4/9/2003

Local News

O'Leary's decision deferred

The application submitted by Cliveden Properties Ltd was for the demolition of the exisiting building and the erection of nine residential apartments with parking facilities.
The building has stood vacant for a number of years and has recently been a prime target for graffiti with a spate of racial graffiti defacing the building in July this year.
The proposal was for an L-shaped building facing High Road. The ground floor comprised two two-bedroom flats as well as the hall and sitting room of one of the first floor units and the first floor and second floor each comprised four two-bedroom units.
Nine parking spaces are proposed at the rear including two within garages in the internal courtyard of the building.
The officers’ recommendation to the council was to grant planning permission subject to agreement that Cliveden Properties Ltd will provide £1,000 per unit — a total of  £9,000 — towards the upkeep of leisure facilities within the ward to offset the additional use of such facilities by the occupiers of the development.
The site lies within the Byfleet Village Conservation Area so the committee was also asked to consider whether Conservation Area Consent would be given to enable the existing building to be demolished.
Planning officer Dan Freeland said: “Within the Byfleet Village Conservation Area this building takes its architectural cue from other buildings in the area, the design approach will enhance the appearance of the conservation area.”
However, Cllr Beryl Marlow (Con, Byfleet) asked for the planning application to be deferred, which means the Conservation Area Consent must also be deferred.
Cllr Marlow said: “I think this is an over-development of the site and there is insufficient parking provision.
“The committee is now asked to approve nine flats in the village with no provision for visitors’ parking made worse by the fact that two parking spaces are garages, which as we know tend to get used for storage.
“It’s nice to say the recreation ground is near, but people are lazy and this doesn’t compensate for the lack of amenity space. This is not a town centre site, the railway station is 30 minutes away and there are no buses after 6pm.
“There is sheltered housing nearby and parking on the streets is already a problem with all the roads being narrow.”
Cllr Peter Ankers (Con, Pyrford) called for a motion to be passed for the application to be deferred because of over-development and insufficient parking.
Planning Officer Adrian Bishop told councillors advice from Surrey County Council highways was that parking was not considered sufficent grounds for refusal, but the application could be deferred and looked at again.
 The committee agreed to defer on grounds on insufficient parking and the application will be reconsidered

First printed in: Byfleet News and Mail