Kler Group’s application for 450 houses at the Arden Triangle is heading back to planning committee on 21st May. This follows a deferment in April to enable the Council to seek further legal advice on the approach taken and officer’s report recommendations. The officer’s latest report can be seen on the Council’s Planning Portal.
Unfortunately, one of the largest planning applications for years in KDBH remains mired in controversy as important points raised again by the Neighbourhood Forum have either been rejected or disregarded. The legal advice received has not been made available and the recommendation for approval remains in place.
In a move to improve the submitted proposals, the Forum had put eight key questions to the Council, unanswered after previous detailed responses by the Forum. “All but one haven’t been addressed in the officer’s report and recommendation” said Forum Chair Roger Cook. “Not for the first time, the hard work of the Forum has hit a brick wall.” As a statutory consultee for Planning, this is not considered an appropriate way to treat the Forum or the KDBH community which it represents. Our latest representations to the Council are available to view on our website.
The Forum has proposed a better site for the primary school, one that’s big enough and has safe access for the children. Safety on Grove Road is also a major issue. “The report is conspicuously silent on our concerns” added Roger.
There’s no answer to why landscape and design advice commissioned by the Forum has been ignored, along with our call for a proper masterplan for the whole site, previously stated as a requirement by the Council prior to the withdrawal of the Submission version of the Local Plan. Concerns about housing numbers and density have also been rejected. “Neighbourhood Plan policies have been rejected or disregarded and that’s a real worry”, Roger concluded.