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Save Coventry Speedway-unprecedented response objecting to Brandon Estates planning application

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Around 1800 respondents made their voices heard, 99.4% objected to the planning application with only SEVEN applications in support!

The campaign group would like to sincerely thank everyone who sent in emails/letters of objection, including representations made by the BSPA, SCB and ACU.

Find out more here:

http://www.savecoventryspeedway.com/news.php?extend.136.1&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

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12 hours ago, mickthemuppet said:

 

The decision will not be made on the number of objections v the number of people in favour.

It will be made on planning grounds.

Rugby council will need robust reasons to refuse permission because you can bet the applicant will appeal. If the council loses the appeal,  it then gets lumbered with costs which can be quite eye-watering.

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Does Rugby Borough Council have a local plan and more importantly are they delivering on it? That is effectively what the planning decision will hinge on.

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5 hours ago, MattK said:

Does Rugby Borough Council have a local plan and more importantly are they delivering on it? That is effectively what the planning decision will hinge on.

It does seem from what others have posted on the Forum that RugbyBC has land allocated, which is being built on. Therefore, they could well be delivering

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15 hours ago, Richard Weston said:

It does seem from what others have posted on the Forum that RugbyBC has land allocated, which is being built on. Therefore, they could well be delivering

My concern is that this in a relatively small development, so they only have to pick some small holes in the local plan in order to support their case. For example, the below link is a document from developers taking part a parish council's local plan in order to get planning permission granted on appeal after it being rejected by the local council:

https://www.swindon.gov.uk/downloads/file/1775/hannick_homes_appendix_1

15th October 2015: Rejected: Hannick Homes' bid to build houses off Marlborough Road and Ainscough's plans for Berkeley Farm

14th July 2017: Government ignores local plan to approve 103 Wroughton homes

 

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1 hour ago, MattK said:

My concern is that this in a relatively small development, so they only have to pick some small holes in the local plan in order to support their case. For example, the below link is a document from developers taking part a parish council's local plan in order to get planning permission granted on appeal after it being rejected by the local council:

https://www.swindon.gov.uk/downloads/file/1775/hannick_homes_appendix_1

15th October 2015: Rejected: Hannick Homes' bid to build houses off Marlborough Road and Ainscough's plans for Berkeley Farm

14th July 2017: Government ignores local plan to approve 103 Wroughton homes

 

Good point.

And, history shows us that developers are prepared to 'bank' land because they believe one day planning permission will come.

No doubt they will also play on the government's call for more homes to be built.

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Great response thought not at all surprising!

 

Trouble is we've been here before at Cradley where despite near total opposition to the redevelopment plans eventually the developers win the fight unfortunately!

 

Not holding much hope but you never know!

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On 16/03/2018 at 10:09 PM, NSSC News said:

Around 1800 respondents made their voices heard, 99.4% objected to the planning application with only SEVEN applications in support!

The campaign group would like to sincerely thank everyone who sent in emails/letters of objection, including representations made by the BSPA, SCB and ACU.

Find out more here:

http://www.savecoventryspeedway.com/news.php?extend.136.1&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

Thats a superb effort from everybody. Sadly, 99 times out of 100 the Develops get there way.I wouild like to think this will not be the case.

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On 17/03/2018 at 11:48 AM, MattK said:

Does Rugby Borough Council have a local plan and more importantly are they delivering on it? That is effectively what the planning decision will hinge on.

Yes and yes

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THE documents for Brandon and Bretford Parish Council’s Neighbourhood Plan application have been submitted.
These are available to download from the Rugby Borough Council website.

https://www.rugby.gov.uk/downloads/file/1738/brandon_and_bretford_neighbourhood_development_plan

We would particularly draw your attention to section 12 (starting on page 54) concerning Potential Development Sites, which makes detailed reference to Brandon Stadium.

