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Local Lib Dems oppose "town cramming" - on old Jeep garage site on Parkway and elsewhere
November 1, 2007 5:08 PM
Stephen Robinson explains that the Lib Dems oppose 'town cramming' here and elsewhere in Chelmsford
Chelmsford council policy for new houses is threatening "town cramming" i.e. over-development and the loss of public open space, according to the local Lib Dems. They have warned that the intensive building of flats on brown-field sites in the town could be going too far. One such site is the previous Jeep showroom on the corner of Rainsford Road and Parkway.
Residents of Primrose Hill & Critchett Terrace object to overdevelopment of the Jeep garage site, backed by Cllrs. Deakin (left) and Pooley (centre).
The garage site proposal is for 42 new flats, which represents 220 dwellings per hectare, compared to the Council's clear policy of a maximum of 60! Another recent one is the house on the corner of Rainsford Avenue and Rainsford Road.
Graham Pooley (Lib Dem Councillor for Marconi Ward) took up the issue at the recent council meeting. He asked for confirmation that the number of dwellings on a particular site must clearly and fully respect the situation of nearby residents, and the character of the neighbourhood and street-scene.
Cllr Pooley commented:
"I'm not happy with the reply. I thought that Council policies were clear about the number of dwellings that can be squeezed on to particular sites. However, it seems that developers and the Council can look for exceptions to this. The face of our urban area is going to continue to change, and there are big opportunities to help our communities thrive, but we must avoid town cramming.
"We need to enhance the character of different areas of the town. We must ensure a mix of types of houses, affordable for those with growing children, as well as flats targeted at those on high incomes or at absentee landlords. And new buildings must always protect and pay full attention to the quality of life of our present nearby residents."
Residents of Critchett Terrace and Primrose Hill are strongly opposing the plans for the Jeep garage site, arguing its simply too many and too high. Cllr Pooley agreed, saying,
"For me it's a clear violation of the policies of the Council to respect the situation of residents on the doorstep of this site. This is a lovely, almost entirely two-storey, area of houses of all sorts of styles - the proposal is totally over the top and I continue to believe the committee should refuse it."
Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate Stephen Robinson also spoke to local residents, saying:
"This issue affects the whole town of Chelmsford, not just this site. Conservative council policies are threatening the quality of life for residents everywhere by leading to town cramming. They want to squeeze 8,000 new houses into the town between now and 2015. This all helps Conservative plans to build 'urban sprawl' housing right around the edge of Chelmsford."
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