Building Houses in a Conservation Area

[Nick-D]

I live in a Conservation Area and the the local council are proposing to build 600 houses in farmland opposite me that is within the Conservation Area.
What is the legal position re building large numbers of houses within a CA and do I have any grounds to object?

Thanks for any info.

 

[^woody^]

No. There is a housing shortage.

 

[wessex101]

The usual rules do not seem to apply for big housing schemes. Try to build a porch in a conservation area and the Planners have a fit. Apply to build 600 houses in a conservation area/green belt and it seems to breeze through.

I guess the brown envelopes are bigger for 600 houses.

On a more serious note, of course you can object. I'm guessing it is a conservation area for a reason so it is hard to see how they expect to build 600 new houses without drastically harming the special character of the conservation area. Sometimes they get round it by building twee little pseudo period properties so maybe you will be living opposite a new Poundbury.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Another NIMBY.

 

[^woody^]

The concept of a conservation area, is to maintain the existing style or feel of an area. It is not a means to prevent development, but one to control it.

The new homes in a certain style and layout, would presumably not be out of keeping with what is there already, once the planners have had their input.

 

[Nick-D]

Lordy, really picked the wrong forum here!

 

[^woody^]

If you think you might not like the answers, then you should't ask the question

 

[wessex101]

The concept of a conservation area, is to maintain the existing style or feel of an area. It is not a means to prevent development, but one to control it.

The new homes in a certain style and layout, would presumably not be out of keeping with what is there already, once the planners have had their input.

I wonder what style and character 600 houses would have to be to conserve the character of protected farmland? Telly Tubby houses maybe?

Some of the best objections I have seen are where a number of local residents have clubbed together and employed their own planning consultant to present the objection. I saw one the other day for an objection to a road scheme it even included their own environmental report detailing the damage to wildlife. It was very professional and shot Highways England's submission full of holes and made them look like incompetent idiots (which they are by the way)

I would certainly be a NIMBY in this situation. There have been a number of recent planning approvals in my district for hundreds of houses on greenbelt and farmland. What is the point of designated the land as protected and letting developers decimate it. Especially when there are run down urban areas and derelict industrial sites available, but those sites are not as profitable as a nice green field in the countryside.

 

[^woody^]

the character of protected farmland

Are you confusing conservation area with green belt?

Anyway, you can have the old stuff on one side of the road being conserved, and the new stuff on the other side of the road complimenting it.

We dont live in 1520 anymore and things move on. It's how we integrate the new that matters.

The OP should remember that it is the local coucillors who have approved the local plan which designated the land for development in the first place. Who voted for them?

 

[wessex101]

I read it as the farmland to be developed is in the conservation area. I just threw in the greenbelt as a similar example where protection is ignored in preference for large housing developments.

But never mind, if you are happy to live in one of those Barratt boxes on a soulless estate that could be plonked down anywhere in the country then you have plenty to choose from and Nick-D might be one of your new neigbours.

 

[^woody^]

Barratt boxes on a soulless estate

Not necessarily.

All new estates in sensitive areas tend to be designed well, as design and fitting in is part of the planning approval process. If not, then yes there may be reason to object.

I'm not sure that Nick-D would approve of my Y-fronts hanging on the washing line.

 

[Ian H]

600 houses mean another 900 cars on the local roads. I'd be a NIMBY too.

Go and make a new town near the motorway!!

 

[^woody^]

It means another few hundred customers to local businesses, and nearly one million pounds in council tax to spend on local services.

Oh, and the developer pays for improved roads.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Jeez you lot must live in Middle Earth or somewhere where there's no housing shortage, there are plenty of new developments down this neck of the woods, conservation areas and their opinionated busy body doo gooder residents can **** right of.