Response from Mr Watts (Individual)
1. Mr Watts (Individual) : 13 Jan 2016 13:00:00
Please make your comments below on the section you have selected. Where appropriate, make reference to the paragraph number you are referring to, your preferred option, the question number asked in the Discussion Paper and the reference number of the site you are commenting on.
Dear Sir or Madam,
After attending the AONB DPD Consultation Event at the Gaskell Hall, Silverdale on 25/11/15 I would like to make the following comments.
S41,S46,S47,S56 & S58 : - The big concern here is that all this being allowed for development as it would then become one large building area and substantially add to the size of the village changing its characteristics.
S42 : - Where would the access be is this site was allowed for development. At the moment access is via a single track private road. At the point where this private road widens cars are parked on both sides and can be dangerous with current traffic levels.
S44 : - Access via a single track road not suitable for larger volumes of traffic. Part of this road is by a bridge over the railway on a sharp bend. This site is pretty much right on the water table.
S48 : - Building on woodland, surely there are better brownfield sites than this. Where would the access be for this site, the single track bumpy private road? There is also a footpath through this site, would that be retained?
S50 : - Greenfield site that shouldn't be built on plus the owner hasn't given permission for this site to be included in this consultation.
S52 : - Same access issues as S44
S54 This area floods at worst, very wet at best. It is below the sewerage systems at the school fields. Below this site is Cove Drive and Birch Drive which can flood as things stand.
S70 : - If the shuttle is lost then where are people supposed to park to catch the trains? There is a shortage of space for parking at the railway station as it currently is.
How many properties are being considered for Silverdale? If over development is allowed then the village would change beyond recognition and just be another run if the mill place rather than an AONB.
Another issue is the roads to and from the village, these can be very busy in the summer when all the holidaymakers are staying with their caravans. The impact on these roads from more people in these new potential properties needs to be considered. There can be dangerous enough, especially for cyclists.
Adding to these traffic concerns is the potential for increase from the Warton sites. Carnforth can be a problem for traffic as it is, adding all these sites at Silverdale and Warton would only make matters worse.
There are sites included in Warton that can flood (as of now) just from heavy rains or consistant rain.
Our climate is only getting wetter and this has to be taken into account not only for the Warton sites but also the Silverdale sites as Silverdale sewerage is by septic tanks, not mains sewers.
I appreciate that properties have to be built, I only hope that the AONB isn't ruined by overdevelopment.
The type of properties that are lacking are one or two bed properties, for young starting out or older wanting to downsize. There are plenty 3,4 or 5 bed properties and due to there location aren't cheap and are hence beyond a lot of peoples budgets if they want to stay in the area.
One concern I have over new developments is them being bought for second homes or investments of buy to holiday let. This for me is a countrywide problem, homes that could be used for living in are used for holidays and not always in use.
Planning within the village is a concern on past performance. Hazelwood should have been developed with local concerns for suitable housing in mind. It wasn't and now two bed apartments go at silly prices. There are properties on this site always for sale. That was a huge missed opportunity to provide suitable one or two bed properties for those with smaller budgets.
Thank you for taking the time to read this email.
