Long Sutton Parish Council is extremely pleased that following the public meeting held on May 29, the plan to turn Benchley House into an HMO and bedsit to house 31 residents has been refused and for once the voices of the public have been heard when in the past their objections and concerns regarding planning and other issues has fallen on deaf ears.
The council objected to:
* the lack of mandatory planning posters being displayed (posted and back dated
* neighbouring residents not being consulted
* Omission of the Grade I listed church next to Benchley House
* Concerns regarding SHDC officers giving assurances that they would be able to ensure full occupancy of the building prior to the planning process taking place which the applicant felt supported the application
* The failure to meet the criteria of Policy 18 of the South East Lincolnshire Local Plan relating to HMOs.
The meeting also bought to the fore residents’ concerns regarding the lack of implementing the Listed Buildings and Conservation legislation which has seen a decline in the historical buildings and town centres not only in Long Sutton but also Holbeach and Spalding robbing the communities of their identity and history.
The Bull Hotel remains an eyesore, Connaught House (currently an HMO), the former Emporium are both poorly maintained, poor rental properties in the town centre (all of which are in the conservation area) add to that poor quality developments and you can see that the once proud Georgian town has changed and declined and the population and demographic has changed beyond recognition without notice or consultation.
Our young people are overlooked or cannot afford housing as others from outside of the area are given priority over them.
SHDC enable developers to renege on S106 agreements by not adopting Community Infrastructure Levy denying local parish councils and their electorate hundreds of thousands of pounds in funding that could be used locally.
Amendments not to provide 109 affordable homes last week, over £800,000 loss of funding to name just two instances due to developers pleading ‘unaffordability’ and SHDC councillors arguing for approval by advocating “that developers would appeal and cost SHDC money if refused”.
There has been no investment in infrastructure, local schools, hospitals and doctors, are overwhelmed as is the local food bank, local estates in Anfield Road and John Swains Way have no amenity services on the estate due to the failure of developers and SHDC to honour “Management Plans” put in place which are reneged by developers on or not enforced by SHDC.
The parish council will continue to be vigilant regarding planning and conservation, will support their residents and will continue to press for CIL.
It is also of concern that without notice the SHDC planning committee was reduced, and wheelie bins have been forced on residents by seven Cabinet members making executive decisions denying ward members a vote and against a democratic consultation against the change.
Long Sutton Parish Council
