Go-ahead Outcry over steep streets at new housing estate
CONTROVERSIAL plans to build up to 250 homes on the outskirts of Cheltenham are a step closer despite concerns the streets leading to wheelchair-accessible bungalows will be too steep.
A request to change the planning conditions for Vistry Homes’ plans to develop the land at Oakley Farm was granted by Cheltenham Borough Council last week.
A planning inspector granted outline permission to demolish the buildings and develop the site off Harp Hill in 2022. The borough council had previously argued that the development would be detrimental to tourism as it would impact the Cotswolds area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) and harm the town’s setting.
But in his decision, inspector Matthew Nunn said there was no substantive evidence to support that view. The latest proposals by Vistry Homes Limited and Stonewater Limited were put before the planning committee on March 21 to vary a condition over the gradient of planned roads on the site.
Claire Thompson, a resident who spoke on behalf of objectors, called on the committee to reject the scheme. She said the gradients were important as they will have an impact on the lives of people who move into the homes.
“They relate not only to visitors but all users including pedestrians, families with small children, the elderly, people with mobility issues and cyclists,” she said.
“Overly steep gradients as proposed, especially when they apply to 56 per cent of the main access road, would have the potential to make life difficult for many.”
And concerns over the proposals were echoed by Battledown councillors Ed Chidley (LD) and Matt Babbage (C).
Cllr Chidley said the decision to grant permission was made by a planning inspector and the gradient conditions were key.
“Any gradient from 1/20 to 1/12 is only permissible provided they are not longer than 30 metres,” he said. “The reason for this is to ensure residents of all ages can get across the development safely and with ease. I don’t think this is a lot.
“Immediately I thought of wheelchair users and what it would mean for them using these roads.”
He said under the current plans 20 per cent of the site would have a 1/12 gradient. “Ironically 40 metres of the road leading to the development’s bungalows, which have been allocated as accessible homes, exceeds 1/12 - a gradient so steep you wouldn’t even be able to get an access ramp due to safety concerns.”
And Cllr Babbage said the “simple fact” was the inspector imposed the conditions on gradients to make it more accessible and safe than it would otherwise be.
He called on the committee to reject the change of condition. During the debate, Cllr Bernie Fisher (LD, Swindon Village) said the committee should not accept the amended condition.
“I’m not here to tell a planning inspector that they’ve got it wrong,” he said. Cllr Garth Barnes (LD, College) said it was not an easy decision to make but all officers said to go against the changes would be “indefensible”.
He said to go against their recommendation was an “exercise for disaster” and implored members to think hard about the advice given by the officers. The committee voted to approve the variation in line with officers’ recommendation.
Maximum and minimum gradients allowable will be between 1/20 and 1/100 respectively, save that gradients between 1/20 and 1/12 are permissible, provided that where they are proposed gradients of 1/12 shall be limited to maximum lengths of 30 metres.
The new condition also states that where gradients between 1/20 and 1/12 are proposed and exceed 30 metres, the reserved matters submissions relating to access shall include evidence that it is needed to retain important existing landscape features and protect both the environment and amenities of neighbouring land users.