Help with stopping a building project please.

[lababy]

Hi. Firstly i am sorry if this is not the right section. I am just desperately looking for advice.

 

We live down a small back road and the houses have a lovely view of the fields opposite as well as a small piece of woodland that is used for the local children to have a safe area to play in. This area has stayed the same for over 30 years and now we are being told that a developer is wishing to build a housing estate in it .

 

obviously the street is in uproar and everyone is against this proposal. The wood is home to owls,bats,blue bells and possible birds of prey. The developers held a meeting the other day and despite all the residents being against this..have still said they are going ahead.

 

The road is a single track horseshoe shape and alot of the houses don't have driveways, as a result of this several cars are parked on the road.. Making it difficult to get past. The land is peet and as a result they will need to use a pile driver to flattern the land. This will all be taking place less than 20ft away from our houses.

 

We personally have concerns due to the fact we have 3 disabled children who hate loud noises. There are also several other children with the same condition and 2 people on end if life plans. The impact that this is going to have on the area is going to be massive.

 

Now...my question is there anyone who can please please give me some advise on what we can do. The area is a low income area and the only life line we have is one resident has claimed a part of the land and has had it fenced off for over 10 years without anyone coming to claim it. The land is un kept and the local council has denied owning it.

 

However in order for him to make it official it is going to cost almost 2k. Really hoping that we can save our wood..but just at a loss as to where to start . Thank you for your time..

Edited July 9, 2016 by honeybee13
Paras.

[honeybee13]

Hello there. I've popped a few paragraphs into your post to make it easier to read.

 

I would be upset too, hopefully people here can help you. What actions have you taken so far before and after the meeting with the developers please?

 

Have you got anyone else helping you at the moment, maybe a local councillor, MP?

 

HB

[honeybee13]

Also, are there any local wildlife organisations who would be interested in protecting owls, bats and so on?

 

HB

[silverfox1961]

Hi

Has Planning Permission been approved? Were notices placed or letters sent to local residents regarding the site? Is this part of the world a Green Belt area?

 

It would help if we had an inkling of where this site is and who the developer is then we (or you) can check with the local council as to planning permission. If you don't want to name your area publicly, you can PM a site team member in confidence.

[unclebulgaria67]

Best way is to start a campaign group. In my local area we had plans of a few hundred houses and a small business park, to be built on farming land that is part of an area of outstanding natural beauty. The campaign group started by two neighbours, got hundreds involved and people in positions of power were contacted. In the end a well known and very connected land owner had conversations with the developer who decided to pull out. The planned buildings have now been built elsewhere in the county on land which is more suitable.

 

If you don't start a campaign group to help show support against the development and to work together to research your case against the development, you will find it very difficult. Councils are under pressure to give these developments the green light to create housing for local people and also jobs. Unless you are lucky to find well connected people against the development, you would have to fight it using all of the planning and other laws that apply, which can be a minefield.

[lababy]

Hi. Sorry it is in Southport.. The post code is pr8 3ey if you want to have a look at the area in question.

 

There was a meeting with the developers and residents on Thursday..however despite every resident there objecting they are going to clear the land and then apply for planning permission.

 

Now according to the developers, they have been assessing the land for bat activity but are convinced that they don't roost there. We have a support group on Facebook and i am putting together a report to object their application.

 

I am just at a bit of a loss as to what to do from here.

Edited July 9, 2016 by honeybee13
Paras.

[honeybee13]

Wildlife is one angle, but I would use all the angles. It would be awful if they clear the site before applying for planning permission, that doesn't sound right to me.

 

Here's a local wildlife trust for Lancashire.

 

http://www.lancswt.org.uk/

 

HB

[honeybee13]

And the Bat Conservation Trust.

 

http://www.bats.org.uk/pages/bats_and_the_law.html

 

HB

[lababy]

Thank you so much. I am going to formulate a letter to them both and see if we can get and help with it.

[silverfox1961]

here is something I found from your local council

 

https://www.sefton.gov.uk/planning-building-control/apply-for-planning-permission/planning-constraints.aspx

[BankFodder]

I would also start informing the local papers. This is exactly the kind of thing they like to get involved in

[silverfox1961]

I also looked at the post code of the area (George Drive) and from Google Maps the woodland looked a bit straggly. it would be nice to see an image from the summer.

[lababy]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1716095181991040/?ref=nf_target&fref=nf

 

That is the facebook page with pictures

[ThedaBara]

Newts... especially Great Crested... I'm sure there may be some in the woods... TB

[andydd]

Surely the time to object is at the planning permission stage, at this point the developer doesn't have to listen to you and why would he ?, his job is to build houses.

[silverfox1961]

Surely the time to object is at the planning permission stage, at this point the developer doesn't have to listen to you and why would he ?, his job is to build houses.

True but this developer is planning on destroying the woodland prior to seeking planning permission which is why the OP is finding ways to stop that. Planning permission is a secondary concern at the moment.

I appreciate that houses need to be built but there are still many brownfield sites available however, developers don't want the added cost of cleaning up any contaminates.

[honeybee13]

Hi lababy, how are you getting on?

 

I found this from the Forestry Commission about habitat and wildlife. It might give you a few pointers.

 

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-92qe5w

 

HB

[andydd]

True but this developer is planning on destroying the woodland prior to seeking planning permission which is why the OP is finding ways to stop that. Planning permission is a secondary concern at the moment.

I appreciate that houses need to be built but there are still many brownfield sites available however, developers don't want the added cost of cleaning up any contaminates.

 

I don't understand how a developer can effectively start the project by destroying woods if planning permission has not yet been granted.

[silverfox1961]

I don't understand how a developer can effectively start the project by destroying woods if planning permission has not yet been granted.

 

As I understand it, the developer owns the land in question apart from a small piece where a trailer has been stored for many years which could raise a legal challenge. As everybody at the meeting objected to the development, it seemed like the developer would force the issue by clearing the land, thereby negating the objection to keep the trees. This is why the residents need to be pro active to stop that phase.

 

I don't know why they cannot be named and shamed her TBH. Bad publicity may bring the environmentalists to take action.