Englemad Appeal Dismissed!

I was delighted to hear this afternoon that a property developer’s appeal to overturn the Council’s decision to refuse planning application for the controversial Englemede development has been rejected by the Planning Inspectorate.

As the redoubtable ‘Englemad’ group of local residents, Cllr Pat Roberts, Cllr Marisa Heath and I argued, the Inspector (David Asher) concluded that the development was unsuitable as a result of its “effect on the character and appearance of the area” and impact of the “proposed houses at the rear of the site on the living conditions of people nearby”.

The Inspector’s report additionally argues that the “height and mass” of the development would be “at odds with the prevailing scale of the others houses” on the road, that the proposed car parking area would be in conflict with the “character and appearance of the area and harmful in itself”, would have an “unacceptable degree of overlooking of the closest gardens” and would be “cramped in contrast to the general spacing of houses in the road”.

I have contacted the Council’s planning department thanking them for their stoic efforts in fighting this proposal and requesting a PDF copy of the Inspector’s note that I can share online.