Agenda item

To determine the application.

David Rowen presented the report and drew members attention to the update report that had been circulated.

Members received a presentation, from Councillor Ruth Hufton, of Doddington Parish Council but also as a local private resident. Councillor Hufton expressed the view that there a number of reasons why this development should be refused, Doddington is designated as a growth village in the current Local Plan and the task was to build an 127 additional homes to reach the 15% target and the village has already achieved 196. She made the point there should be three affordable homes built within this development and lack of viability once again means that these will not be built so questioned whether this is a cop out for developers.

Councillor Hufton expressed the opinion that dirt and noise while the buildings take place will be an issue, access through to the site through Wood Street is narrow and does not allow two vehicles to pass without difficulty, especially when HGVs are involved. She stated that the access onto High Street opens into a Puffin crossing where children cross to and from the village school and there a constant parking problems in both Wood Street and High Street.

Councillor Hufton stated that both the developer and the health impact assessment speak of this development as being perfect for the elderly and downsizing residents, but she feels that the only way that future residents can access the village centre with it shops, pubs, churches, hospital, surgery, bus stops, etc will be by having to walk some 1500 metres through Juniper Close along the length of Wood Street and into High Street, there is no other access. She expressed the view that the demographic of Doddington already shows an imbalance of elderly people and what the village really needs is affordable homes to attract and retain young people into the village and to ensure its future.

Councillor Hufton referred to biodiversity and, in her view, the site is already teeming with wildlife, from Muntjac, Roe Deer, badgers, foxes, hedgehogs, tawny and barn owls, jays, woodpeckers, buzzards, red kite not to mention the more common birds, frogs and toads and a myriad of butterflies, moths and dragonflies and if people do not believe her to come and sit in her garden. She expressed the opinion that there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the site of the proposed developer contributions will mitigate against the loss of these, with the intention being to build a wildlife pond questioning who will maintain this when it becomes choked with duckweed and green algae and is a nursery for larvae that will become mosquitos.

Councillor Hufton referred to Anglian Water being concerned that the used water network has not been addressed properly and could pose a risk of flooding and pollution, with the site together with homes at The Larches, Wood Street and in her garden have experienced serious flooding for two years now, something not seen for the 40 years she has lived there. She referred to climate change, with experts saying that these weather events will become the norm in the future.

Councillor Hufton stated that the Grade II Listed Windmill is the only remaining artifact left from that period of the village’s history, with the so-called buffer against the windmill by the new plan includes an attenuation pond and the works needed to dig out this pond together with the footings of the new houses will undermine the foundations of the windmill tower. She feels that approval of this application will sever the last link between the Conservation Area and the windmill and their original setting looking out into open countryside.

Councillor Hufton stated that under the terms of her late partner’s will the windmill together with other buildings and the land that they stand on will be part of his legacy to form a trust for Doddington village and asked members to take this into account when considering the potential use of this site and its possible value to residents as a green space. She expressed the opinion that no attempt has been made to compensate Doddington through Section 106 contributions, she understands that Lattersey Nature Reserve in Whittlesey will benefit from around £21,000 to help its biodiversity but Doddington takes the pain and this reserve gets the gain, the doctor’s surgery already services around 13,000 people, with Doddington residents already having to travel to Ramsey, Manea or Wimblington to obtain an appointment, the Primary School purports to have capacity at present but no account has been taken of the additional number of children who will need places when the development at Bevills Close for 48 homes is built, Doddington still has problems with disposal of sewage and although there have been remedial works taking place at Coneywood these barely cover the current problems and public transport is almost non-existent so, in her view, much more thought needs to be given before the village is asked to take additional housing under the current Local Plan.

Councillor Hufton expressed the opinion that, added to Juniper Close, if this is built this development would amount to a total of 42 houses, the knowledge of which should have been available when the first phase was before the committee.

Members asked questions of Councillor Hufton as follows:

·         Councillor Mrs French referred to the Listed Windmill and asked what the plans are going to be as it was said it was going to be a legacy and from visiting the site it looks like it does need some attention. Councillor Hufton responded that it is weatherproof but she does not have any plans to spend any more money on it as it would be too expensive.

·         Councillor Imafidon asked when the previous units were constructed did they have any impact on the windmill? Councillor Hufton responded that she is convinced that when the houses were built that there was some form of pile driving, which was denied, but all of the glass in the windows of the Windmill fell out. She stated that officers from Larkfleet came and had a look at it and said that they had not pile driven and the noises that were heard when it actually being built was nothing to do with them.

·         Councillor Marks referred to drainage being a concern and for the past 2 years it has been said that flooding has been experienced and asked what she puts this down to? Councillor Hufton responded that it is due to a site being developed which was always known as being wet before being developed and there is not enough run off from the concrete on the site for it to run off anywhere other than back into the land in The Larches, Wood Street and her garden.

·         Councillor Connor stated that he remembers Councillor Mrs Davis coming once to Councillor Hufton’s property to see the water ingress on her property. Councillor Hufton responded that it was to such an extent that she has a digester for her sewage and she had to empty it three times that year to get rid of the water whereas normally it would only be emptied once. Councillor Connor expressed the view that Councillor Mrs Davis came to Councillor Hufton’s property when they were supposedly not piling but, in his view, they were and saw the glass all out of the windows and asked if Councillor Hufton was inferring that the building of those bungalows down Juniper Close had an adverse effect on the windmill? Councillor Hufton responded that she firmly believes this and she still has the glass in her shed. Councillor Connor expressed the view that if these houses are approved and they have to pile them as it has been suggested the ground is wet and boggy it would have a real adverse effect this time as the development is a lot closer to the windmill and it could result in the loss of a Grade II Listed Building.

·         Councillor Sennitt Clough asked what the current use of the land is and whether it is a case of not wanting development on it but someone else is going to come along and does Doddington Parish Council have any plans or know of any plans for the use of the land in the future? Councillor Hufton responded that there are no particular plans for anything to be undertaken at the moment, it is a great place for growing brambles, grass and nettles but the thing she is particularly interested in is the fact that the windmill will be left to the village when anything happens to her through her partner’s will and she feels that there could be something useful made from the land that the windmill stands on attached to the green space that is currently being looked at to build upon to make a really interesting site for the middle of Doddington, such as a wildlife park for school children to use.

Members made comments, asked questions and received responses as follows:

·         Councillor Marks stated that he has been to the site twice and he has concerns about flooding, damage to a Listed Windmill heritage asset, the 1500 metre walkway to get into the village itself and overcrowding of the site. He feels if the developer came back with fewer houses away from the windmill he may change his mind but at the present time he thinks officers have got the recommendation correct.

·         Councillor Mrs French agreed with the comments of Councillor Marks but stated that the land needs development but not to this extent and if it is not developed it is going to be left as another untidy piece of land. She expressed her concern about the flooding and feels the applicant should reconsider and develop the site with a lesser amount of dwellings.

·         Councillor Imafidon stated that he feels the officer’s recommendation is correct as there is a heritage and flooding issue with the land. He stated that when he visited the site he noticed the developer has only put a binder course on the previous development, which was built probably 4 years ago, and if they have not finished that to an acceptable standard now, what is the guarantee that when this piece of land is developed that it will be brought up to an adoptable standard and it could be another issue. Councillor Connor made the point that this is a different development and no weight can be given to this.

Proposed by Councillor Imafidon, seconded by Councillor Marks and agreed that the application be REFUSED as per the officer’s recommendation.

(Councillor Connor declared that he represents Doddington at District and County level)