Residents fume over mound left as ‘wildlife buffer’
RESIDENTS claim cheeky developers have applied for planning permission to classify an 8ft pile of soil left next to their homes as a permanent ‘wildlife buffer’ – so they don’t have to move it.
The mound of topsoil was left by contractors next to new-build Park Place in Corsham, Wiltshire.
Locals say the ‘mountain’ has caused flooding in their gardens and spoiled their open views and privacy – by people walking along it and peering into their gardens.
They protested about the mound to the developer Redcliffe Homes.
Wiltshire Council’s planning enforcement team then declared the mound unlawful, with Redcliffe Homes saying it was caused by an issue with the contractor.
But now locals say a planning bid has been submitted by Redcliffe Homes to keep the mountain to “create an amenity and wildlife buffer”.
Corsham’s Park Place Residents’ Association chairman Kevin Taylor said that the retrospective plan was an “attempt to lower the level by as little as possible and minimise the cost to the developer”.
“We don’t think they’re [Redcliffe] removing more than 25 per cent of the soil they brought onto the site,” he said.
“It will still be a large mound. I would say both the developer and the mound need to be brought back down to earth.’’
Mr Taylor’s concerns were shared by many residents commenting on the bid, who said the proposals will not properly address the overlooking issues, or the risk of flooding.
Commenting on the plans, Mark Billingham said: “Redcliffe Homes have attempted to avoid removing a huge amount of construction waste from the site by dumping it on the application site illegally.
“They further sought to disguise this by importing top soil to cover the waste.”
Marie Jones, whose house directly borders the mound, said: “This application is a clear attempt to mitigate the cost of proper legal disposal of spoil from the site.
“The developer has clearly gambled on doing the least they can get away with at the cheapest cost, to regularise the illegal development.”
Christopher Howlett said: “We live adjacent to this mound of earth and have have already experienced flooding in our garden and round the edge of our garage.
“The proposal also allows for unacceptable levels of overlooking. Our end plot means that people walking over the earthworks look down into our garden and across into our house which means we don’t feel we have any privacy.”
Gary Cannon said: “The raised ground level provides a view into neighbouring residents’ first floor rooms (i.e. bedrooms) which is affecting their privacy.
“I support the idea of a wildlife buffer but this could’ve been achieved with the original level.
“It seems that Redcliffe have tried to save costs by dumping their material at this site rather than dealing with it in the correct manner.”
Mr Taylor said some of the proposed mitigation works such as planting trees was work already due to happen under the original plans.
There is also the concern that because power lines go across that portion of the site that the expense of maintaining the trees, and
Both the developer and the mound need to be brought back down to earth KEVIN TAYLOR
ensuring they don’t interfere with the power lines will come out of the residents’ pocket – rather than the developers.
A spokesman for Redcliffe Homes said: “We are trying to resolve this matter as quickly and amicably as possible for local residents.
“The mound was put in place by a contractor and we are in a legal dispute with them, which we hope can be resolved quickly. A planning application has been submitted to remove the excess soil from this development.”