Planning Review
Compiled by the editor
Hermitage Development
A major development in West Sussex involves land covering an area
of about 4 acres between Orchard Lane and Sadlers Walk, off Lumley
Road. 64 houses, with 2, 3 and 4 bedrooms, as well as flats are to be
built by Kings Oak Homes Limited on land, which is within the
Chichester/ Emsworth Strategic Gap. This site has full planning
consent, which was given in 2002 and construction work has already
started.
Residents are concerned about flooding in Lumley Road. This already
happens when the Hermitage Stream backs up from Peter Pond at high
tide. The housing development will result in greater run-off from the
roads and paved areas and more water flowing into the Hermitage Stream.
The developer’s solution is to install a balancing pond, part of a
‘SUDS’ system, designed to control the water flow into the stream and
remove pollution. This is a rather sensitive biological and mechanical
system which would be the responsibility of a management contractor
employed by the residents of the new development. Residents of Lumley
Road are very concerned about who will be responsible should anything
go wrong both with respect to flood damage and damage to the delicate
ecological balance of Peter Pond and Slipper Mill Pond.
Houses behind 20-22 New Brighton
Road
Three houses behind 20-22 New Brighton Road at first glance seemed a
small and uncontroversial infill development. However, upon
investigation the ERA found serious grounds for concern including:
increased height resulting in adjacent bungalows being overlooked, loss
of privacy for adjoining houses and the removal of shelter trees along
the A27 resulting in greatly increased traffic noise for neighbouring
houses. The latter is particularly contentious as many trees have
already been removed including the illegal felling of trees subject to
TPO’s
Kings Terrace
Another objection was to a proposal to build two houses, adjacent to
No. 4 Kings Terrace Emsworth. The ERA objected on the grounds that this
land was previously set aside for public transport use, like the lay-by
opposite side of the A259 and a transport plan for Emsworth has not yet
been finalised and agreed. Additionally it involved demolition of a 150
year old flint wall and impact on adjacent properties, particularly
parking access.
Mature Holm Oak
The ERA has objected to an application to fell a mature Holm Oak, which
is subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO), in Park Crescent
Emsworth. The grounds for objecting are that such mature slow growing
evergreen trees are increasingly scarce. This tree also makes a
valuable contribution to the street scene, as there are only a few
other large trees in the road. The application to fell was refused and
the owner is now appealing to the Secretary of State.
Responding to applications
You can contact any member of the committee. You can also get help from
your local councillors. See the notice board outside Co-op and the ERA
website where there are links to the CPRE site, the Havant and
Hampshire Council sites and other related sites.