Objecting Parish Councillor not allowed to attend Council planning meeting in official capacity, only as a member of the public

 

Sirs,

Re. Planning Application – 19/02445/FUL  - Agricultural Storage Facility at River Mead House, adjacent to the Kennet Valley Hall.

I am an acting Fyfield & West Overton Parish Councillor but I’m not allowed to attend and represent my electorate at tonight’s meeting of the Planning Committee in my official capacity (and hence vote) and thus can only attend as a member of the public. So this letter is my contribution to tonight’s meeting at the Kennet Valley Hall at 7pm

I object to this planning application. 

This proposed Agricultural storage facility would be built on a residential site in AOB area, to start a large vehicle business would it need to be a brown site, industrial site and have planning permission to start a business. 

Village Design Plan would be dismissed out of hand if this goes ahead.

The roads are too small to support a new business using large agricultural vehicles and this creates danger, noise pollution to the public and damage to the sides of the roads, and traffic jams.  Lockeridge Road is classed as a ‘quiet lane.’

We support South Farm and its machinery, tractors and trailers come through the village very occasionally but not on a daily basis.  They are used on the working farm.  There is a big difference between this and a new business created to supply farm machinery on the roads to other farms. 

There are no agricultural buildings from Lockeridge village to West Overton village.  The only agricultural buildings are at South Farm.   

Local infrastructure: 

Lockeridge from river bridge to the play area at the dene has no pavement access.  Three small paddocks equestrian, sheep and alpacas, a pub, a primary school.  The rest is residential.  No agricultural buildings. 

The school to Riverside Cottage is residential:  two equestrian yards, sheep then residential dwellings.  No agricultural buildings. 

Application site:  a residential dwelling not a farm then KVH.  From here to South Farm we have equestrian:  next door Flintstone stud equestrian, turning down church hill, Liz equestrian then our field equestrian then down to the A4 equestrian and sheep.  No agricultural buildings. 

Through the village from the top of church hill you have equestrian then residential Andy’s house, then Phil and Sue equestrian.  No agricultural buildings.  

 

Then South Farm which works its own land and has its own agricultural buildings.  These are the only agricultural buildings in the whole area. 

Through West Overton village:  a care home, thee wheelchair bound residents, only a couple of pavements, all properties residential and low and behold.  No Agricultural Buildings. 

Wiltshire council have declared a climate emergency in January so this golden thread is way out of date.  As a community we should not support a application which farms none of his own land, producing emissions which can damage health and well being and a business will potentially use 100s of tons of single use plastic.  In my opinion its not welcome here full stop. 

And finally this machinery and Ecology:  The vehicles are wider than Church Hill and 50mm narrower on the road to the Bell.  Just trying to use these roads will damage ecology on the verges.  These are a wildlife habitat in themselves and also provide wildlife corridors.   The river bridge was seriously damaged last week by a wide vehicle.  The ancient part of the bridge was hit by a wide vehicle and a huge stone is laying in the ditch.

Yours,

Councillor Bob Green
Fyfield & West Overton Parish Council