Shocked residents fear a new ruling to approve four new houses will lead to more homes in Wokingham borough being built despite objections.
Wokingham Borough Council refused planning permission for the four homes on a green field in Sawpit Road, near Hurst Village Hall.
But a planning inspector has just over-ruled the refusal – and given the homes permission. This was despite the site being outside the village’s development area.
It was also despite the inspector’s concern that the building scheme would harm the character and appearance of the area. The field is in the Old School House Area of Special Character.
Hurst Parish Council chairman Wayne Smith said many disappointed and upset residents had contacted him. He fully understood their disappointment. “It’s a real shame the inspector decided to ignore the very valid letters/reports made,” he said.
“Residents have spoken to me about the implications of this decision.” They felt it could lead to objectors losing when there were appeals for permission for developments in Hurst and across the borough.
Councillor Smith was arranging an urgent meeting of Hurst’s Lodge Road Planning Team to reflect on the inspector’s decision and prepare for any potential appeal against the refusal of permission for homes at Lodge Road, Hurst.
The Sawpit Road scheme inspector Stephen Normington made a ruling that made it more likely the four houses at Sawpit Road would get the green light.
He said the council had failed to show they’d identified enough land in the borough for new homes for a five year period.
This meant planning permission had to be given unless the bad effects of the new homes “significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.” He said the adverse effects did not outweigh the benefits.
Cllr Lindsay Ferris, Wokingham Borough Council’s executive member for planning and local plan, said: “We accept that we can’t currently demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, but this isn’t because we’ve failed to plan for housing – quite the opposite, in fact.
“The level of housing being built in Wokingham borough to date is more rapid than we expected. Unfortunately, however, national planning rules don’t allow us to take this into account in our future housing supply calculations, which we’re lobbying the Government very hard to change.
“Without a five-year housing land supply, national planning policy states that planning applications should be permitted unless the adverse effects of development would ‘significantly and demonstrably’ outweigh the benefits. We have to bear this in mind when deciding planning applications or defending appeals against previous refusals, but it doesn’t mean that we have no ability to resist inappropriate development.
“While the development at Hurst was indeed allowed by an Inspector, a decision we find extremely disappointing, it’s important to note that we’ve successfully defended other proposals with inspectors dismissing proposals for other sites within the borough.”
Wokingham Today contacted promoters of the Sawpit Road scheme JPP Land Ltd, but the person answering their phone would not comment on the inspector’s decision or give their name.
Their website said: “JPP are delighted to have been granted planning consent on appeal for four units in Hurst Berkshire. Following a refusal from Wokingham Borough Council for our detailed application of four units in Hurst, we are delighted to confirm that our appeal has been allowed and planning permission has been granted, confirming that Wokingham can’t show a five-year land supply.”
