Issue - meetings

Report DRR 14/003

Members considered whether the Portfolio Holder for Renewal and Recreation be requested to confirm the making of an Article 4 Direction to remove certain classes of permitted development from an area of land between Cudham Lane North and Snag Lane as there was concern that sub-division of this land into small plots could undermine the open character and visual amenities of the area due to indiscriminate development including fencing, structures, temporary uses of land and stationing of caravans.

Councillor Scoates welcomed the implementation of the Direction as a significant amount of land banks were currently buying up agricultural ground then partitioning the land to sell as individual plots.  He moved in favour of the recommendations. 

Referring to a similar problem in regard to the partitioning of cemetery ground located adjacent to her Ward, Councillor Mrs Manning seconded the motion on the grounds that open land should remain so.

It was reported that a letter in support of the recommendations had been received from the Green Street Green Village Society.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder for Renewal and Recreation be recommended to confirm that an Article 4 Direction be made on land between Cudham Lane North and Snag Lane to remove permitted development rights for the following classes of development:

(i)  erection or construction of gates, fences, walls or other means of enclosure (Class A or Part 2);

(ii)  formation, laying out and construction of means of access (Class B of Part 2);

(iii)  provision of temporary buildings, etc (Class A of Part 4);

(iv)  temporary uses of land for any purpose for not more than 28 days per year (Class B of Part 4); and

(v)  use of land as a caravan site (Class A of Part 5).