Rutland County Council, Planning application, OUT/2010/0954, Jeakins Weir, Oakham Action

Richard Swift

Chairperson

WWW.OakhamAction.co.uk

Date: 04/02/2011

Rutland County Councillors

Dear County Councillor

Re Planning application OUT/2010/0954 Jeakins Weir

With reference to the above application, as Chair Person of ‘Oakham Action’ representing a large number of residents of Oakham and surrounding villages, I would like you be aware of the key points raised in objections to this application before it goes forward to the Planning Committee on Tuesday 8 February.

I have detailed below a summary of the points raised in over 350 letters of objection to the application.

I am aware that the council has recommended that the application is refused, and you can be assured that the Oakham Action Group will support the council in robustly rejecting this proposal.

Yours sincerely

Richard Swift

Richard Swift

Chair Person – Oakham Action

Detailed below are a summary of the points raised by members of the public in their 350 letters of objection

These letters were sent to the Planning Officer before the deadline of 23^rd October 2010 relating to the Application by Jeakins Weir to build 112 houses on land to the west of Uppingham Road.

Application No. OUT/2010/0954

The location of the site has not been included in the Local Development Framework Core Strategy final draft document August 2010 which has now been sent to the Secretary of State.

Landscape

1. One of the policy statements for Rutland was the preservation of the rural nature of Rutland

2. Over development of Oakham will discourage tourists as they come for the natural beauty of the area and the historic market town.

3. The present South elevation of Oakham is a particularly attractive and at present unspoiled approach to the older part of a market town. It is the only remaining completely rural aspect left on all the approaches to Oakham

4. The southern approach to Oakham would be destroyed. It is currently a picturesque and inviting landscape entrance to Oakham.

5. The site is part of green landscape protecting Oakham. A significant amount of green landscape has gone already and it is vital that we should protect for us and future generations if Oakham is to retain its character as a small attractive country town.

6. Granting of planning permission on this site would inevitably open up land on the South of Oakham to future development and would set precedent.

7. Views from the footpaths, roads and from Brooke Hill need to be protected.

8. The proposed screening on the southern boundary of the site would be made up of native trees. These are normally deciduous and therefore for six months of the year would present very little screening and the housing would be in full view from the Uppingham Road and higher land around.

9. The proposed building is on greenfield, agricultural land. New buildings should make the best use of previously developed land in accordance with national planning policies.

10. It is important that this area should remain a green field buffer between the town and the Nature Reserve at Egleton. The development would have a negative impact on the important breeding site for migratory birds and would be detrimental to the future growth of tourism related to these unique wildlife habitats.

11. The development would adversely affect a designated Area of Particularly attractive Countryside which is of major importance to the setting of the town.

12. The developer’s report states that there would be little impact from the site for the houses in The Vale and Bowling Green Close as they would add some extra trees to screen. This also suffers from the lack of leaves in the winter – for 6 months of the year – when the screen is ineffective.

Housing

1. With over 1000 houses in the Barleythorpe development by Hawksmead, no other housing developments should be needed in Oakham. ( This has now been approved)

2. The developer claims that Rutlanders support the building of eco-friendly homes on this site as a result of their survey last year. This survey question was very general – most people would like to be seen as ‘green’ and would answer yes if asked ‘Do you think it is important for Oakham to be able to offer low energy environmentally friendly homes’. This does not mean they want them built here or now.

Transport

1. Increase in traffic congestion in Oakham Town. Considering measures taken to reduce congestion in recent years, this development is counterproductive.

2. Traffic using Cricket Lawns as a rat run and shortcut to the west of town will be increased and the queues at the Brooke Road crossing, already congested , would be impossible without further expense on road improvements.

3. 112 houses would generate more than 200 domestic vehicles, not to mention delivery vans and tradesmen. These would have to enter and leave a busy Uppingham Road and will present a significant hazard to southbound traffic on the Uppingham Road just emerging from a hidden dip.

4. Overloading of town car parking facilities and parking on residential streets.

5. The proposed footpath through the allotments is presumably an attempt to gain some form of access precedent. The current allotments would be more open to vandalism and the exit onto the Brooke Road is dangerous.

Wildlife

1. The northern boundary around the stream is of huge ecological importance as a wildlife corridor and contains a large variety of birds and mammals which should not be disturbed. This would happen if this part of the site were a recreational area.

2. The route of the Upper Arm of the River Gwash is a Green Corridor which needs to be protected.

Trees

1. The site contains many trees which need to be preserved. The developer proposes to cut down a number which he claims to be diseased. Any new replanted trees would take 15-20 years to reach maturity.

Archaeology

1. There is a heritage windmill mound on the site and it is an important archaeological site of public hangings with an association with Gibbet Gate.

shown at the south end of town on John Speeds map of Oakham 1610.

2. The site of the gallows is shown on John Ogilby’s map of 1675 to be located on

the land to the west of the Uppingham Road.

