Residents Zoom Meeting, 28/04/20, 8pm

Attendees: 46 Participants
Hosts: Darren and Clare
Committee present: Claire and Nick , David & Janet, Melanie, Martin and Ray.

Meeting Objectives and Agenda.

Clare welcomed the residents and local officials who had joined the meeting and introduced the committee. A brief explanation was given as to how the meeting would work using the chat box for questions. A history of how the group was originally formed was shared for those new to the application and the area, that we are set up as a residents organisation with the intention of opposing and preventing the unwanted proposed development of 99 houses through the demolition of number 24 Echo Hill, in the field adjacent to Bridleways 13,14, Echo Hill, Layston Park and Royse Grove.

The focus of the meeting would be on planning criteria, the impact on the area and an explanation of the proposed plan, how to underpin objections with robust and sound evidence, which experts had been employed and what the committee need residents to do next.

Original Gladman Proposal

A comparison slide of the original refused proposal in 2018 which was rejected in January 2019 by NHDC and an explanation of the main differences between the newest application was shown to residents:

Reduction in number of houses from 120 to 99, with 40% presented as affordable housing.
Access via Echo Hill, facilitated through the demolition of number 24, rather than bridleway 13. Bridleway 13 is proposed as an emergency access for the new estate.
The widening of the footpaths in Sun Hill to accommodate sustainable transport access, which was a reason for refusal at the last application.
The extension of the traffic island at the bottom of Sun Hill on the A10 to allow a ‘safe’ crossing point.

The 2018 Slide showed the formal reasons for refusal of the original application:

Adverse visual impact
Adverse impact on Therfield Heath
Inadequate bus route
Proposal did not include undertaking for 40% affordable housing

Other relevant factors identified in the Planning Officer’s report:

Inadequate access via Briary Lane
Impact on Briary Lane, Sun Hill and surrounding residential roads
Significant level of public objection
Site not identified in 2011-2031 Emerging Local Plan (not yet adopted)

Comment was made on the fantastic response by residents on the last application and the strength of feeling felt by the town and the number of objections (230) on the NHDC planning portal.

What Next?

The committee have been busy employing and approaching the services of professionals to carry out various reports across a variety of areas:

Planning – does this site ‘fit’ within the National Policy Planning Framework criteria as Sustainable Development and also drawing on the Local Plan?
Traffic & Highways – It is noted this is a significant concern with residents . Comments have been noted on Briary Lane already congested, the implications on Echo Hill and Sun Hill are even worse. Comments have also been received by the Herts County Council Highways department – they have objected strongly, which we fully support. We are therefore pursuing a professional to help support us in this effort.
Visual Impact – We still have significant concerns on the close proximity of the proposed development to the SSSI (The Heath) and the visual impact on and around the surrounding area, the neighbouring developments, town and villages. We have engaged a consultant to help review the visual impact of the development proposals.
Legal review – details are being kept confidential at this time due to the sensitive nature of this but we are perusing all avenues and we shall ensure a full transparent feedback will be given on this once able.
Groundwater – We still believe there is need for further Investigation into the groundwater impact, as the development will sit on the aquifer that supplies all of Royston’s drinking water and the proposal is to infiltrate highway drainage into this sensitive receptor. We will review the need for expert support on this following a review of finances.
Drainage – Some sewerage concerns have also been raised by residents, as the proposal for the foul drainage to serve the development is proposing the implementation of a sewer along bridleway 13, which we believe will still have a negative impact on the trees located on the SSSI. Anglian Water have commented on the proposal– but this was not available to view on the portal at the time of the residents meeting. Their comments will inform our next move on this.
Arboriculturist – We are employing the same expert who supplied the previous report for the trees along the bridleway to look at the mature trees in Sun Hill in regard to the proposal to ‘trim’ the root balls of the trees to allow the widening of the paths and the negative impact of this.
Ecology – evidence is being gathered by residents to present as well as employing the services of an ecologist which is under consideration, with a view of the site being located in a high impact zone associated with the SSSI.

In order for all objections to be considered we need to gather as much strong and factual evidence as possible to inform the Planning Committee’s decision on whether this application is completely appropriate. Therefore, the need to engage professional services.

