SOS Mission Statement:
- To preserve the beauty and tranquillity of St Osyth for posterity.
- To safeguard the local wildlife and the natural environment.
- To ensure that there is no overloading of local facilities such as doctors, the school and other local amenities.
- To prevent further congestion of existing roads and the village centre.
- To oppose any housing development within St Osyth which would affect any of the above.
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Warren Farm Proposals:
Most local people are probably aware that the applications have now been submitted to TDC for a public car park together with a road and 12 houses on farm land behind The Bury. Currently, full planning permission for a public car park for 49 vehicles is applied for, sited behind the vicarage, and an outline application for 12 houses behind numbers 1 to 6 The Bury. It will require the top end of the existing farm track to be realigned as a private road and footpath with a bell mouth onto The Bury which will take off a slice from the grass area near the telephone box. This is designated as a village green and is ‘protected green space’ according to the TDC Local Plan 2013 – 2033 and Beyond. The existing space by the side of the vicarage allowed as a courtesy parking space for approximately 20 cars will be discontinued giving a net gain of 29 places. This development is being promoted as the only viable way of providing additional parking space in the village. However we foresee significant problems which negate any advantage of providing these additional parking spaces.
In accordance with our mission statement above and considering we, and others, strongly and successfully opposed the application for just 7 houses adjacent to the allotment site on unused ground on the outskirts of the village, we shall object to these 12 houses on productive farm land in the centre of the village. There are a number of grounds for objecting but one that many people have voiced to us concerns the creation of a precedent if houses were permitted on this farmland. Without a covenant to the contrary, it is a possibility that development of the field right down to the lake could not logically be opposed or prevented in future. Such a proposal was put forward by a local developer some years ago which fortunately did not come to fruition. Many will also remember that the original proposals by the Priory owners for an enabling development of 900 houses included building on the field behind the vicarage and this was vigorously opposed at the time. Concern has also been expressed regarding the siting of the car park and the strong possibility that it would facilitate and/or encourage illegal activities. No details concerning the operation, maintenance or control are provided in the application that suggests this problem has been identified or addressed.
The planning applications are: 18/00958/OUT and 18/00959/FUL and details can be found on the TDC planning website. Any comments submitted should include the planning reference numbers and are best sent as a letter attached to an email sent to planning.services@tendringdc.gov.uk
If anyone wishes to discuss these applications with SOS, please contact us by email on saveourstosyth@btinternet.com.