Garden Grabbing Development
In June last year a Supplementary Planning
Document (SPD) was approved by the Borough Council to help decide planning applications for building in back gardens - Development
on Garden Land and Infill Sites in Cheltenham (June 2009). This SPD is not 'planning policy' but is a 'material
consideration' when deciding applications. It is there to help developers understand what the council would find acceptable
as much as it is there to help people to object to garden grabbing planning applications.
Having fought against several inappropriate building in
back gardens including Mead Rd, Old Bath Rd, and Thompson Drive, Klara believes that residents need to have accurate information
on what the SPD can and cannot do. It is not a planning policy aimed at preventing building in back gardens as it is sometimes
portrayed.
It holds no more weight than
other SPDs. Planning applications still need to be decided subject to both local and national planning policy as well as having
regard to other material considerations - such as where there has been similar applications approved for the application site
or on a neighbouring site.
Klara said "At a recent Borough
Council meeting the effectiveness of the Development on Garden Land and Infill Sites in Cheltenham was debated and council
reaffirmed its commitment to the SPD. I welcome the response from the Leader of the Council who pledged that the document
will be reviewed in June 2010 to make sure it is being considered appropriately by officers when recommending approval or
refusal for such applications. All such applications also go before Planning Committee for decision due to the level of public
concern on this issue and that is entirely right."
