YOUR OBJECTIONS TO THE KINGS CROFT PROPOSAL

 

We need ALL concerned residents to write – not one per couple, but everyone over 18 in your household. We need
to achieve as many objections as we can.

 

The issues you might like to consider in your letter are listed below.

 

One way of writing your letter is to copy the rest of the page and then edit the text with your objections. You can then email your letter. 

 

Please address your letters to: Mr J Stewart
Regeneration and Community Department
Roman House
Friar Gate
Derby DE1 1XB

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Your letter should be entitled:: Planning Application DER/07/07/01442 – Objection to development

1. General Planning Issues

It is essential that you mention at least one detailed planning policy objection – this ensures that the planning department cannot dismiss your objection as not being based on planning law. The planning policy that you need to mention is PPS3. The key statements from that are as follows:

 

PPS3 states that:

“Reflecting policy in PPS1, good design should contribute positively to making places better for people.Design which is inappropriate in its context, or which fails to take the opportunities available for improving the character and quality of an area and the way it functions, should not be accepted”.

It further states that any proposed development:
“Is well integrated with, and complements, the neighbouring buildings and the local area more generally in
terms of scale, density, layout and access.”

It also states

“Creates, or enhances, a distinctive character that relates well to the surroundings and supports a sense of local pride and civic identity.”

With these in mind, please consider the following:

•  Is a 40 bed care home appropriate in the context of this residential area made up of large detached houses?
• Will it integrate well with the remaining houses on Kings Croft?
• Will this development affect the individual character of the area?
• Will this complement the area, or is it too large a scale of an inappropriate density for this specific street scene?
• What will be the effect on this bordering the conservation area?
• Will it spoil your enjoyment of the area in which you live?
• If you feel proud of living here, will that change if they build this?
• Do you think a three storey 40 bed building is in keeping with the existing properties or will it having a serious massing impact, and look completely out of place?

You might also mention the Derby City Adopted Plan, which also has policy in it. Specifically, mention that the current policy GD4, whilst written under older guidance of PPG3, also clearly states that development must

“The proposal should respect the urban grain of the surrounding area in terms of its scale, layout, density, height, massing, architectural style and building types, materials and landscaping;"

 

Will this development reduce the quality of the urban environment in this part of Allestree?

 

Other issues you might want to mention:

 

2. Inappropriate use of land.

When thinking about whether a residential care home is suitable, consider that it is
effectively a small hotel, with elderly and infirm people who find it difficult to get about, and whose families will
frequently visit. What does this mean in terms of:

• Early morning deliveries, kitchen noise and smell, continuous air conditioning noise?
• Availability of facilities for residents, eg closest is Park Farm, no open space to relax
• Suitability of location for elderly people, eg steep hill, very busy road, no buses to Park Farm, buses on A6 but very dangerous road.
• 40 beds will require a large number of staff. What about staff change over, parking, visitors etc?

3. Insufficient infrastructure. – Traffic.

• Is there already too much traffic on Kings Croft, how difficult is it to get onto the A6 form Devonshire, what about the expected development of Palm Court in addition to this proposal?
• What about emergency services, especially during rush hour
• Have you experienced speeding drivers, or had any “near misses” due to too much traffic?
• Do you cycle? If so, have you had problems with the increased traffic caused by all the development that has occurred around Allestree over the past 3 years?
• Have you had problems with power supplies, water supplies or drainage? If so, do you think this development will cause even more problems?
• Have you had any experience of being unable to get your children into local schools? Are you having to send them to schools which are too far away for them to walk, or cycle? What effect do you think that 45houses will have on the situation?
• Have you had problems accessing Medical Services? Both GP practices at Park Farm have confirmed that they are operating “beyond safe limits” due to over subscription. What do you think the effect will be of adding a 40 bed residential care home, plus 45 houses, to their already oversubscribed lists? Think of any time you have had to wait for an appointment, or not been able to get one.

4. Destruction of the environment.

What do you think the effect will be on air quality, wildlife diversity and habitat? In addition, the plan calls for the removal of mature, broadleaf trees that are protected by preservation orders. Do you think this is justified?

 

Finally, please remember that if you make things up, or embellish the truth, it will do us more harm than good. Please be factual, honest and write from the heart. Having written your letter, if you have the opportunity to copy it to those on the attached list, it will help our case. We appreciate this is a nuisance, but we cannot stress enough how important it is that these people know how you feel about this.

 

Thank you for taking the time – it really will make a difference if you write.

 

Allestree Preservation Group http://www.allestreepreservationgroup.org.uk