Developers lodge appeal against enforcement notice

Hearing set for next year

RESIDENTS of Upper Eddington in Hungerford have a new battle ahead of them after developers appealed a planning refusal.

An enforcement order was demanded by West Berkshire Council’s western area planning committee on September 2 in respect of the two-home build.

Permission was originally granted to Waddington Forbes Homes Ltd of Cookham, despite objections, in 2012.

But when the developer sought to change a range of conditions imposed by planners, it did not wait for permission but ploughed ahead.

That led to claims that the development was larger than agreed.

At the council’s western area planning committee meeting, which ordered the stop notice against the council’s own planning officers’ advice, Hilary Cole (Con, Chieveley), said she was “absolutely staggered by how dominant these buildings are”.

Anthony Pick (Con, St John’s) agreed, saying: “I was astounded by the degree of dominance of these two buildings.”

And Clive Hooker (Con, Downlands) said: “I have never seen a construction that has been more offensive or overbearing.”

Affected residents live in Upper Eddington, Waram Close, Linden Lea and Hamblin Meadow.

Many fear that, because the developer has been allowed to virtually complete the homes during the weeks it took to produce the stop notice, a planning inspector may be reluctant to reject the appeal and to order compliance with the original conditions.

The developer had until December 2 to lodge the appeal and has now done so within the time limit.

In the appeal statement, it points out that a planning officer’s report to the western area planning committee had recommended granting permission.

The statement adds: “The officer’s report... stated: ‘The outline application stated that the maximum heights of the proposed dwellings would be 8m… the dwellings proposed accord with this requirement… whilst the proposed ridge height of the dwellings would project above the existing built form to the south and west the harm to the public realm is considered to be limited and, on balance, acceptable.’”

The appeal is likely to be held following a site visit early next year.