Response from Mr P Brindle (Individual)
1. Mr P Brindle (Individual) : 16 Jul 2017 18:27:00
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Silverdale - part of S50
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my wife and I wish to object to the inclusion in the development plan of this site east of st johns avenue.
This site potentially for 15/25 further properties will bring a lot more traffic into the village. Road access into Silverdale is only by narrow, twisty roads all of which have narrow pinch points which already cause congestion and hazards and with maybe 50+ extra vehicles per day will only exacerbate this. Also access to the proposed site is through narrow housing estate roads (St Johns ave) and out onto a poor junction opposite primary school that usually has plenty of parked cars in the vicinity. There is also inadequate room for car parking in the village centre at the moment and a further increase in vehicles will further perpetuate this problem.
North Lancs rural roads are already known to have a high number of rta`s and further increase in traffic volume will make this more of a concern.
Effluent drainage in Silverdale is solely by septic tanks and so one must ask is continued increase in sewage drainage by this method environmentally sustainable in an area of such fragile environment and natural beauty, that the aonb is supposed to look after and care for.
The inclusion of this site in the development plan will obviously encourage further potential development of the field of which this site is part of. This and the "drip drip" development of other small sites around the village eg Whinney Fold,opposite railway station will steadily erode Silverdale`s attraction of being a small village both to residents and many holiday makers and day visitors alike which is all part of the mandate of the aonb to maintain these attractive qualities.
The mandate of the aonb and national trust (which has a large landholding in silverdale) is to encourage and increase the diversity of flora and fauna. Wildlife cannot thrive in increasingly isolated pockets due to a steady trickle of future
development .
One of the main aims of the aonb "is to meet the needs of the quiet enjoyment of the countryside". Further development will surely impinge on this for nature lovers, ramblers, cyclists, existing residents and all those who are encouraged to visit this area to enjoy and experience the qualityof the countryside. Again development is at odds with these policy aims which are promoted by local authorites for the health and wellbeing of the public. This site appears to be a development of more than 10 houses ie major development as referred to inparas 2.17 and 2.18 of development plan documents. This is therefore not appropriate in the aonb as according to national guidelines aonbs are considered to have such natural beauty it is desirable that they are conserved and enhanced, and that local authorities must take into account the purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty of aonbs. Such a development is in breach of these principles. One of the criteria of the aonb is that it is "area of outstanding landscape whose distinct character and natural beauty are so precious that it is in the nations interest to protect them" and they were created "because of their fragile natural beauty and the primary aim is to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the landscape." Large developments such as this will impact on what the aonb criteria is supposed to be protecting. The site includes a well used public footpath and will also be visible from many surrounding viewpoints including pepper pot.
This development will impinge on an area of small/medium size pasture surrounded by limestone walls and the aonb has stated that these a re a very important part of silverdales character.
Developments can interrupt and fragment vital natural corridors/environs for all sorts of wildlife. Throughout the aonb there are current projects being undertaken to encourage threatened/endangered species eg butterflies,red squirrels, hedgehogs, birds, plants, into the area, further encroachment by housing and vehicles are at odds with all these aims.