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Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Andrew Smith (12th Jul 2008 - 16:27:53) East Hants DC is consulting on a formal proposal from Cove Construction to develop 116 dwellings on the Silent Garden Site near the Church Centre. This follows an exhibition of what was described as the 'conceptual design' at the Church Centre towards the end of May 2008. Details of the proposals can be seen at the planning pages of the EHDC website. The planning application reference is 26295/006 Although this will be a major development for the village, the EHDC consultation process as shown on the website has approached ONLY 60 nearby houses, and appears to have missed many residents who might legitimately wish to comment. In summary the plans as put forward as conceptual are now being advanced as a formal application with very minor modifications. I am not trying to comment on the merits or otherwise of the application but to spread the word that this has now become a formal application and imagine many people may wish to comment to EHDC.

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Chris (13th Jul 2008 - 08:51:11) Another "build and run" scheme? Having looked at the plans there is no extra infrastructure being provided, other than access roads. Potentially another 174+ cars (add to that those associated with the two schemes opposite Bohunt manor). No offer of financial support for infrasctructure improvement. I am not personally affected by the choice of location but we will all be affected by the extra traffic and burden on schools and other resources. If we are going to consider more building in and around the village it has to be on the proviso that the companies that benefit directly pledge some of their profits from these schemes to support improvement of local infrastructure.

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - karen feeney (14th Jul 2008 - 18:55:35) Crumbs they are optimistic! Developers hoping to sell houses/apartments (and 116 of them) in this current climate - I wish them luck. We already have many, very lovely, houses in Liphook that are for sale if anyone wants to move to our lovely village right now. Mine included......it has got 3 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms, a lovely big garden and picturesque views out over Bohunt Manor. More houses, I don't think the village can take it ,and if it means I don't sell my house, neither can I..... MrsF

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Sue W (14th Jul 2008 - 21:24:39) Karen Picturesque views over Bohunt Manor - but for how much longer? I hope all goes well with your sale

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Claire (15th Jul 2008 - 14:30:30) I would welcome new housing if it were to be affordable (to either rent or buy) to our 'next generation'. The New Forest had a scheme for certain developments where by only those already resident in a particular area could buy. It was recognised that young people who were born,bred and worked in the locality could no longer afford to stay thus decimating the extended family. I believe that the houses had restrictive covenants to ensure the houses remained for local purchase for 999 years....... maybe a bit idealistic but i have to hope my brood will be able to leave home one day! :)

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - barbara easton (15th Jul 2008 - 17:24:39) If this application has already been submitted then there will be a chance to put your point of view about this application at the local planning parish council meeting, monday evening 8 p m this coming meeting, everyone is welcome to attend. Those people who will be directly affected by this development should attend. I have not had a chance to look yet at the application and I agree with those people who say that there is already a surfeit of homes everywhere for sale. Unfortunately housing need is not the developers' reason for building anything it is purely what return on their investment they will see per hectare of land.

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Allan (16th Jul 2008 - 00:46:13) It will not happen; yet! No developer in right mind would even think about raising finance at this time. Wouldn't be able to anyway because prospective purchasers can't borrow without big deposits.

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Dawn Hoskins (16th Jul 2008 - 10:02:51) I agree with Allan’s point, that they are unlikely to start building straight away due to the lack of finance in the market. However, once planning permission is granted they will have 5 years to complete the build without having to renew. It will just sit as developers ‘land bank’ in the mean time. The issue here is not necessarily the quantity of housing, the quality, the price or the size. It is the lack of infrastructure within the surrounding area. This is the same old chestnut that comes up time and again. As far as I am aware, planners are not capable of taking into consideration any point raised that does not concern the ‘shape, size, orientation, aesthetics or access’ of the proposal so it is not within their remit to demand another doctors surgery, dentist, classroom etc. Presently applications can only be refused on limited grounds due to central governments’ determination to build over every spare inch of land available. If the LPA refuse on infrastructure grounds or put conditions on the developer which he considers inappropriate or unreasonable – it will just be grounds to appeal to the Secretary of State. That is all very well, but until The Rt Hon Hazel Blears realises that you have to book your doctors appointment one week in advance and that only private dentistry will be available to new comers and no school spaces will be available – I am not in a mind to agree with her decisions about our village of which she knows nothing about. It is this total lack of joined up thinking that has got this country into the mess that it is in. It is a shocking shame that the people on ‘ground level’ [Parish councillors] are not given the powers to refuse developments on the correct basis – lack of infrastructure – as these are the people with all the local knowledge and quite frankly are the only people qualified to make such decisions. Until this happens, we can gnash our teeth and wail, but nothing will be resolved. The new housing will be built regardless, just as our post office was closed despite overwhelming opposition, and the infrastructure will continue to creak at the seams.