To assist residents with their objections we will be circulating the results of the findings for everyone to consider and use when they access the portal. This will take time following some of the technical input from our experts.

A template will also be circulated, as with the 2018, with a ‘tickbox’ style sheet. We hope this will enable everyone who wishes to, to add their opinion and to have the opportunity to be heard. We would always advocate you issue your own objections and to not be afraid to update your objections should anything else become available that is of a concern to you.

Finances

The basic cost estimate was explained for what we believe we require in order for all of the reports to be carried out. Should further detailed work be needed then the costs could increase potentially up to £10K+ and beyond if the plan goes to judicial review. A plea for funds was made to assist the committee in engaging the appropriate professionals.

Next Steps:

Spread the word amongst friends and neighbours where possible
Speak to your neighbours
Contact your town & district councillors/MP if you so wish.
Invite interested parties and friends to the RSNtG Facebook page
Sign up for regular updates via the RSNtG website
Volunteer to display banners/posters
Donate – please!

Most Importantly please Object but the advice is to wait until all the professional expert advice has been received.

By doing so you will be able to see the objections already logged and the documents that have already been submitted.

If you are over 18 you can object.

It is not one objection per household – it is one per person therefore everyone who wishes to within a household may object.

Questions and Comments answered during the session:

Has there been any intelligence regarding access via the A10?According to minutes of a meeting on public record between Gladman and NHDC the current access from the A10 is not considered wide enough. Was this decision based on the current access or a new junction?

We would be speculating either way, but we would expect that to have been part of the discussion.

Remember that this is the ‘outline planning application’ that will be sold to someone else. This could mean that the plan could change again and the issues around access are key and critical and we would not recommend residents propose and alternative as this will have implications for others and impacts to the highway network.

Is the quantity of 40% affordable housing set in stone, could this be reduced by the developer? Can NHDC enforce it?

This could be reduced by the developer or mitigated by a facility or amenity. For example when Twigden was built this was mitigated by the facility of a Leisure Centre rather than building affordable housing. It is for NHDC to liaise with Gladman on.

The HCC Traffic & Highways objection comes out strongly against the development, will this be enough?

Gladman will now be looking to mitigate against this objection now. We have some great photos of a fire engine struggling on the bend of Echo Hill. If you are a resident on Briary Lane, Sun Hill or Echo Hill please continue to gather this type of evidence where vehicles struggle to access these roads or operate within them.

Do we know if the property ’24 Echo Hill’ has been purchased?

On the Land Registry Gladman is registered and named with an option to buy.

Is the Construction Traffic going to use Echo Hill to access the site?

Unclear but we believe the construction traffic will be accessing Echo Hill and the public rights of way officer of HCC state that construction traffic is not allowed to use the Bridleway.

Are there any proposed parking restrictions? Ie Yellow Lines? Residents do not have anywhere else to park so it would be difficult to put this in – but not impossible.

The Traffic Assessment by Gladman will contain details on the any restrictions proposed.

Has the density of the housing in the proposed space been considered against the density of the properties already in Echo Hill?

We do not know, but our landscape consultant and / or planner may look into this information further.

One of the mitigations for the SSSI is the creation of 3 acres of play area, who will look after it going forward? Who will take responsibility if the management company employed by the developer goes bust? Similarly there could be a possible issue with the upkeep of the attenuation basins?

The mitigation for the SSSI will be discussed with Natural England and NHDC. The proposed management of these areas will be conditions which will be provided by NHDC at planning. It is not clear whether a private management company of local authority will take ownership of these areas and is a grey area.

The future management of the proposed SuDS features will be agreed with the Lead Local Authority, which is Hertfordshire County Council and any concerns regarding this we recommend consultation with HCC. HCC have already approved the flood risk assessment for the site and not raised as an objection.

What is the intention for the trees on Sun Hill?

It is our understanding it is proposed to trim the root ball of the mature trees to allow the widening of the footpaths. We believe this could cause severe harm to these trees if not death and therefore have engaged an arboculturlist to inform our objections on the matter.