A PLANNING APPLICATION to build 28 new homes on Wychcroft, Magdalen Lane, with facilities for 59 on-site parking spaces, did not receive a single vote of support from Hedon Town Councillors last night. Councillors voted overwhelmingly to recommend to East Riding Council planners that permission for the development be refused.
Peter Read, Managing Director of Birstall May Ltd, the real estate company behind the planning application, made a passionate case why the scheme should go ahead. “The development will be one to be proud of”, he told councillors, “it’s not about how many houses we can squeeze onto a piece of land, instead its about quality, first-class, 3-bedroomed homes that people will be proud to live in, with outside garden stores for each.”
“The land known as Wychcroft is currently privately owned and is gated off with no public rights of way.”
“The application,” Mr Read said, “took into account fully the need for adequate flood protection and water drainage, and was sympathetic towards the council’s aims to preserve the ancient monument associated with the site, and would involve the creation of wildlife pond areas that would protect mammals and amphibians.”
However, Margaret Murray, speaking on behalf of those opposing the scheme, said that the scheme would be built on low-lying land and increase flood risk to Wychcroft and surrounding areas: “The area was hit by the big flood of 2007 and we can’t rule out a repetition of such weather events in the future.” She argued that “the drainage proposals are unlikely to be sufficient to cope with a normal deluge, let alone a big flood.” Mrs Murray also referred to the existing problems with parking, speeding and the volume of traffic in the area, indicating that the development would make that situation worse.
Speaking as Chair of Hedon’s Planning Committee, Councillor John Dennis explained the contextual background to the local plan currently being processed by East Riding Council; in the Plan Hedon Town Council had won support for the notion that none of the open green spaces should be built upon until the threat of flooding had been alleviated. He would not be voting on the proposal placed before the Town Council, but would be reserving his right to speak as an East Riding Councillor on the Planning Committee that will deal with the application.
Councillor Tom Goldspink said that Wychcroft was one of the important open areas that naturally soaked up rainwater and was adjacent to the town’s Conservation Area. Councillor Gordon Thurston said, that in his opinion, some of the documentation in the planning application was open to “misinterpretation” and he was particularly concerned, that while the development itself might be flood protected, flooding in the surrounding areas could result.
Councillor Sarah Rommell said this developer might be the most sympathetic ever to the town’s concerns, other developers in the future might seek to ride roughshod over those concerns.
Councillor Mike Bryan said that he believed the town had enough problems already with flooding risk and traffic. The development would only exacerbate those problems. He also made it clear that the final decision on this would not be made by Hedon Town Council, but would be made by the East Riding Council possibly at a meeting in December.
The planning application and associated documents can be viewed online at the East Riding Council’s Planning Portal website. The Hedon Blog will publish the details of the East Riding Planning Committee as soon as it becomes available. A speaker in favour of the application, and one against it, can speak at the meeting.
Visit: Planning Public Access and enter 13/03180/STPLF in the search box and click on Associated Documents.
Application Withdrawn !!!
I have had confirmation this morning that the application has been withdrawn for 28 houses on Magdalen Lane.
I would like to thank and congratulate all those who took the time and trouble to voice their objections.
50 residents have signed a petition objecting to the planning application because of the fear of increased risk of flooding in the area.
This aerial photograph from a helicopter was taken during the big flood of June 2007. The street top-centre of the photograph is Station Lane with Maple Park running vertically down, flooded.
Wychcroft is the area on top-left which is not as obviously flooded, but seems to demonstrate its role as a natural soakway for flood waters.
Thanks to Margaret Murray for the photograph and the permission to use it from Nigel Feetham.
Of interest to local residents – particularly those in Cherry Tree Lane, Madalen Lane, Alison Garth, Clough Garth, and all of us with an interest in the proposed development of 28 dwellings on Wychcroft. Please have a look at http://www.eastriding.gov.uk/publicaccessdocuments/default.aspx?folder1_ref=13/03180/STPLF
and check close to the bottom of the long list of documents. Seems ERYC Highways are not happy with the scheme as applied for, English Heritage have recommended it be withdrawn for further discussion on ancient monument, and the Conservation Officer is recommending outright refusal.
I intend to speak at the Planning Meeting when it comes up at Beverley, which is why I didn’t vote when it came to Hedon for consideration.
Odd that Cllr Mike Bryan talks about flooding and traffic problems when he suggested at an October meeting that Wychcroft should be made into a car park
Before any further building of private dwellings Hedon needs to address the lack of services to cater for the people that already live here,schools,doctors etc. Its ridiculous
What makes Hedon so special is that we still have open fields retained within the developments of the last century. Once we allow building on one of these sites, the rest will gradually follow in behind. Hedon has grown significantly over recent years, yet we still only have 2 primary schools. Further new builds will have the potential to increase the number of children needing to access education. Furthermore, Wychcroft is identified as having an Ancient Monument on site. These sites are identified as such because of their importance. No matter how well the developer tries to preserve the site, it currently does not have a right of way over it and as such, has it’s own source of protection. Once the new homes are complete, what proposals are in place to continue to protect the site or will it become the responsibility of the new owners who may not share the concern of the need to protect it?
I too don’t know why anyone would want to build on a field which historically has had to be protected by a ditch, as shown in the receipts for the borough in the year ending 29th September 1390:-
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source: The history and antiquities of the seigniory of Holderness
By George Poulson
Why do people want to take over all the fields etc to build more houses we dont need them!!!!!.