Note particularly the following paragraphs:

12.6 In the survey circulated to residents for the development of the Neighbourhood Plan, residents were asked what uses they would like to see included as part of the future redevelopment of the Stadium site. An overwhelming majority of responses wanted to see the site retained for sporting use or for the development of community facilities. There was some support for the development of small business uses, but only a handful of responses supported any form of residential development with those responses favouring either affordable housing or specialist housing for the elderly.

*This survey response is entirely in line with our own survey of local residents carried out in Autumn 2017 and indeed the overwhelming response of 1,800 objections to the planning application as part of the council’s consultation process.

12.7 The site is wholly within the Green Belt and the adopted Development Plan does not contain any policy that is specific to its existing or future use. Similarly the emerging Rugby Local Plan contains no policy that is specific to the site’s existing or future use other than general policies for the redevelopment of PDL within the District.

*This is an issue which we have raised in our representations towards the Local Plan and will do so once more during the public hearings later this month.

12.8 The Government’s planning policies as contained in the NPPF contain policies on the redevelopment of PDL within areas of Green Belt and on the loss of existing open space, sports and recreational facilities and buildings. Paragraph 74 states that: “Existing open space, sports and recreational buildings and land, including playing fields, should not be built on unless:
a. an assessment has been undertaken which has clearly shown the open space, buildings or land to be surplus to requirements; or
b. the loss resulting from the proposed development would be replaced by equivalent or better provision in terms of quantity and quality in a suitable location; or
c. the development is for alternative sports and recreational provision, the needs for which clearly outweigh the loss”.

*The Parish Council are absolutely correct to highlight this section of planning policy, which is also included in our objections to the planning application.

12.10 The site has played an important role as a sports stadium for almost 90 years and is an established and valued facility within the Parish. Alongside the local and wider sporting value it has delivered to generations of people, the stadium has provided local employment and has become a valued landmark in the area. The survey of residents showed that there was overwhelming support for the retention of the site as predominantly a sporting facility whether in total or as part of the site’s redevelopment.

*Again, this is entirely consistent with our own findings having surveyed the local residents.

Policy PDS1 commences:

POLICY PDS 1 BRANDON STADIUM
As a long established and valued sports stadium, preference will be given to the continued use of the site either in whole or in part for sports purposes. Support will be given to proposals which would allow the site to remain in its current use as a sporting facility subject to acceptability with other policies in the Plan and to adopted Development Plan policies.

*Interestingly, there is a brief reference to the Neighbourhood Plan within the Design and Access Statement in the Brandon Estates planning application.

It states:

2.1.34 Brandon and Bretford Parish was designated as a Neighbourhood Plan area on 12th May 2016. The Steering Group are currently in the process of writing the Neighbourhood Plan for the Parish, no draft has been produced, and therefore no weight is currently given to this.

*We have made reference to this brazen statement in our own objections to the Planning Application, the full text of which will be reproduced on our website next week. We have included, amongst others, the following comment:

10.6 Why have Brandon Estates suggested the decision on the planning application should be made giving "no weight" to the wishes of the local community? Is it because the local community are substantially supportive of retaining the Stadium facility?

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Developers have to prove to RBC that there is no longer a clear and identifiable need to stage motorsports events at the site. Their case has been universally rejected from all quarters. The draft local plan details posted above also dismisses the developers planning application and is very likely to be incorporated within the Rugby Borough Council local plan in due course. What the developers now know is that everything they've tried so far to persuade all parties to look favourably on their planning application has failed. If their planning application is thrown out by RBC planning committee at the end of May, then no doubt they will appeal to a government inspector to make a decision. The campaign group is now making plans to counter this scenario.

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Are there people waiting in the wings that will inject the money to restore Brandon Stadium to its former glory should the planning for houses fail ?

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5 hours ago, New Science said:

Are there people waiting in the wings that will inject the money to restore Brandon Stadium to its former glory should the planning for houses fail ?

Yes the group have said that they know someone who is willing to take it on.

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