Euxton Parish Council’s full council meeting was held on Thursday, 16th May and it was consulted on the planning application for the proposed 24 houses on the former football pitch at Greenside.
Councillors discussed this matter at great length and has information to hand which Cllr Oddy had spent time researching. The Council unanimously voted to Object to this planning application (with a recorded vote) and the objections listed to Chorley Council against this application are as follows:
19/00361/FULMAJ Greenside application for 24 houses
Euxton Parish Council’s objections are as follows:
1. That detailed application is for 24 dwellings but the allocation in the local plan is only for 17. This is a 41% increase, an increase which will have significant detriment to existing residents of the Greenside estate in terms of traffic and parking – noting that there are very few garages or other off road parking provision on Greenside
2. Planning Policy not adhered to:
(a) Policy BNE9 (Biodiversity and Nature Conservation) seeks to ensure that Biodiversity and Ecological Network resources are protected, conserved, restored and enhanced. The policy sets out requirements all new developments must adhere to in relation to biodiversity, protection of habitats. The application falls short of this requirement.
(b) Policy BNE10 (Trees) states that proposals that would result in the loss of trees, woodland areas or hedgerows which make a valuable contribution to the landscape or setting, will not be permitted. If the benefit of the development outweighs the loss of some trees or hedgerows, replacement planting will be required; contrary to the applicants assertion that the trees are of “relatively low quality” the proposed development will see the removal of several mature oak, beech and ash specimens which contribute hugely to the local landscape, namely Ransnap Wood. Those trees nearest to Ransnap Brook also play a significant role in the biodiversity of the area and in the drainage of the area in so far as they drink a lot of rain water ensuring the stability of the bank.
(c) Policy BNE11 (Species Protection) states that any development which would have an adverse effect on a priority species will not be permitted, unless the benefits outweigh the need to maintain the population of the priority species; the trees are, bar one, all prime specimen oak trees and their removal is not justified.
85 trees (a mix of classic native specimens of oak, ash and beech) are proposed to be removed to accommodate this application! 18 categorised trees (7 Category Bs and 11 Cs) are proposed to be removed and the developer does not propose to replace these due to the small size of the site. Their proposal of planting at the front of each house does not mitigate the loss of 18 magnificent mature trees and as such contravenes Policy BNE10.
3. CS Policy 7 states that for applications proposing 15 or more dwellings that 30% of the dwellings should be affordable. That should be 8 dwellings on the site (at 24 units). The application only proposes 6 affordable units which is only a 25% share.
4. Bats – local residents advise that the area is home to a thriving colony of bats. The Arboricultural Report highlights two oak trees (scheduled for removal) as likely homes for bats.
5. The Arboricultural Report has clearly been written from a perspective of “find something detrimental to say about each tree”. These trees are mature specimens and have never been subjected to any formal management. With the exception of one fire damaged oak, they are as nature intended – beautiful, majestic trees that contribute significantly to local well being and character of the neighbourhood. To leave only one small oak and one silver birch is not in accordance with planning policy on trees, is hugely detrimental to the environment and the parish council should defend this amenity to the best of its ability.
Permission should be refused on the grounds of the inability to comply with policy BNE 9, 10 & 11 and CS Policy 7
Euxton Parish Council request that a TPO is placed on any eligible trees as per:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-preservation-orders-and-trees-in-conservation-areas#tree-preservation-orders–general
“Authorities can either initiate this process themselves or in response to a request made by any other party. When deciding whether an Order is appropriate, authorities are advised to take into consideration what ‘amenity’ means in practice, what to take into account when assessing amenity value, what ‘expedient’ means in practice, what trees can be protected and how they can be identified.”
The Parish Council is aware that the level of ‘affordable’ housing on the site is less than the percentage required by Chorley’s policies and this should be rectified and the Council object to this blatant disregard of Chorley’s policies by the developer.
It is noted that the environmental surveys were carried out ‘out of season’ and the surveys should be re-done ‘in season’ to establish the bat community.