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Sue w (16th Jul 2008 - 16:51:40) Just to tag onto this development. I have heard today, that the appeal to build the old peoples housing, with staff homes etc has been accepted. (The last plot of OSU) This means that the land that should have been for shops/employment/business will only offer lowpaid employment in the care sector. Its such a shame, I know many councillors were very much against this, and it shows that they much also be frustrated at Planning/Government decisions too!

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Dawn Hoskins (19th Jul 2008 - 12:03:53) Agreed Sue, When decisions are taken out of the hands of the local decision makers (who know best what the area needs), it results in bad decisions being made by ministers who are not (and never will be) affected by them. No one in their right mind would think that Liphook needs another old people’s care home. No one local to the area would ever have made this decision. On the positive side - at least it won’t put any more pressure on the schools. However, I can’t imagine how the doctors surgery is going to cope with the sudden influx of patients??

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Chris (20th Jul 2008 - 08:20:00) It would be very interesting to see how many people put on the recent Liphook Survey "need more old people's care homes".

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Sarah (26th Mar 2009 - 16:15:12) So despite the objections of the Parish and District Council, Cove Construction have won their appeal to build 116 units on the land behind the property known as 'Silent Garden'. The approach road will be down the 'road leading to The Firs' which also accesses the Church Centre. The Government Inspector came and listened to the arguments at a public appeal held at the Millennium Centre in February and yesterday published his decision to Allow to interested parties who attended the appeal. See also today's edition of The Liphook Herald. The village can now look forward to further traffic congestion and pressure on doctors' lists and local schools. Sadly, the opinions of the local majority against this sizeable development, despite the District Council saying that they had sufficient housing supply, were brushed aside.

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Paul Rochford (26th Mar 2009 - 19:59:07) Why does any proposed increase in housing around here result in everyone going on about pressure on doctors in the first instance? Is it only sick people who move to Liphook?

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Karen (26th Mar 2009 - 22:23:48) Mmmm, you have never tried to get an appointment for a sick child on a Monday morning have you Paul or sat patiently for a good 30-40 mins (at least!) with two children waiting for a Dr to call your name? It's not that much fun... I can't believe this development has been given the go-ahead, quite honestly I think it stinks.

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Chris (27th Mar 2009 - 10:46:25) So presumably this is what happened: 1. Application put forward 2. Many people objected. 3. Application turned down as PC and EHDC decided it was impractical to build 116 more houses in Liphook on this site. 4. Sigh of relief 5. Appeal by the same handful of people who made original application. 6. Less people objected second time around because surely once is enough and having registered objection once you would have thought that it was obvious that you are not going to change your mind. 7. Appeal upheld because less people objected 2nd time around even though the original objection is just as valid. 8. It isn't just the doctors. It's the schools and the ever increasing bl**dy traffic! Surely there is right of counter appeal. Come on everyone including the PC, don't just roll over...fight it! It's not off the agenda yet!

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - david mcgrath (27th Mar 2009 - 10:53:58) More roads to patrol!!! Anyone up for streetwatch!!!

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Paul Rochford (28th Mar 2009 - 23:57:43) Karen, I have never had any problem getting an appointment with the doctors (not that I go personally very often), but as a parent of young children I can also say I have never had a problem getting a timely appointment for them either.

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Darren (29th Mar 2009 - 10:34:54) Just thought I'd add my thoughts re: Doctors appointments. Not sure which surgery the poster was refering to but I've never had a big problem at Newtown Surgery getting an immediate Doctors appointment, or Nurses appointment for that matter, in over 40 years of living here. Maybe I'm lucky? Have also been reading the report in the "Herald" regarding this developement. Can't understand why a local councillor used the words that Liphook doesn't need another "Ghetto" in the village. Have to admit can't think where all the other Ghettos are in Liphook? Would be nice to know where they all are................... as I'm sure does everyone else who lives here........... I can't think of a term further from the truth about the very nice place we're all lucky enough live in!

Re: Planning Application for 116 units at Silent Garden site - Rhys G (29th Mar 2009 - 11:27:57) There is no third party right of appeal in the planning system, otherwise decisions would never be made! Your only hope, usually, is an ombudsman, but that is when the local authority has undertaken maladministration which in this case they haven't! EHDC were against development at this time, but all efforts were thrown out the window by the Inspector! Will development go ahead in this economic climate? I haven't seen the case file, but assume permission has the standard condition that development must commence within 3 years?

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