Another 160 houses on the edge of Combs?
Some of you will have received the consultation document concerning a proposed new development of 160 houses on Poplar Hill. We recommend that you do not respond to this consultation, at least not until you have read what follows.
The consultation document has been produced by Gladman Land, which is part of Gladman Developments. They want to know your objections so that they are forewarned when they eventually put in their Planning Application.
If you have not received the consultation document you can view it here.
http://www.your-views.co.uk/poplarhill/
Who are Gladman Developments?
What they say:
‘We are a privately owned, innovative business that has enjoyed significant and prolific success in a range of property sectors. With over 25 years’ experience in obtaining planning permissions, we are today the UK’s most successful land promoter’.
‘Gladman play a unique role in providing a service to our landowners. By working in partnership, we help landowners optimise their land assets by securing planning permission for residential development and managing the onward sale to a housebuilder’.
‘At Gladman we are passionate about winning and invest significant expenditure on robust evidence, research, specialist studies and investigations because we are confident we can achieve a planning win for our landowners’.
‘Over time, we have worked with a variety of landowners (including County Councils, Charities, Trusts, Diocesan Boards and Universities) with differing needs and requirements, so whatever your situation or future ambition, we can work with you to realise the potential of your land’.
What others say:
The modern-day barons: inside the murky underbelly of land promotion
The Telegraph, Isabelle Fraser, 5th August 2017
‘A group of private companies, largely unknown to the public, have carved out a lucrative niche locating and snapping up land across the UK’.
‘While an average acre of agricultural land may sell for £5,000 to £10,000, land with planning permission for residential development is normally worth £1m-4m per acre, depending on its location and the amount of infrastructure and preparation needed before building’.
‘When promoting land, these companies will seldom purchase it upfront, but instead either pay the owner an option for exclusive rights, or promise the money once it is sold, with the landowner retaining the land and being actively involved in the sale process’.
‘These companies will then take a cut of 10-30pc of the sale value, depending on the size of the site.
‘In the year ending March 31 2016, Gladman made a pre-tax profit of £11.6m’.
How Can They Get Away With This?
Gladman Developments were the company behind the contested development at Stowupland. They were successful on appeal because Mid Suffolk were not able to demonstrate that they had a five year land supply.
Inspector approves Stowupland homes plan
Bury Free Press, May 2016
https://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/news/inspector-approves-stowupland-homes-plan-1-7405223/
Developers have been granted outline permission for 175 homes at Stowupland after a planning inspector overturned the council’s refusal.
Planning inspector Paul Jackson rejected Mid Suffolk Council’s refusal saying the council’s lack of a five year housing supply plan meant it could not be refused.
The application by Gladman Developments is for 28 acres of land between Gipping Road and Church Road.
Mr Jackson said: “The Council acknowledges that at 3.3 years [housing land supply], it falls well short of a five-year housing supply as required by the National Planning Policy Framework.
Where a council does not have a five-year supply, it’s policies are deemed ‘out of date’.
Mr Jackson added: “Where policies are out of date, the NPPF says permission should be granted unless any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.”
Stowupland housing appeal victory raises questions for district's planning policy
Esat Anglian Daily Times, Andrew Hirst, 28 May 2016
The approval of 175 homes on the edge of a Suffolk village has prompted fears that planning shortfalls highlighted in the decision could leave more communities at risk from “predatory” applications.
Planning inspector Paul Jackson this week gave the go ahead to Gladman Developments’ proposals for Stowupland, overruling Mid Suffolk District Council’s (MSDC) refusal of the application in November 2015.
The top conclusion in Mr Jackson’s appeal decision notice focussed on MSDC’s lack of a “five year land supply” – a key requirement without which applications must be granted “unless any adverse impacts outweigh the benefits”.
He said the council’s current supply “fell well short” of the required targets and that while it was “determined to address this” there was currently “nothing firm to suggest that the shortfall will actually be met”.
Why Have Mid Suffolk District Council (MSDC) not sorted out their five year land supply?
MSDC are in the process of producing a new Local Plan, including a five year land supply, but this is not due for completion until Spring 2019.
https://www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/assets/Strategic-Planning/BMSDC-LDS2017.pdf
Having lost the Stowupland appeal, MSDC might decide that it is not wirth contesting this new proposal. But that would only encourage more Gladman Developments to submit further planning applications.
What Can You Do?
Do not reply to the consultation document from Gladman Developments. Keep your powder dry until they put in their Planning Application. Gladman are trying to draw out the likely objections to their proposal so that they are forewarned. Although with so many successful applications behind them they probably know all of the likely objections by now.
You can also contact your local District Councillor, David Whybrow, asking him to ensure that MSDC contests the Planning Application when it comes, and that MSDC meets the deadline of Spring 2019 for completion of a new Local Plan.
Home address:
The Old Rectory
Ringshall
Stowmarket
IP14 2HZ
Mobile: 07799 068926
email: David.Whybrow@midsuffolk.gov.uk