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Correspondence with the NFNPA about KensBends.
17 September 2010.
To Alison Barnes, Chief Executive,
New Forest National Park Authority
Dear Madam,
Re- the pinch points being placed on the Burley Road in Brockenhurst.
What is going on please?
Your Core Strategy Document list of “Challenges for the Local Development Framework”, includes under item 2.20, “Loss of character through signs and other infrastructure in the countryside.”
Another Document describes the Proposed Weirs Character and Conservation Areas, and states the importance of the views in the Weirs area under item 4.3.13.
“Burley Road affords views to the east”, and, “More panoramic and long distance views are available when travelling west along Burley Road.”
“Perhaps the most important view within the area is when travelling northwest along the gravel track from Burley Road into North Weirs ...”
My house is on that gravel track, and “the most important view” is adjacent to the Burley Road. I and the many people who walk and cycle that track enjoy the view. I also agree that the views when travelling out of Brockenhurst on the Burley Road are as nice as any in the forest.
But many of these views are about to be ruined by an unsightly series of eighteen bits of infrastructure being created to form traffic pinch points. This includes that “most important view”.
Please can you tell me whether you were consulted on this decision? If so, what was your response, and how did it take into account your own statements above?
Yours faithfully,
Allan Hendry, FRAeS
"30 September 2010
Dear My Hendry
Thank you for your letter of 17 September, in which you highlight your concerns regarding the pinch points recently implemented along the C11 road in Brockenhurst.
As you may be aware, this scheme has been progressed in response to concerns raised about road safety and animal accidents on the C11. The South Weirs Action Group (SWAG) has been particularly effective in generating support for a traffic calming scheme to reduce the number of animal accidents and vehicle speeds.
Hampshire County Council, as highway authority, has led on this scheme, and in February 2010 sought views on the proposals from the National Parks Authority. In response the Authority made the County Council aware of the likely visual impact of the scheme, stating that it would detract from the natural landscape features of the conservation area. It was also suggested that the pinch point structures be back filled with soil in order to create a more natural appearance.
The Authority is aware that the scheme is a pilot, and will be reviewed after 12months; the success of the scheme in reducing animal accidents and vehicle speeds will determine whether it is made permanent and we would hope to influence the design and appearance of any permanent scheme to ensure its visual impact was minimised.
This is one of a number of highway schemes where there is a requirement to carefully balance the landscape impacts against the road safety objectives of the scheme.
Yours sincerely, Alison Barnes."
18 October 2010
To Alison Barnes, Chief Executive
Dear Madam,
Re- the pinch points being placed on the Burley Road in Brockenhurst.
Thank you for your 30th Sept response to my letter of 17th September.
I have further information which would seem to make your agreement to this scheme even more incredible, and the justification set out in your letter extremely weak. I refer to planning application 08/93514. New dwelling on the land of Weirs End, Burley Road, Brockenhurst.
This land is next door to me, adjacent to one of the pinch points, and between two others.
Reasons for refusal:
1) ... this particular part of the village is situated opposite the open forest. It is also defined as an Area of Special Character in recognition of its more spacious and semi-rural character, and in such areas, development will only be permitted if it would not materially harm the character of the area. The proposal would therefore be contrary to Policies
DW-E1, DW-E11, ... of the adopted New Forest District Local Plan First Alteration.
4) The creation of a new vehicular access would result in the direct loss of verge habitat that is a designated feature of The New Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The site is of national importance and it is Government policy to protect SSSIs from the adverse affects of development. The proposed access is therefore contrary to policy DW-E37 of the New Forest District Local Plan First Alteration.
The quoted policies are:
Policy DW-E1 General development criteria. Development shall be appropriate and sympathetic in scale, appearance, materials, form, siting and layout, and shall not cause unacceptable effects by reason of visual intrusion, overlooking, shading or other adverse impact on local amenities.
Developers shall have regard to:
- the scale and siting of the proposal in relation to adjoining development, spaces, the character of the area and the wider landscape. This will involve consideration of .... land uses and landscape features on and off site, and other potential impacts of the proposal on local amenities e.g. noise, light or other forms of pollution, ...
- materials and built form in relation to the character of ... local vernacular ..
Policy DW-E11 Areas of Special Character. Within Areas of Special Character as defined on the proposals maps, development will only be permitted if it would not materially harm the character of the area.
Policy DW-E37 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) Development likely to harm a Site of Special Scientific Interest will be subject to special scrutiny and will not be permitted unless the reasons for the development clearly outweigh the harm to the special nature conservation value of the site and the national policy to safeguard such sites.
In summary, and taking into account my letter of 17th September, it would seem that in acquiescence to the wishes of the un-constituted, self-appointed and self interested group named in your letter, you have compromised your position on five key policies, being;
Core Strategy on Infrastructure in the Countryside.
Important Views in the Proposed Weirs Character and Conservation Areas.
General Development Criteria.
Areas of Special Character.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
These policies have been costly to create, and will undoubtedly be relied on in objections to many planning applications. I just cannot see how you properly took into account the policies above.
Were you made aware that neither the Brockenhurst Parish Council nor the Friends of Brockenhurst favoured pinch points as a solution to issues on the Burley Road?
Your statement about hoping to “influence the design and appearance of any permanent scheme” is also incredible. Have you seen these things? They will last 100 years. And no one took much notice of your “back filled with soil” idea, did they.
Also, as you inform me and give me opportunity to express my views about other adjacent planning proposals, should you not have done so with this? Otherwise, who do you think should have informed me and sought my views? These unsightly and dangerous obstacles will have an impact on the environment in which I have lived with my family for the last twenty-six years.
Yours faithfully, Allan Hendry, FRAeS
This letter also has the full support of my next door neighbour, Beresford Kennedy, now the owner of the house North Weirs.
