Another grim garden grabbing attack on Forest Hill's green and pleasant land. The proposed development looks cramped, uninspired and without merit. On that basis Lewisham's planners are bound to recommend approval. Anyway isn't this the bungalow that had an award winning tropical garden a few years ago?
This seems likely to result in significant extra road traffic in a road which is at present quiet and child-, dog-, cat-, fox- and pedestrian-friendly. The road is much used by children from the local primary schools (Eliot Bank, Holy Trinity, Kelvin Grove) on their way to and from Baxter Fields, where there is a children's playground.
Overcrowding was my first thought, until I looked deeper into the measurements. In the end this is one of better development proposals. For start they are all family homes and I like the practical layouts. I would object if the proposal was for a block of flats full of one / two bed units.
With so many schools and park near by it is a perfect place for few more families. And with amenities so close, traffic increase by these families would be negligible. I would expect it would be easier to walk to schools than try to park up the road in the school run.
I had a quick look and it does look like a high standard development.
The one thing I don't like is that it is a gated development which I feel does not fit in with the existing street or surrounding area.
A gated development will also cause greater traffic problems as cars queue to enter with visitors and tradesmen having to park outside on the street.
Michael, I have sent you a PM. A number of local residents are objecting to this development.
The obvious first impression is that they are trying to cram too much in but having looked in detail at the application I'm surprised to say I'm erring on being supportive.
Not sure the 'gated' element is really an issue. It is already gated for a start and the idea of a queue of traffic attempting to enter the site at the same time doesn't seem likely. The position of the gate would seem to allow for at least two cars to be off the main carriageway if such a situation did occur or if deliveries etc were being made.
I also like the idea of a group of family homes tucked away safely near a local park and schools. I live in a cul-de-sac of similar sized properties with similar sized gardens. One of the things that is valued by many of the residents is the quiet shared space to the front of the houses where kids are relatively safe to play, under supervision. It looks like this development would provide a similar amenity.
The size of the units seems to closely mirror a set of 6 houses on the opposite side of Baxter's Field but I can see why local residents are nervous or objecting to an increase from 1 to 6 houses on the plot. That said, if it was cut to 4 or 3 houses I imagine the level of objection would be much the same.
When a house in our street went up for sale recently there was plenty of interest despite the state of the property market, presumably as it represented an affordable family home.
it's all very well that cars may be 'queueing' off the street to get through the gate, but no.12, the house next door to the proposed development has a street-level window against the border which will be directly looked into by those queueing cars, which is a massive privacy issue. there are also 2 further upstairs windows on this wall
Come on, do we really believe there are going to be significant periods where vehicles queue to enter the plot? Are the upstairs windows at risk from queuing double decker buses waiting to get into the plot?
There may be grounds for objection with this proposal but not queuing traffic!