Plans for 5 new ‘high quality’ houses in St Helens are facing objections, but a county councillor says the bid is ‘generally supported locally’.
Applicants Stratton and Raben applied for planning permission to build 5 homes, classed as ‘market housing’, along with an access road, garages, parking and landscaping on land next to Station House on St Helens’s Station Road.
Agent, the Andrew White Planning Consultancy, said the development would make a ‘significant contribution to addressing the housing supply shortage’. It would comprise 2x 2-bedroom semi-detached houses, 2x 4-bedroom houses and another with 3 bedrooms.
Plan revisions relating to trees and sewage have been submitted since the application was first brought before council officers at the end of May.
A total of 5 members of the public have come forward to oppose the proposal. They cited concerns including the development’s ‘overbearing height’ and ‘incompatibility with local character’, wildlife, environmental and ecology impacts, ‘overlooking and privacy loss’ and an alleged clearing of a ‘large area of the site’ prior to the application in May 2023, involving the ‘felling of mature woodland’.
Disquiet was also expressed over the development’s ‘encroachment’ beyond the St Helens settlement boundary, ‘potential land contamination’ and ‘public safety’ regarding an area said to have been previously filled with waste and asbestos, a reported inaccuracy relating to a fence line and an underground gas main.
Councillor Jonathan Bacon, the Alliance Our Island county councillor for Brading and St Helens, has said:
“I wish to support the concerns raised by nearby residents in respect of the height of elements of the proposed development. As stated in submitted comments this is a serious concern due to it being out of character in the area and the risk of overbearing others.
Article continues below this advertisement “I would ask that these comments are taken on board and amendments to the submitted application be pursued.
“More widely, as ward councillor, I can state that the application is generally supported locally or does not raise undue concern.
“However, very importantly, as put forward in a number of comments, it gives rise to the ability to improve access in the area in relation to Rights of Way etc that would benefit both the proposed new properties and the wider community.”
He went on to ask that the application’s consideration and potential conditions attached have ‘close regard’ to the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) and proposals for ‘improving and linking up walking and cycling routes in the immediate area’.
The council’s public consultation on application 25/00779/FUL finishes on 3rd September and a decision has been scheduled for 7th October.
‘significant contribution to addressing the housing supply shortage
there is no housing shortage – there is an overpopulation problem
And what is ONE of the results from an overpopulation problem? Correct….a shortage of housing.
no – a population control issue is the cause and refusing to build more houses, addresses the issue from one angle – the next is to refuse to allow benefit spongers to move to the island at taxpayer expense – simple
The population of the country as a whole has increased so it would be odd if this was not reflected in the demographic of the Island. Obviously, more people require more homes and more infrastructure such as schools, doctors surgeries, Blue Light provision etc. The population of the Island has only increased by about 3,000 in te last 15 years so the change is modest
There is overpopulation in the whole of Britain, the island
is underpopulated for the size of the island.
How many will be”affordable homes”