© Collingbourne Ducis Parish Council 2020
Notes taken at the Planning Committee meeting held
on 15th February 2015
Present: Lucy Gomes (Chair)
Keith Cockerton
Fiona Dean
Rodney Haverson
Tracey Warren
Terry Greenwood
Also in attendance: Charles Howard (Wiltshire Councillor) Michael Fowler (architect) and 31 members
of the public.
Apologies: David Dennis and Natalie Williams
.
Minutes: Jill Cockerton.
Lucy Gomes opened the meeting at 5pm and explained that the single topic to be discussed at this
meeting was the planning application for 15 houses at Station Yard. She asked for any declarations
of interest. Keith Cockerton said that he had received a complaint from a member of the public
suggesting that, in the wording of the notice about the meeting, he was biased against the planning
application. He left the hall while the sub-committee discussed this. It was decided that the words
'prominent' and 'sizeable' were factually correct and did not suggest bias so Keith was invited back
to take part in the meeting.
Lucy Gomes introduced Charles Howard who explained the current situation and the next stages of
the planning process. At this stage, Wiltshire Planning Committee was awaiting several technical
reports and other relevant information. The deadline for comments is February 26th 2015 and, until
that date, any member of the public can send comments to the address on the green notice on the
telegraph pole near the proposed site. All comments received will be posted in full on the Council
website. After this date, it will be decided whether to 'call in' the application for a deferred decision
by eight Wiltshire Councillors and, if this is the case, there will be further opportunities for the public
to comment. The target date for a decision is April 22nd but this may be later if the application is
'called in'.
Lucy reported on several emails received that listed the following concerns:
1.
sewerage system overload
2.
water run-off
3.
traffic and pedestrian safety
4.
building within a conservation area
5.
using the old railway line, thereby making any reinstatement impossible.
Several members of the public raised the following issues and questions about the proposed
development.
The lower part of the village has suffered from flooding several times due to a high water table and
fifteen additional houses could increase the run-off levels to dwellings further down the hill.
The mains sewerage system is old and can not cope with heavy rains currently. Fifteen extra houses
feeding into the sewers would exacerbate the problem and possibly lead to more raw sewage
flooding over the High Street. Wessex Water have acknowledged that the sewerage system needs
a huge overhaul but there are no plans (or money) to carry out this work in the foreseeable future.
The proposed roadways would not be adopted by Wiltshire Council and, therefore, would be the
responsibility of residents.
There are implications for nearby houses' privacy, including the concern that the ground floor of some
of the proposed new houses will look directly into the bedroom windows of existing properties.
There are implications for light pollution from street lighting and traffic pollution from increased traffic.
The land from Station Yard drops quite steeply and there are concerns about possible subsidence
through building work.
The Station Yard area is home to a variety of wildlife including bats, deer and woodland birds. This
habitat would be lost through the development.
Traffic would increase at an already complicated junction, where Station Approach enters Cadley Road
near to the junctions with Sunton, Saunders Meadow, West Farm Close and the main A338. This is
also only yards away from a children's play area.
Parking around this junction is already an issue at busy times for the village shop.
The proposed development will be visible on the skyline. (In 2002 planning permission was refused for
one house as it was on the skyline.)
There would be an increase in traffic, including dustcarts, oil tankers, deliveries, removal vans etc.
Station Approach will not be widened so there will not be enough room for two lorries to pass each
other.
There will be no footpath for pedestrians, including children walking to school.
The need for more housing in the village was questioned.
The school is already oversubscribed so there is no space for new children who come into the village.
A high number of new homes are being built in the area but with no new jobs or infrastructure.
Gardens in the vicinity are already waterlogged for parts of the year and increased run-off water would
add to the problem.
Ludgershall Town Council is working towards the town being a site of historical significance and further
development of Collingbourne Ducis might have an impact on this.
New guidelines are being introduced in April of this year that will mean the proposed site is outside the
area of permitted development.
It was requested that the Wiltshire Planning Committee carry out a site visit to look at impact issues.
If permission is granted this could open the floodgates for other sites in the village with current
industrial use to be developed for residential use. It was suggested that, if this were the case, then
working together (with possible access from the mini roundabout) might be a solution to the traffic
concerns.
Michael Fowler responded to these concerns with the following comments.
It is impossible to predict future developments within the village and, therefore, how they might be
joined up.
In 2005 planning permission was granted for fifteen houses at Bourne Works and nothing has changed
since then.
Wiltshire Council had no objections at this time so a precedent has been set.
Although the development will be on the skyline, the plans have been amended to include more
bungalows and no three-storey houses.
It had been planned that the development would have its own sewage treatment plant but this had
been rejected. All sewage will need to be emptied into the village main drains.
The inability of these sewers to cope with additional flow was not a valid reason to prevent
development. Wessex Water would have to upgrade and improve.
The site currently has B2 (industrial) classification so is a 'brown field' site.
An ecology survey was carried out and the only significant species found was slow worms.
More trees would be planted.
Michael acknowledged concerns about traffic but pointed out that county standards suggest no division
between traffic and pedestrians and that they both share the same space. Having separate space
for each was a 1960s philosophy.
There is a shortage of houses in the village and 141 new homes are designated for this area. ( NB
Councillor Howard pointed out that this number covers the wider Tidworth Community Area
excluding Tidworth itself.)
At a previous exhibition detailing a development of nine homes, 52% of village residents had been in
favour of it and 65% in favour of more homes in the village. This issue of possible subsidence was
looked into in 2005 and nothing has changed since then.
In terms of proximity to existing properties, the proposed development complies with legal dimensions.
A visual impact assessment has been made. The site is now more secluded and concealed as trees
have grown since the last planning application.
If this development went ahead there would be a '106' payment (possibly around £80,000) which is
likely to go to the local school.
Councillor Howard told the meeting that points raised would be fed back to the Planning Committee.
The Parish Council had been asked to comment and this would also contribute to the decision-
making process. Letters had already been received by Wiltshire Council, both for and against the
development.
Lucy Gomes drew the discussion to a close, thanking everyone for their contributions and encouraging
all comments to be sent to Wiltshire Council. She acknowledged a comment from a member of the
public that the majority of people attending the meeting lived close to the proposed site and had a
particular interest.
The meeting was closed to public comments at 6.15pm and the planning sub-committee resumed its
meeting.