Infrastructure

1. There will be overloading of the Oakham Medical practice, which is currently under pressure.

2. There will be overloading of dentists and schools to cover increased demand.

3. The development would add to light pollution in the area

4. The lack of jobs in the area will encourage commuters and a dormitory town.

Richard Swift

Chairperson

WWW.OakhamAction.co.uk

Date: 04/02/2011

Rutland County Councillors

Dear County Councillor

Re Planning application OUT/2010/0954 Jeakins Weir

With reference to the above application, as Chair Person of ‘Oakham Action’ representing a large number of residents of Oakham and surrounding villages, I would like you be aware of the key points raised in objections to this application before it goes forward to the Planning Committee on Tuesday 8 February.

I have detailed below a summary of the points raised in over 350 letters of objection to the application.

I am aware that the council has recommended that the application is refused, and you can be assured that the Oakham Action Group will support the council in robustly rejecting this proposal.

Yours sincerely

Richard Swift

Richard Swift

Chair Person – Oakham Action

Detailed below are a summary of the points raised by members of the public in their 350 letters of objection

These letters were sent to the Planning Officer before the deadline of 23^rd October 2010 relating to the Application by Jeakins Weir to build 112 houses on land to the west of Uppingham Road.

Application No. OUT/2010/0954

The location of the site has not been included in the Local Development Framework Core Strategy final draft document August 2010 which has now been sent to the Secretary of State.

Landscape

1. One of the policy statements for Rutland was the preservation of the rural nature of Rutland

2. Over development of Oakham will discourage tourists as they come for the natural beauty of the area and the historic market town.

3. The present South elevation of Oakham is a particularly attractive and at present unspoiled approach to the older part of a market town. It is the only remaining completely rural aspect left on all the approaches to Oakham

4. The southern approach to Oakham would be destroyed. It is currently a picturesque and inviting landscape entrance to Oakham.

5. The site is part of green landscape protecting Oakham. A significant amount of green landscape has gone already and it is vital that we should protect for us and future generations if Oakham is to retain its character as a small attractive country town.

6. Granting of planning permission on this site would inevitably open up land on the South of Oakham to future development and would set precedent.

7. Views from the footpaths, roads and from Brooke Hill need to be protected.

8. The proposed screening on the southern boundary of the site would be made up of native trees. These are normally deciduous and therefore for six months of the year would present very little screening and the housing would be in full view from the Uppingham Road and higher land around.

9. The proposed building is on greenfield, agricultural land. New buildings should make the best use of previously developed land in accordance with national planning policies.

10. It is important that this area should remain a green field buffer between the town and the Nature Reserve at Egleton. The development would have a negative impact on the important breeding site for migratory birds and would be detrimental to the future growth of tourism related to these unique wildlife habitats.

11. The development would adversely affect a designated Area of Particularly attractive Countryside which is of major importance to the setting of the town.

12. The developer’s report states that there would be little impact from the site for the houses in The Vale and Bowling Green Close as they would add some extra trees to screen. This also suffers from the lack of leaves in the winter – for 6 months of the year – when the screen is ineffective.

Housing

1. With over 1000 houses in the Barleythorpe development by Hawksmead, no other housing developments should be needed in Oakham. ( This has now been approved)

2. The developer claims that Rutlanders support the building of eco-friendly homes on this site as a result of their survey last year. This survey question was very general – most people would like to be seen as ‘green’ and would answer yes if asked ‘Do you think it is important for Oakham to be able to offer low energy environmentally friendly homes’. This does not mean they want them built here or now.

Transport

1. Increase in traffic congestion in Oakham Town. Considering measures taken to reduce congestion in recent years, this development is counterproductive.

2. Traffic using Cricket Lawns as a rat run and shortcut to the west of town will be increased and the queues at the Brooke Road crossing, already congested , would be impossible without further expense on road improvements.

3. 112 houses would generate more than 200 domestic vehicles, not to mention delivery vans and tradesmen. These would have to enter and leave a busy Uppingham Road and will present a significant hazard to southbound traffic on the Uppingham Road just emerging from a hidden dip.

4. Overloading of town car parking facilities and parking on residential streets.

5. The proposed footpath through the allotments is presumably an attempt to gain some form of access precedent. The current allotments would be more open to vandalism and the exit onto the Brooke Road is dangerous.

Wildlife

1. The northern boundary around the stream is of huge ecological importance as a wildlife corridor and contains a large variety of birds and mammals which should not be disturbed. This would happen if this part of the site were a recreational area.

2. The route of the Upper Arm of the River Gwash is a Green Corridor which needs to be protected.

Trees

1. The site contains many trees which need to be preserved. The developer proposes to cut down a number which he claims to be diseased. Any new replanted trees would take 15-20 years to reach maturity.

Archaeology

1. There is a heritage windmill mound on the site and it is an important archaeological site of public hangings with an association with Gibbet Gate.

shown at the south end of town on John Speeds map of Oakham 1610.

2. The site of the gallows is shown on John Ogilby’s map of 1675 to be located on

the land to the west of the Uppingham Road.

Infrastructure

1. There will be overloading of the Oakham Medical practice, which is currently under pressure.

2. There will be overloading of dentists and schools to cover increased demand.

3. The development would add to light pollution in the area

4. The lack of jobs in the area will encourage commuters and a dormitory town.