Our Councillors Ed Plowden and Lisa Stone would like to hear the views of local residents about the application for a 54 flats, up to 9-storeys high, next to the Thunderbolt on Bath Road – see their message below which includes what can, and can’t, be taken into consideration when objecting to a planning application.
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Lisa and Ed are interested to hear from as many people as possible about the proposed development on the Bath Road. The proposal is for 54 flats at the old petrol station next to the Thunderbolt. You can see the proposals and have your say on the Council website, where you can make your comments directly into the system.
Click on ‘make a comment’
It is important that the planners and the planning committee hear from local people as to what is a significant development proposal.
There are lots of valid objections to planning applications, called “material planning considerations”. These include
• Loss of light or overshadowing (this isn’t just a high wall – it means loss of light to the extent that you don’t get enough natural daylight to see by).
• Overlooking/loss of privacy
• Visual amenity (for example the view of Totterdown from other areas of Bristol
• Adequacy of parking/loading/turning
• Highway safety
• Traffic generation
• Noise and disturbance resulting from use
• Hazardous materials
• Smells
• Loss of trees
• Effect on listed buildings and conservation area
• Layout and density of building
• Design, appearance and materials
• Landscaping
• Road access
• Local, strategic, regional and national planning policies
• Government circulars, orders and statutory instruments
• Disabled persons’ access
• Proposals in the Development Plan
• Nature conservation
• Archaeology
• Fear of crime (with evidence to show that the fear is based in reality)
However, there are many comments the Council receives about planning applications which it cannot legally take into account. These include
• loss of value to your property (the Council cannot reject a planning application on the grounds that it will reduce the value of your house if built).
• Competition (the Council can’t reject an application for a business on the grounds that it will compete with another, existing business).
• loss of view (you might have bought your house because of the lovely view across the City, but the Council can’t reject an application on that basis)
• boundary disputes including encroachment of foundations
• private covenants or agreements
• the applicant’s personal conduct or history or motives (it’s the development not the person)
• potential profit from the application for the applicant
• private rights to light
• private rights to way/access
• damage to property
• disruption during any construction phase or the time taken to do the work
• work already done
• fence lines
• loss of trade or competitors
• age, health, status, background
• work patterns of the objector
• capacity of private drains
• building or structural techniques
• alcohol or gaming licences