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Tuesday 7 April 2015

Feniton: "under siege": when a stream of planning applications is "beyond a joke"

Over the past two years, the village of Feniton has been 'targetted' for more housing:
Futures Forum: Feniton, development and scaremongering
Futures Forum: “The village of Feniton has been targeted by speculators seeking housing developments” - but the Inspector has now rejected most of these...

The question is how much 'development' can happen in an area prone to flooding:
Futures Forum: Limits to development: Feniton and sewage

However, developers seem adept at playing the planning system:
Futures Forum: The pressures to build on green fields: 'intention to build'... is not the same as 'applying for outline planning permission' ... is not the same as 'applying for full planning permission'

The developer which has made both successful and unsuccessful planning applications is trying once again:

Deluge of East Devon homes "beyond joke"

By Exeter Express and Echo | Posted: April 05, 2015



Feniton

THE district councillor for an East Devon village dubbed as being “under siege” from developers, has branded a stream of applications by a developer as “beyond a joke”.

Since 2011, Wainhomes has submitted numerous planning applications for Feniton, a village long affected by severe flooding largely due to overflowing drains and surface water run-off.

It is understood the developer’s original intention was for 150 houses, but this was considered to be too many for a village which suffers from inadequate infrastructure, an over-subscribed school, poor public transport, narrow roads and severe flooding.

Then, after initially being rejected by East Devon District Council’s Development Management Committee, permission was granted on appeal for 50 homes, which are currently under construction at Louvigny Close at a site with associated flooding concerns.

Plans for 83 homes were then dismissed by a Planning Inspector following a lengthy appeal process, culminating in a hearing over two weeks in January and February last year.

The so-called super inquiry saw East Devon District Council fighting the appeals by three developers for up to 235 houses.

The inspector upheld the appeal by Feniton Park Ltd, for 32 at Acland Park but rejected the appeals by Wainhomes for 83 homes near Louvigny Close and Strategic Land Partnerships, which wanted either 59 or 120 houses on land west of Ottery Road.

Undeterred, Wainhomes submitted an application for 31 houses, later reduced to 30, at Winchester Park four months after the ruling.

However this was rejected by East Devon District Council’s delegated committee last month, because the site was outside the village built-up area boundary, would have resulted in an unsustainable increase in houses and would have a harmful impact on the landscape.

Now, plans for a further 13 homes have been submitted for land adjacent to Louvigny Close and Station Road.

Councillor Susie Bond said: “Less than one week after the Wainhomes’ application for 30 houses was rejected by the chairman’s delegated meeting , the insatiable appetite of this developer has led it scurrying back to Feniton to scavenge what it can from the remains of the field behind Louvigny Close.

“The rich pickings are getting smaller and smaller and this time are a soupçon compared to the feast originally envisaged. Those who have been keeping up with development in Feniton will know the history – first 150, then 50, then 83, then 31, then 30 and now 13. It’s frankly exhausting and is seriously getting beyond a joke.”

Feniton Parish Council has recently hosted a public consultation over its Neighbourhood Plan which gives residents the opportunity to have their say over development in their communities. The plan is currently at the scoping stage, where residents are consulted on the future of the village and how they would like to see it progress.

Wainhomes declined to comment.


Deluge of East Devon homes "beyond joke" says Feniton councillor | Exeter Express and Echo

Here is the recent comment from the blog of District Cllr Susie Bond:

Nibble, Nibble, Chomp, Chomp
 

Posted on March 30, 2015 by susiebond

Here we go again …

Less than one week after the Wainhomes’ application for 30 houses was rejected at the DMC chairman’s delegated meeting (see https://susiebond.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/wainhomes-kicked-into-the-long-grass/), the insatiable appetite of this developer has led it scurrying back to Feniton to scavenge what it can from the remains of the field behind Louvigny Close.

The rich pickings are getting smaller and smaller and this time are a soupçon compared to the feast originally envisaged. Wainhomes scoffs at the table of Feniton’s rich agricultural land with such frequency that severe indigestion and bloating must be a serious possibility.

The latest application is for 13 houses. Those who have been keeping up with development in Feniton will know the history … first 150, then 50, then 83, then 31, then 30 and now 13. It’s frankly exhausting and is seriously getting beyond a joke.

The Parish Council still has grave concerns about the adequacy of the attenuation tanks (finally installed after a Breach of Condition Notice was put on the site) and these are currently being addressed by Wainhomes’ drainage consultants.

Meanwhile, the revised Local Plan has been passed by full Council to be put before the Planning Inspector, Anthony Thickett, and he will shortly be giving his thoughts on the plan before it is sent out for public consultation. The numbers envisaged for East Devon are eye-watering (or lip-smacking if you’re a developer) … 950 houses a year for the next 18 years.

Under Strategy 27 of the Local Plan, Feniton can however decide on its future housing numbers through the Neighbourhood Plan, currently being prepared by the Parish Council in consultation with residents.

The latest planning application for 13 houses (15/0694/MFUL) is now live, but the paperwork will not be uploaded for a couple of days yet.

As usual, there is a consultation period for residents to put their submissions, either for or against the proposal, on the EDDC website. This time, the opportunity to have your say closes on 21 April.

Meanwhile, the next Feniton Parish Council meeting is 13 April at 7.30 pm in the main village hall.


6 Responses to Nibble, Nibble, Chomp, Chomp

blackmorej says:
March 30, 2015 at 2:45 pm

What! This is beyond a joke now…..Wainhomes are a joke. Do they even know what NO means. GO AWAY and leave Feniton alone!

Pingback: Feniton: Wainhomes won’t let go | East Devon Watch

Peter says:
March 30, 2015 at 5:49 pm

I was about to say this is unbelievable but on reflection its completely believable. The question is can we increase the number of objections to over 400 this time

Anthony Harper says:
March 30, 2015 at 9:55 pm

The latest application for 13 homes was submitted on 23rd March, ie before EDDC refused the previous one. Is the planning system designed to be used in this way? Surely there is some precedent or fundamental rule that prevents this extraordinary situation. Also, it does seem to be against a rule of natural justice that Wainhomes can apply for permission on a site for which they have already been granted permission at appeal, but have failed to satisfy some of the conditions laid down in that previously granted permission eg landscaping. Not going to give up however.

Val Jones says:
March 30, 2015 at 10:48 pm

This latest application contravenes condition 8 of the appeal decision for the 50 granted in September 2012 because some of the houses are on land that must be landscaped in accordance with that condition. Now we all know that if anyone else contravened a planning condition enforcement would be taken immediately. But Wainhomes seem to be different. They seem to be able to do exactly what they want to do. They’ve already tarmacked over the area for landscaping and put in the road that will serve these houses. Why are they allowed to get away with it.

Sandra Semple says:
March 31, 2015 at 2:28 pm

Don’t forget that, now EDDC is in election mode, councillors are busy defending their seats and are unlikely to determine this application in time, so it will therefore go straight to appeal – exactly what both sides would wish. Developers in eternal hope and EDDC avoiding a contentious meeting when it could lose them (even more) votes.


Nibble, Nibble, Chomp, Chomp | Susie Bond
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