Response from Mrs Philippa Ashton (Individual)
1. Mrs Philippa Ashton (Individual) : 18 Dec 2015 17:21:00
Discussion Paper section
1. Introduction
Are there any topics or issues that you think we have missed or that you wish to raise?
AONB DPD
1.2 The AONB has been identified by the government as being of national importance.
1.4 The two District Councils have a statutory duty under Section 85 of the CRoW Act 2000 to have regard to the statutory purpose of AONB's in carrying out their functions. Within the AONB, Government policy requires that councils give great weight to conserving landscape and scenic beauty.
5.32 Both Councils have adopted policies to ensure inappropriate development is directed away from areas of highest risk from flooding.
5.33 The AONB contains a wide range of significant historic landscapes, features and distinctive settlement patterns.
6.12 sites put forward have to meet basic criteria:
avoid harm or adverse impacts on wildlife, landscape or heritage significances;
Councils have been asked to put forward sites for building BUT if there aren't any suitable sites proposed that aren't going to have an adverse affect on the landscape or a detrimental effect on property already in the area then they don't have to propose sites just for the sake of it.
People do not have a right to live in the village they were brought up in. My son, born and brought up in Warton has
bought a house in Carnforth, if at a later date he wishes to and can afford to move back into Warton then so be it. He will then be freeing up affordable/ starter housing in Carnforth.
We do not need more housing in Warton as there are plenty of market value houses for sale which aren't selling or are taking a long time to sell.
Not only would building on any of the proposed following sites have a massive visual impact upon the village, the infrastructure cannot cope with an increased population. There are already issues with flooding, drainage and volume of traffic. Each time there is heavy rain the road surface on Sand Lane and Mill Lane crumbles leaving huge potholes.
The Council has a duty of care to its residents and future residents. If any building is allowed on the following sites, the Council will not only be reneging on this duty of care but may also be causing safeguarding issues with regard to properties being flooded.
Site reference;
W83.Greenfield site. Virtually on the Crag. Would increase flood water running down Crag Road and affecting houses on Main Street opposite Crag Road.
W84. Greenfield site. Part of this land is Parish Council land, although I believe the boundary is incorrect on this proposal, however the land was totally flooded on 5th/6th December 2015.
W85. Brownfield site. On flood plain. Disregarded local knowledge when built houses in original entrance to farmyard when developing Farelton Close which meant that floodwater had nowhere to go (it used to flow through the farmyard onto the floodplain until it was able to drain into the river Keer), hence the flooding now experienced at Town End on Main Street.
W86. Greenfield site. Again on flood plain and has been under water and flood water from Main Street is channelled into this field during floods.
W87. Greenfield site. Any building here would increase flood risk to houses on Main Street which were flooded on 1st September 2015, 18th November 2015 and 5th/6th December 2015.
W88. Greenfield site. Increase flooding risk to houses on opposite side of road from where Sand Lane meets Main Street.
W89. Greenfield site. Comment as W88.
W90. Greenfield site. Westover already has issues with regard to drainage. It will ruin the outlook from the school and could also have an impact on safeguarding issues with regard to the school pupils.
W92 and W93. Greenfield site. Building on this land would increase the flooding of the river Keer due to less land available to absorb rainfall which in turn would have significant effect on flooding to houses on Gardener Road. These houses were badly damaged in floods on the weekend of 5th and 6th December 2015, with many people having to move out of their homes. There is also concern with regard to the large retaining wall of Hutton Gardens were this land to be developed.
W94. Greenfield site. Virtually on the Crag.
W95. Again increase flooding risk to river Keer as the shack that is present on the land won't have much of an impact.
As flooding risks are predicted to increase over the next few years this rules out all of these sites.
