The application for Full Planning Permission submitted by Crest Nicholson to Waverley Borough Council has left Cranleigh residents, especially those directly backing onto the site, feeling let down and upset.
(You can still add your comments and objections against this application for Full Planning Permission.)
Residents have already had months of uncertainty and distress at the loss of the stunning view of rolling green fields and trees they have enjoyed from their homes, now to be replaced by a Crest Nicholson housing estate.
When the original outline permission for 149 was dwellings was applied for by Crest Nicholson, residents took small recompense from the fact that at the Northern boundary of the site by Nightingales there was to be an access road, providing a buffer zone, between existing and new housing, as well as a mixture of housing; detached, semi-detached and terraced homes, set back from each other. This meant that, although residents views were still obliterated, this was not being completely replaced by a continuous line of brick walls of a single house type.
Original plans (view a fuller layout of the Chantreys, Crest Nicholson Site, Horsham Road):
The plans now submitted have been met with complete dismay by residents. The housing mix, as well as the access road at the edge of the site, has now been replaced by far more dense terraced housing and car parking bays. Where there were peaceful green fields, with the odd flock of grazing sheep, now existing residents will be faced with the prospect of lines of cars and brick walls. Perhaps Crest want to ensure that the best views of the countryside are reserved for new residents. Although new people on the Southern boundary should be aware of a proposed Phase 2, approximately 115 dwellings, coming soon!
New layout of the top northern boundary:
We have continued to warn residents about being taken in by the artists’ impressions accompanying outline planning permission applications. They are just a drawing (not to scale) to lull residents into a false sense of security. Outline planning grants permission for the number of houses to be built, it does not include the design and layout of those buildings, this is submitted when full permission is subsequently applied for.
Residents are also facing the prospect of large underground tanks of sewage next to their boundaries, due to the lack of sewage capacity in Cranleigh. You can read more about this in our Thames Water Sewage Crisis article.
Crest Nicholson PR company Cratus is attempting to set up a residents’ liaison group, we think that that a member of Crest Nicholson staff must be present at these meetings, so that residents queries and concerns can be answered by the actual people building the development, rather than going through a third party whose obligation is to their client and not to the people of Cranleigh.
Just a word of caution….
When Swallow Tiles was developed, the plans and drawings submitted for the planning application (and marketing material) showed an abundance of new planting and trees. However, when the plan went through the second phase of planning – the Landscape plan, it was published on the planning portal, but the public wasn’t informed – so unless the public knew it was there, they wouldn’t necessarily look for it. It came as a bit of a surprise that in one specific key area of the site, where the marketing material showed about 40 tree’s, just 6 tree’s ended up being planted! Because it was approved by the Council there’s no obligation to plant any more!
The marketing material from the planners is such a load of rubbish. I’m a marketeer myself, but I would be ashamed if I misled the public like this.
Unfortunately, people don’t realise the difference between outline planning and full planning permission. And you’re right the full planning application does not get the publicity it should get.