic, national planning policies and policies in the local plan.
- Previous appeal decisions and planning inquiry reports as well as principles of case law held through the courts.
- Factors detrimental to the residential amenity including loss of sunlight, outlook, privacy and overshadowing (though not loss of view as such).
- Highway issues including traffic numbers, vehicular access and highway safety.
- Noise or disturbance resulting from use of a site as well as any smells, fumes and handling of hazardous materials.
- Capacity of physical infrastructure such as drainage or water systems and social facilities such as schools or doctor’s surgeries.
- Adverse impact on nature conservation interests & biodiversity opportunities. Loss or effect on trees.
- Effect on listed buildings and conservation areas including the layout and density of building design, visual appearance and finishing materials.
If you would like to make an objection about a development in your area, please be sure to focus your objections on the above points. Non-compliance with these measures, are the basis upon which applications, can be (and have been) rejected.
Comments should be submitted to Breckland District Council either online here http://www.breckland.gov.uk/content/planning-application-search or to:
Planning Manager
Development Control
Elizabeth House
Walpole Loke
Dereham
Norfolk
NR19 1EE
Under the previous Government’s top-down planning system our area had the amount of houses dictated to us. Under this Government, Ministers have put towns and local communities back in charge. The key is to have a plan in place, and I look forward to working with residents and town and district councillors to make sure we have a plan for the future of our area.
