NO Affordable Homes in Berkeley Homes Phase 1

Berkeleys has applied for WA/2016/2160 Phase 1 development of the site providing no affordable housing and with no timeline for the delivery of the remainder of the site.

Despite the Inspector stating clearly at Appeal that Berkeley Homes was not to be given permission to develop only part of the site south of the High Street off Knowle Lane, it appears that this exclusive gated development might be allowed to take place.

The market housing being applied for is comprised of:

11 x 3 bedroom houses

30 x 4 bedroom houses

14 x 5 bedroom houses

The streetscene proposed is:

Housing Layout:

Add Your Comments

We appreciate that like us you may have written several times to Waverley about this application but it is important that we continue. Please add your own comments against this application WA/2016/2160 on the Waverley Planning Portal.

Full instructions on how to comment are provided here.

We have submitted our objection to this application.  The following is a summary of our points:

• There is no provision for affordable housing within Phase 1 of the development and the timescale for future phases is unknown. This does not comply with the need, as highlighted by the Inspector at Appeal (point 79), for the delivery of “a large number of affordable homes” to be delivered “speedily”:

“79. As for benefits, the 425 dwellings would make a significant contribution to an acknowledged shortfall in deliverable sites for the five-year period, and would help boost the area’s supply generally. The new homes can be delivered speedily, as confirmed by the appellant. The Council recognises the need for a large number of affordable homes in the Borough. Third parties too made an eloquent case for providing more affordable homes, given the difficulties faced by young people in accessing affordable accommodation. Delivery of affordable and market homes in the context of the constraints that apply to the Borough would therefore comprise the most significant social benefit to flow from the proposed development and would be consistent with the NPPF’s basic imperative of delivery.”

• These homes do not meet housing need in the borough as outlined in the West Surrey SHMA September 2015.

• This urban style gated development is out of keeping with its rural location off the High Street. This creates a sense of separation, and will have a negative effect on the relationship with, and inclusion of, the broader Cranleigh community.  There is no justification or requirement for this in the setting of Cranleigh and is certainly not in line with the design and access statement:

• The dwellings that front on to Knowle Lane are excessively high and overbearing (height 8.5 and 10.5m mainly at the site entrance). They do not blend into the rural location, on the edge of the settlement and will have a harmful and urbanising effect.  They will dominate the street scene from Knowle Lane and will have a detrimental effect on visual amenity.  This is contrary to the Cranleigh Design Statement 2008.   The council recently requested that buildings on the Amlets Lane site in Cranleigh should be reduced.

• Details of Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDs) for this phase are incomplete and with this lack of detail it is impossible to ascertain if this will not increase flooding elsewhere. It appears that the sole strategy for the disposal of surface water is to discharge run-off at a restricted rate to the Littlemead Brook, which is a watercourse that runs to the south of the site.  No mitigation for this run-off is provided, as required in line with Waverley’s responsibilities under the Water Framework Directive.  Furthermore, there does not appear to be any attenuation storage figures provided.  It is extremely important that revised climate change allowances by the government and the Environment Agency published in February 2016 are considered.  These now require developers to assess a range of climate range allowances from 25% to 70% above the 1% AEP as part of planning applications.  This is particularly important bearing in mind the fluvial and surface water flood risk on this site as shown by the Environment Agency surface water flood map:

• To protect the site from flood risk, it is necessary to secure the FRA mitigation measures and recommendations and to ensure that the crossings/bridges are constructed in accordance with conditions 17 and 18. Knowle Lane is recorded on Surrey County Council’s wet spot database and it is important that emergency access and egress from the site is maintained in the event of a flood.

• This application, without a condition and timescale for delivery for the remainder of the site contravenes point 81 of the appeal decision which refuted the Council’s suggestion to develop only part of the site “The Council’s suggestion that only part of the site be developed would also involve loss of countryside but without meaningful contribution to the area’s housing needs.”:

“81. Turning then to the overall planning balance. The social and economic benefits of the scheme are considerable. The need for new housing in the area is undisputed and in Cranleigh greenfield sites are expected to make a contribution to the overall supply. The homes would be delivered speedily on land that sits high in the sustainability ranking of sites. Having accepted the need for greenfield sites to help fulfil the Borough’s housing obligations, the loss of an undesignated piece of countryside abutting the urban edge of Cranleigh, with limited harm to the wider landscape, would be outweighed by the social and economic gains identified. The Council’s suggestion that only part of the site be developed would also involve loss of countryside but without meaningful contribution to the area’s housing needs.”

You can submit your comments online or email your comments to the case officer Jennifer Samuelson direct on planconsult@waverley.gov.uk quoting ref WA/2016/2160 and include your FULL name and Postal Address.

Or write to Waverley Borough Council at (please quote ref WA/2016/2160 and include your FULL name and Postal Address):
Jennifer Samuelson
Planning Officer
Waverley Borough Council
The Burys
Godalming
Surrey
GU7 1HR