Housing plan for Moorway Lane
The outline application for housing off Moorway Lane was considered by Derby's Planning Committee on Thursday 1st October. 350 homes, extending the open space and shops are proposed with two access points off Moorway Lane.
As well as loss of 'green wedge' one of the biggest issues is traffic.
Cllr Lucy Care is the one Lib Dem on the Planning Committee. After the meeting she said:
"Before the Planning Meeting there was, as usual, a training session. This time it updated councillors on (probably) the first housing development that had gone to appeal under the new NPPF rules which were introduced in August. These are the rules set by the Government on what applications should be allowed - the National Planning Policy Framework. This is VERY pro-development. All planning applications have to be judged against these, and these rules carry more weight than our local rules.
"Also the planning committee would only be able to be 'minded' to refuse the application as ONLY the Secretary of State can turn down applications with over 150 homes.
"On top of this the new Local Plan, which will probably be formally approved next year, includes this land as being suitable for housing.
"With all this pressure to say 'yes' to housing here, it felt inevitable that housing would be approved, if not now, then within a few months.
"When reading the planning officer's report, the Conditions being suggested by the officers did not seem strong enough. I think we should be expecting more, but this would be unlikely to happen if the decision were made by the Secretary of State (or even a Planning Inspector). "I believed if we don't get stronger Conditions to influence the layout and timing, the wildlife protections and more, now, it will be too late.
"This did not, however, mean that I felt able to support the application. In my view the current planning system is wrong. It takes power away from local communities. Although I didn't vote against, I chose to abstain on this vote."
If we can’t stop the development from proceeding we must make sure sufficient conditions are imposed on the development to make it acceptable. Sign up below if you want to be kept informed as how this progresses.
Liberal Democrats are really frustrated at how Government rules and actions are making it harder and harder for local communities to have a voice. Decisions are either being taken away from local areas, or rules from Westminster are being written so tightly that local choice is meaningless.
One example of this is in Planning.
A decision on the outline planning application for housing on land off Moorway Lane is on the agenda for the Planning meeting this Thursday (1st October). The application is here: https://eplanning.derby.gov.uk/.../applicationDetails.do...
National-led pressure for building houses even on green open space is growing and growing.
1. The Government set an impossible target of homes that Derby must find space for, even though there is already approval for 4000 homes that have not yet been built in the city.
2. Some of these new homes are being allowed to be built outside Derby, but most have to be within the city boundaries.
3. The Council had experts assess the value of our 'green wedges'. They have suggested some could be removed or shrunk without damaging their purpose. Some of these 'less important' areas have already had planning approval for new homes.
4. The Council's new 'Local Plan' (in development) shows some of these 'less important' green wedge areas as suitable for housing - including the area off Moorway Lane.
5. In August the Government suddenly changed national planning rules (the NPPF), making anywhere within a 'settlement' ok for housing. The Council has to follow these rules. Derby's 'settlement' area includes all of Derby.
6. Today, The Guardian has reported a High Court decision that homes can even be built on flood-prone land.
All this adds up to a virtual inevitability of the land off Moorway Lane being allowed for housing. Even if the Council says 'no', at appeal a planning inspector would be very likely to say 'yes'.
So what can be done?
This is an outline planning application. It shows the sort of scheme the developers would like to build, with 350 homes, shops and open space to extend Millennium Wood.
There will be conditions attached to any approval - and the Council's planning officers are suggesting conditions in their report which goes to committee on Thursday (1st October).
The Planning Committee can suggest further conditions, or specify what should be included in the conditions already mentioned.
Is there anything else that you think should be included in the conditions (starting on page 61)?
Would you like to be kept informed on the development and any conditions being discussed or imposed?
Moorway Lane Development
I would like to be kept informed on the Moorway Lane development and any restictions placed.
