Will new homes be approved?
COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS RETROSPECTIVE APPROVAL
PLANNING committee members will decide whether to give official permission for homes that have already been BUILT in Nuneaton.
At the start of November, it was revealed that some of the homes on the Davidsons ‘Church Fields’ development in Weddington have been built without being given the green light by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council.
In fact, people are already living in the buildings, which form part of the second phase of the development following a mix-up over timescales between the national housebuilder and the Town Hall.
But now members of the borough council’s planning committee will meet on January 9 to decide whether to give the homes retrospective planning permission.
Council officers are recommending that the councillors who
sit on the planning committee grant the permission. In the report to the committee, it explains that there was two letters of objection submitted, raising concerns about the loss of countryside, ‘horrendous’ traffic, pollution and concerns about a loss of privacy.
Several organisations were asked their opinion, as consultees, and while no objections were raised the George Eliot Hospital requested funding, via the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), which developers pay as developments, to help ease the current financial stress caused by the ‘Eliot’s need to use agency staff on it’s A&E department.
“This is as the request is based on an existing funding shortfall, the section106 and CIL regulations are clear that contributions should not be used to address an existing issue,” the report states.
“Although there is no argument against the additional pressures on the hospital from additional housing it is not clear why the request is only directed towards A & E when there is a large list of service provided by the hospital.
“The request also states the funding is wanted up front to deal with the current issues in emergency care, this is not future revenue and therefore not CIL Compliant.”
With this in mind, and the fact no other major issues were raised, council officers believe that retrospective planning permission should be granted,
But members will make the final decision during the meeting, which will be held at the Town Hall in Nuneaton, from 5pm.
People are already living in the buildings following a mix up over timescales between the housebuilder and Town Hall.