One year after a large scale planning application for Blanchard’s Field in Brighstone was rejected by the Planning Committee, a revised application has been submitted.
The revised application for a mixed use development comprises:
Abbeyfield residence (13 flats) sheltered housing (four flats and six chalet bungalows), eight semidetached assisted care bungalows, 12 units of open market housing, 14 units of affordable housing, doctors surgery with associated pharmacy, community park, associated parking and formation of vehicular access from Main Road and Upper Lane
At first sight, it’s hard to see where the revisions are:
From the 2013 report: The application was intended to include 13 flats, four flats and six chalet bungalows, eight semidetached assisted care bungalows, 12 units of open market housing, 14 units of affordable housing, a doctor’s surgery with associated pharmacy, community park, associated parking and formation of vehicular access from Main Road and Upper Lane
“Just too large” says Cllr Seely
Commenting on the Blanchard’s Field application, Cllr Bob Seely said:
“I will listen to residents and hear all sides of the argument. Clearly communities change and evolve over the years, but the aim of any development should be to enhance a community. For Blanchard’s Field, which is in the centre of Brighstone village, we need to ensure that Brighstone gets what is right and needed.
“My gut feeling is that this is large-scale development and just too large in a village which has arguably already seen too much speculative house-building in the past few decades.
The refusal notice for the 2013 application read:
The planning application is not supported by sufficient information to satisfactorily demonstrate the need for the proposed number, size and mix of dwellings, with particular reference to the proposed open market dwellings and Abbeyfield units.
Public meeting on 3rd September
Cllr Seely went on to say,
“I thank Brighstone Parish Council for calling a public meeting on Wednesday, 3rd Sept, and I will be talking with residents there. I urge all Brighstone residents, whether for or against, to come and give their opinions and take part in community consultations.
“This is the second major revised planning application in my ward this month, both following earlier refusals. In both cases the community has said that the scale of development is too large. In both cases, in my opinion, the applicants have tinkered with the revised plans without meeting the fundamental concerns of my residents.
“I am concerned why this application has been put in now, a few months before Brighstone Neighbourhood Plan would have been completed.
Appeal for agent to attend
It’s hoped that the agent acting on behalf of the developers, Christopher Scott, will attend the public meeting to hear residents’ concerns first hand.
Cllr Seely finished by saying,
“In my dealing with the Blanchard’s Field applicants’ agent on the previous occasion he applied for planning on this site, he appeared exceptionally keen not to talk to local residents.
“When a public meeting was held to discuss the last application, he declined to attend but sent a public relations representative instead who couldn’t answer questions. I challenge the agent to attend the public meeting on 3rd Sept himself. He will find Brighstone residents well-informed and very articulate.”
Have your say
Plans can be viewed online and residents have until 12th September to register their comments.
Image: © Google Streetview
