Musings from the Merse
Friday, February 09, 2007
PLANNING BORDERS STYLE # 231 (COCK UP OR STITCH UP?)
The mess that is known as The Orchard has just been the subject of a reversed planning decision to the amazement and fury of local residents. The density of houses in this disaster area has increased steadily year by year with all objections by the local community and the Community Council brushed aside. Then one small victory last year. The then latest rash of two new houses were so close to and overlooking their neighbours that the planning officials accepted that there was to be a serious reach of privacy involved and ruled that the first floor dormer and gable windowbe fitted with obscured glass. The Developers Forth Homes (Not be confused with Fourth Homes-'the builder for the seriously loaded')appealed. (And indeed after in building the houses in question they had gone ahead ignoring, in most cases, the requirement for opaque or whatever glass) And despite the objections of the overlooked neighbours and the whole village as supported by the Community Council-the same planning officials who had imposed the original condition recommended that in the case of every window except one that normal clear glass be allowed. U-Turn on stilts.
In defence of this policy reversal -according to an article in yesterday's Berwickshire the official referred to 'New Planning Guidance' the privacy inclusion zone is now cut to 18 metres and thus it is no longer 'an issue of overlooking neighbouring properties' Well done the Developers who have obviously persuaded the Council that the more properties at £200,000 plus they can cram intospacess like the Orchard the nearer the Council will be to fulfilling the targets of the Structure Plan of loading as many bricks and mortar into Berwickshire as possible. And after all 18 metres is a hell of a distance-nearly as long as a cricket pitch for good ness sake so if the new houses are for ancient and retired cricket umpires (cue Darren Hair) they won't be able to see a thing and your private by invitation only orgy will not be overlooked intrusively.
Our Councillor Big Jim Conundrum (not his real name for literary reason) made a special visit to the Orchard just before the meeting and seemed to take a sympathetic interest in the privacy issue about which, as he well knew, there was a lot of local concern and indignation. He had been at the last Community Council meeting at which it had been discussed. He then attended the meeting and did Sweet Fanny Adams about it. Mind you there is some evidence from the planning applications file that he was confused as to what property the planning applicationn referred to- No Big Jim it was not Ivy Cottage but 15 and 16 the Orchard.
There is some confusion (what else) if Big Jim is standing again at the May elections for the SBC. If so I can provide him with along list of people who will not be voting for him. Verb Sap Put us all out of our misery-take your gratuity and run. Your farm in Coldingham needs you. But then of course do the developers
We don't
The mess that is known as The Orchard has just been the subject of a reversed planning decision to the amazement and fury of local residents. The density of houses in this disaster area has increased steadily year by year with all objections by the local community and the Community Council brushed aside. Then one small victory last year. The then latest rash of two new houses were so close to and overlooking their neighbours that the planning officials accepted that there was to be a serious reach of privacy involved and ruled that the first floor dormer and gable windowbe fitted with obscured glass. The Developers Forth Homes (Not be confused with Fourth Homes-'the builder for the seriously loaded')appealed. (And indeed after in building the houses in question they had gone ahead ignoring, in most cases, the requirement for opaque or whatever glass) And despite the objections of the overlooked neighbours and the whole village as supported by the Community Council-the same planning officials who had imposed the original condition recommended that in the case of every window except one that normal clear glass be allowed. U-Turn on stilts.
In defence of this policy reversal -according to an article in yesterday's Berwickshire the official referred to 'New Planning Guidance' the privacy inclusion zone is now cut to 18 metres and thus it is no longer 'an issue of overlooking neighbouring properties' Well done the Developers who have obviously persuaded the Council that the more properties at £200,000 plus they can cram intospacess like the Orchard the nearer the Council will be to fulfilling the targets of the Structure Plan of loading as many bricks and mortar into Berwickshire as possible. And after all 18 metres is a hell of a distance-nearly as long as a cricket pitch for good ness sake so if the new houses are for ancient and retired cricket umpires (cue Darren Hair) they won't be able to see a thing and your private by invitation only orgy will not be overlooked intrusively.
Our Councillor Big Jim Conundrum (not his real name for literary reason) made a special visit to the Orchard just before the meeting and seemed to take a sympathetic interest in the privacy issue about which, as he well knew, there was a lot of local concern and indignation. He had been at the last Community Council meeting at which it had been discussed. He then attended the meeting and did Sweet Fanny Adams about it. Mind you there is some evidence from the planning applications file that he was confused as to what property the planning applicationn referred to- No Big Jim it was not Ivy Cottage but 15 and 16 the Orchard.
There is some confusion (what else) if Big Jim is standing again at the May elections for the SBC. If so I can provide him with along list of people who will not be voting for him. Verb Sap Put us all out of our misery-take your gratuity and run. Your farm in Coldingham needs you. But then of course do the developers
We don't
Comments:
A bloggee has e-mailed as follows :
"Good Morning, Sir. I was recently reading your blog, and I
thought...are the blind leading the blind, or are we seeing through a
glass darkly?"
Well thanks to the SBC decision on 15 and 16 The Orchard the dark glass has been removed. But can we see any clearer? Its a real conundrum
"Good Morning, Sir. I was recently reading your blog, and I
thought...are the blind leading the blind, or are we seeing through a
glass darkly?"
Well thanks to the SBC decision on 15 and 16 The Orchard the dark glass has been removed. But can we see any clearer? Its a real conundrum
The problem may be having to choose between the sitting member and the SNP candidate. Either would be most unsuitable
# posted by 
: 8:14 AM
: 8:14 AM
another comment by e-mail:
Good Morning, Sir. I was recently reading your blog, and I
thought...Mr. Conundrum's Vision Thing is indeed a worry. He looks
across the Lammermuirs and sees "an industrial landscape" of
windfarms. No approval there,an enquiry must be held. However he is so shortsighted that he cannot see the despair of his constituents as he approves more and more intrusive development. Not within his sight
lines however"
THANKYOU. I hope Big Jim will pay heed. A windfarm on his land perhaps?-and he can fit opaque glass so as it will not offend his sight.
Post a Comment
Good Morning, Sir. I was recently reading your blog, and I
thought...Mr. Conundrum's Vision Thing is indeed a worry. He looks
across the Lammermuirs and sees "an industrial landscape" of
windfarms. No approval there,an enquiry must be held. However he is so shortsighted that he cannot see the despair of his constituents as he approves more and more intrusive development. Not within his sight
lines however"
THANKYOU. I hope Big Jim will pay heed. A windfarm on his land perhaps?-and he can fit opaque glass so as it will not offend his sight.
