Please act immediately if you believe in preserving the character of our beautiful village
Dear fellow resident
When fighting the Bramham Estate application, it was recognised that threats to our Neighbourhood Plan would never go away. A current application (referenced below), if approved, would destroy a number of the key principles of the Plan.
Application Number: 18/07174/FU
For: One new dwelling with driveway access
At: Heron Bank, 15 Church Lane, Bardsey, Leeds, LS17 9DH
This is an example of ‘garden grabbing’ – using a back garden to build a second large detached house on the same plot.
Do we want this to be the future for our Village?
Please consider the precedent that would be set if this development is allowed to go ahead. Our gardens are part of the essential character of this core part of the village and they are worth saving.
You can see this proposal and make an objection online at www.leeds.gov.uk/publicaccess using reference 18/07174/FU or you can write to: Planning Service, Merrion House, 110 Merrion Centre, Leeds LS2 8BB.
Why Object?
Our Bardsey cum Rigton Neighbourhood Plan, which you can find at the bardseyvillage.org.uk website, was backed by 93% of the 794 villagers who voted. It outlines how we want the village to develop and talks a lot about housing. This proposal fails to meet the plan in many ways, some of which are shown below. Please use your own words if you choose to make an objection.
Policy H1: New housing
iii. Development of back land and gardens which would harm the open aspect of the parish will not be supported.
Proposed development is in direct contravention of this policy.
Policy H2: Housing size and type
- The provision of smaller homes, comprising up to 2 bedrooms, will be supported.
This development is for a 3/4 bedroom detached property and therefore should not be supported.
Policy H3: Supporting sustainable development
- Developers should seek to engage with the local community before submitting applications and take into account local housing needs, as identified in the most up to date assessments.
No effort has been made to engage the local community and the development in no way takes into account local housing needs as the primary requirement is for those wishing to downsize and a secondary requirement for starter homes.
Objectives
- To identify and conserve those assets considered to be of significant community value, including green spaces and open views, across the Parish.
Direct contravention of this objective, open views of a significant number of houses on Church Lane, will be adversely affected
Policy LRE3: Biodiversity, conservation and enhancement
4.2.3.1 Issues
High quality countryside is matched with habitats which provide for rich biodiversity. Protection of habitats is a high priority to continue to contribute to the special character of the Parish.
This proposal directly affects the wildlife corridor of Gill Beck, recognised as part of the Leeds Habitat Network; it would diminish the vital buffer between residential development and the natural environment that supports many different species; the loss of garden and the hard landscaping used for driveways and parking will reduce both available habitat and biodiversity
Other Material Objections
1) The loss of existing views from neighbouring properties on Church Lane would adversely affect the residential amenity of neighbouring owners.
2) This infill development is not in keeping with, and will have a detrimental impact on, the essential character of the Village Core.
3) The proposal constitutes over-development of the site, as it involves loss of garden land and adversely affects the open aspect of the neighbourhood
You may also reference the Leeds Core Strategy Housing growth principles, which state:
iii) Ensure housing growth targets reflect local housing needs, now and in the future, in terms of tenure, type and size
- v) Facilitate the development of brownfield and regeneration sites
I believe that if we allow this proposal to go ahead it would set a dangerous precedent for the Village, endangering the special character which we cherish.
The Parish Council have already voiced their objections but please make it your first resolution for 2019 to take action yourself.
Thanks for reading this, and we wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year,
Chris and Esther
Bylands, 11 Church Lane, email: chrisjcalvert@gmail.com
The application can be viewed online here