By Myles Cook
THE RESIDENTS of Butts Lane in Stanford-le-Hope won a months reprieve in their on-going struggle surrounding the new development in their area at the Planning Committee meeting on 29 August.
Outline permission had already been given to the development in 2012 and the application being decided on by the committee was a Reserved Matters application.
Terry Piccolo, spokesman for the residents of Butts Lane, outlined some of the concerns local residents had about the development including the issue of insufficient parking spaces for the community building and the loss of some amenity to the current residents. On the issue of insufficient parking, Mr Piccolo stated that usage of the community facility may be affected if there are not enough spaces.
Cllr Hebb, giving a statement supporting the existing residents, stated that Barretts, the developer, have made efforts to deal with any issues but that there was an issue with insufficient parking across the entire development despite an influx of vehicles. He also commented that an eastward wind would blow dust from the construction site onto the properties of the existing residents as well as a major issue regarding construction traffic access to the site. He called for the committee to put conditions in place before approving the application and that committee members might get a better view of the concerns by visiting the site for themselves.
Ms Compton, spokeswoman for the developer, stated that the needs of current residents were being taken into account by including back-to-back homes so that the new development did not encroach on their living space too much. She also stated that Barretts plan to hire three local people as apprentices to work on the project.
Addressing the concerns over the lack of parking at the community centre, Ms Compton stated that there were a number of visitor parking spaces close to the building that could be utilised by the facility. She also added that the developer was in talks with the golf club about using an alternative access route to the site via the A13 rather than Butts Lane.
Cllr Hipsey, Chair of the Planning Committee, proposed the members of the committee make a site visit before approving the application, a motion seconded by Cllr Ojetola who stated that he wanted the best aspects of Chafford Hundred to be replicated and the negatives not repeated.
The matter will be returned to the Planning Committee following the site visit.
UPDATE!!!
FOLLOWING THE Planning Committee’s decision to grant a month’s reprieve to the campaigners of Butts Lane, Stanford-le-Hope, some of the campaigners spoke to Your Thurrock, below are their statements.
Cllr Shane Hebb, Councillor for Stanford West: “The fact that we have another month isn’t necessarily the big one. The big one is the fact that the whole committee will actually be going traipsing round the field, knocking on people’s doors and talking to the people that matter. Now the whole localism agenda that came out in 2010/2011 is that this is what it’s all about – asking the people what they want – and that’s part of the process which has failed since day one with Butts Lane and I’m not going to let that happen under my watch, ably supported by colleagues and neighbours down Butts Lane.”
Ernie Ross, resident: “I’m gravely affected by all these buildings and traffic lights and the dirty wagons coming down and I’m pleased to have got another month and a site visit. This way we can, at least, put our fears to the local councillors.”
Mrs Ross, resident: “My point is the headlights. They say they were drawn to impact on our properties at the line where it joins Butts Lane but we don’t know how many yards of straight road coming off the estate which will be directing straight into our homes.
“We’ve had two very, very good councillors and Terry (Piccolo) fighting our case. They’ve done all the homework they’ve had to do and they’ve really tried and I want to thank them. I can’t thank them enough, I really can’t.”