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Telephone:
01932 829189

E-mail: weybanks@weybanks.co.uk

Address:
30 Radnor Road
Weybridge
Surrey
KT13 8JU
UK

Comments Made Regarding Any Proposed Development

The comments listed blow may not be representative of everyone's views, nor are they listed in any particular order of importance. However, they may be of interest to you and worth considering.

Street Scene

The street scene is like a little time capsule in North Weybridge. It has escaped the "improvements" to older properties elsewhere in the Ward which were once fashionable (e.g., unsympathetic windows). In addition, although many people have loft extensions, dormer windows are kept away from the street.

This time capsule element is reinforced by the fact that this small late Victorian/ early Edwardian factory building also survived intact up to the present.

Objections:

Design Statement

• Objection to the design statement that the development is in keeping with the character of the area, there is insufficient technical information to claim this. there is no material specification for brick type, window type, door types, roofing materials.
  
  
• Disagreement with design statement that the parking is not achievable whilst retaining the existing buildings. A structural scheme is possible to achieve this. (it's a question of cost).
  
  
• Objection to the change of use from business to residential parking issues more compatible if business use retained, need for local business premises to maintain community etc
  
  
• The application states that the roof lines are similar to those existing. In all cases they are higher. This will be visually disruptive and not be in keeping with the architecture in the road.
  
  
• The Design Statement recognizes that there were problems with traffic and parking when the site was used as a factory. There were far fewer employees than the number of residents proposed, and they were here during daytimes only.
  
  
• The plans make no provision for visitors parking. Access is at present difficult. The entrance to the flats, near the bend of the road will cause ingress and access problems to the flats, and to existing householders, notably at peak travel times.
  
  
• The Design Statement refers to 'Radnore Road' and displays similar lack of local knowledge in suggesting an out of keeping three storey building in a road of two storey cottages.
  

Change of Use

• The application will require change of use. The site has been industrial since it was built in the 1890s. For all of those years it has provided employment and been used as a laundry, biscuit factory, a small factory making bus parts, and a manufacturing unit for toasters. One part was even a corner shop.
  
  
• There is an increasing need for light industrial premises, especially since many were lost recently in the development of Whittet's Ait. This use should be retained and the present building retained.

Design Style

• The Street Comprise of 90 sq m + Victorian Houses of 2, 3 and 4 bedrooms and the proposal for small 1 and 2 bedroom flats is out of keeping with the historical design.
  
  
• The dormer windows on the front elevation are out of character with the street.
  
  
• Objection to the scale of the development - particularly the 3 storey block which increases existing roof height by 1m+
  
  
• The scale and bulk above the vehicle access and of the gable ended part adjacent to it, are out of proportion to the other buildings in the area.
  
  
• The addition of a third floor will give it a dominant effect in a street where everybody else has avoided raising the roof line on their front elevations.
  
  
• The height of these sections to be excessive, particularly as the existing vehicle entrance does not have a building above it.

Amenity of neighbours and quality of life

Neighbouring properties are particularly affected. Current dwellings are small Victorian cottages with compact, narrow gardens. Our objections are:

• Noise from higher density housing (compared with its most recent use as a storage facility) and at different times of the day.
  
  
• Inadequate distance from neighbouring properties.
  
  
• Light pollution from overlooking windows and, potentially, from the amenity area.
  
  
• Loss of privacy from overlooking windows. This is particularly acute given the lengths of the boundary elevations.
  
  
• Oppressive effect of increased height of boundary walls.
  
  
• Loss of natural light to gardens/ properties.
  
  
• Concerns for the quality of outlook and light for new residents.
  
  
• The residents take pride in the area as witnessed by the profusion of window boxes and plants. The proposal would detract from the essential character of the road and spoil a community.
  
  
• Flats A1, E1 and E2 overlook existing houses . They would invade their privacy, and cut out light from them.

Parking/ Traffic

• These streets did not anticipate the motor car. It can actually be found on the deeds of the houses in the street that the road is for horse drawn carriages access only.
  
  
• The width of frontage of existing properties means that there is less than a space for one car outside each house. Consequently, the roads around here are at full capacity for parking in the evenings and for much of the day. Passage along the roads is achieved through the courteous behaviour of drivers.
  
  
• A parking allocation of less than one space per flat is totally inadequate.
  
  
• Immediate on-street parking is restricted by capacity, by the location at a 90 degree bend in the road and by the vehicle access to the car park.
  
  
• Potential congestion/ obstruction caused by, and experienced by, vehicles using the entrance.
  
  
• Objection to the increased traffic flow created by 11 flats
  
  
• Traffic flow also crosses a footpath which could be classified as a H&S risk if sufficient viewing angles are not available, this issue is not addressed in the design statement.
  
  
• Objection to increased parking congestion.
  
  
• The Application claims that there will be no significant increase in traffic and no new access to the highway. These claims are wrong.

Drainage & Flooding

• No up to date Flood Assessment has been carried out and in light of the major development on Whittet's Ait, a historical report will not necessarily take in to account the current flood risks.
  
  
• It is stated that existing drainage will be used. The drains have overflowed in each of the last four years following heavy rain. This has caused flooding to the road and pavements.

General objections are:

1. The lack of alternative parking makes this a good example of where a minimum of 1.5 spaces per two bedroom dwelling needs to be achieved (Elmbridge Replacement Plan 2000), with provision for visitor parking.
   
   
2. The proposal is for one and two bedroom flats. This is over development and would cause problems in parking, access, and drainage.

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