Changes to Felnex outline permission

NDG letter of objection

We have just submitted our objection to the changes of the outline approved plan.  You can read our letter here.  It is long, but please feel free to use any of it to compose your own letter.

Changes to the outline approved plan

This document on Sutton Council’s planning portal highlights the main changes, but we have also given some information below, which you might find useful:

Class C2 care facility

• The care facility has increased from 3,051 square metres to 7,740 square metres.
• The location has changed from Hackbridge Road to London Road.
• 90 x bedroom care home has been replaced with an assisted living block containing 80 x one and two bedroom flats in addition to the 725 units proposed for the whole site.
• We have not been provided with sufficient evidence that this type of accommodation is needed in Hackbridge and more importantly that if required, would be affordable for our elderly residents.  The consultation on Sutton Council’s Local Plan states that only 42 units are needed per year for the whole of the borough, not just Hackbridge specific.

Hackbridge square

• In the outline permission this was a community space of 32m x 42m. This would provide the proposed bus interchange and opportunity for farmers markets, as well as a place of interaction and sociability.
• Due to the change in location and size of the assisted living block, this community space has been removed.  We cannot tell from the plans whether the relocation outside the supermarket entrance is of an equivalent size.

Retail space

• This has reduced from 2,000 square meters to 948 square metres.
• In the outline planning permission there is mention of cafe/restaurant facilities.  We have seen in detailed plans that a restaurant will be provided in the assisted living block, but it is not confirmed if this will be for public use.
• The retail class of A1 for the proposed units, will not facilitate a cafe or restaurant in the area.  The original proposal appears to provide cafe/restaurant facilities and class A1 units.
• Sutton Council want Hackbridge to move from a Local Centre status to a District Centre.  The supermarket will provide this, but a good selection of shops will be required to accommodate existing residents, plus those from the 1,000+ new homes proposed.

To view the planning applications

1. Sutton Council’s planning portal is not user friendly.
2. If you want to find further information, use the website link below and the last five digits of the application you wish to view and put it in the ‘planning application number’ field.  This often doesn’t work first time, saying ‘not found’, so just try clicking in the field where the number is and then press return a second time.
3. Once online, scroll to the bottom and click on ‘view plans and documents’.  You will need to click on a tick box to say you agree to copyright terms.
4. This then gives access to various documents.  If you hover your mouse over a document, it should give you the name of what it is.  However this still doesn’t necessarily make sense, so you will probably end up opening most of the documents!
5. Remember this is not a detailed application for the whole of the site, it is for changes only to the outline application.

Planning portal link and application references

www.sutton.gov.uk/planningapplicationsearch and put in the relevant 5 digit number only i.e. 62175 and hit return.  Sometimes it comes back saying nothing found.  Hit return again and it then usually works!

C2009/62175 – original outline plan

C2014/68760 – minor amendments to outline plan

C2016/73625 – amendments to outline plan – latest application out for consultation

To make a comment

Your comment does count!  If you don’t agree with what is proposed, make sure you let them know.  If you don’t, you have no right to complain!

Deadline is 14 April 2016

You can comment online, using the access information above.  Scroll down and click on ‘comment’ instead of ‘view plans’.  Making sure you use the correct application number 73625 to comment against.

By post to:

Development Control
London Borough of Sutton
24 Denmark Road
Carshalton
Surrey  SM5 2JG

Ensure you use reference C2016/73625 in your letter and that it arrives before 14 April.