West Wickham Residents' Association

Planning

Without a doubt the cost of living is rising sharply and mortgages are becoming harder to obtain but we are still seeing a steady flow of planning applications for major improvements to domestic properties in West Wickham.

Matters from our last Newsletter The appeal against the refusal by the Council to allow the building of seven new houses on land between Courtfield Rise and Addington Road is to be considered by a planning inspector in August. We are supporting the Council's refusal and will be surprised if the inspector decides to permit development on this flood plain land.

The Council is still insisting that a planning application is not required for a change of use at 17 High Street (The Tea Rooms). We continue to be amazed and mystified and are monitoring this situation closely to see if the Council extend this policy to other shops in our High Street in the future.


Other planning issues ….. An application has been lodged with the Council to convert the large house at 30 Beckenham Road into a day care nursery. Whilst we acknowledge that there is a growing need for such facilities in West Wickham we have questioned whether this location is appropriate. Our main concerns lie with the dangers that could occur from casual parking on this busy commuter route and on cycle lanes at peak times.

Much to the chagrin of neighbours the Council have granted consent to the building of a rear extension to 98 Copse Avenue under new standards introduced by central government, despite the proposal having been previously refused consent on appeal. The WWRA and our West Wickham Councillors were strongly against the granting of a licence but the legal advice - suggesting that the Council had to do so on legal grounds - unfortunately carried the day. We and the neighbours are most unhappy with this decision as the proposal clearly impacts on the neighbours' right of light and privacy.

A notice has been put up at the bottom end of the High Street opposite Manor Road advising that Orange Telecommunications plan to erect a telecommunication mast in the public footpath/verge. Your Association consider that this is in the wrong place and will object as and when a planning application is lodged.

Another “old chestnut” that keeps coming round is the request to the Council’s Licensing committee to allow further extensions to opening hours for the sale of liquor at La Rioja - previously The White Hart public house. There are residential properties all around this building and the potential for extended disturbance from loud music and the banging of car doors late at night will be considerable, particularly in the summer when the doors and windows to the restaurant will be open. The WWRA have made their concerns known to our local Councillor, who have registered their opposition, so that the matter can be fully aired in committee.


….. and to finish on a happy note....... Following a complaint by one of our residents the WWRA wrote to the Broomleigh Housing Association regarding a small piece of land around a block of 5 precast concrete garages in Manor Park Road that we understand is in the housing association’s ownership. The land had become very derelict, overgrown and the fencing had fallen into disrepair. The land has now been tidied up and the fence repaired – who says people power does not work?

An Apology The WWRA have an apology to make with regard to our last Newsletter. We suggested in error that improper commercial activities were possibly being pursued at 104 Goodhart Way. We are happy to make clear that there is no question of such activities ever having been pursued at that address and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.