Shortlands Residents' Association
Planning update -
Development report by Tony Bailey, Development Officer
During last year we have looked at 68 planning applications in Shortlands and opposed eight. Of these, three went ahead and five did not, with two being dismissed on appeal.
The yearly totals were slightly up on 2009 but annual figures continue to reflect a consistently reduced level of activity. The year began with approval for the SRA highway banners, sited to indicate the Shortlands boundary, and the dismissal of appeals at 114 Shortlands Road (Shaw's Corner House) and 10 Durham Road (tandem apartment block). A reduced scheme at 114 Shortlands Road has now been permitted. This proposal is, as before, a rebuild at 112 and conversion of 114, but is now without a housing plot in the rear garden, which reduces the impact on neighbouring properties.
Three day nursery proposals have been considered during the year. Two new ones were refused, at 14 Scotts Lane and 5 Pickhurst Park and the third, an increase in daily attendance numbers at 50 Shortlands Road, was also refused. The use of converted residential properties for these establishments continues to present problems with noise, parking and access.
Telecommunications masts are becoming more numerous, partly due to the expansion of 3G networks designed to deal with an increase in internet data traffic via laptop "dongles" and "smart" phones. There is concern that some of these proposals involve 12.5 metre columns with twin antenna bays, near residential properties. To date, none of these have been permitted.
Budget cuts seem likely to affect the planning office, in part reducing enforcement resources to what may be ineffective levels, a matter of some concern. There is still evidence of speculative moves to facilitate the sale of rear gardens for development in our area, and while there are signs of greater emphasis on decisions at local level, we have yet to see an end to "garden grabbing" and backland development.
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