Planners put priority on community land
By Jo Deeks on Thursday, 23rd May 2002.
Land should be handed over for community use before the first property is sold at a huge planned housing development in Haverhill, town council planners have agreed.
The council’s Planning committee was considering amended plans for 398 homes at the Hales Barn Farm site from Wilcon Homes.
Original plans for the site were called in by the Government as greenfield development on which a public inquiry should be held.
The developers have submitted amended plans and other documents in support of them to try to avoid this.
The planners agreed on strict conditions that should be applied if the plan were approved.
They asked that land for community use should be transferred to the ownership of the town or borough council before the first property was sold.
Before the 25th property was sold, they said the developer should, at its own expense, have started building a community facility on the site, with designs approved by the town council.
This should be completed before the sale of the 250th property and then owned by either the town or borough council.
Town clerk Gordon Mussett said townspeople had learned from the experience of Hanchett End and wanted to avoid the same situation. It was no use having the land for a community facility if there was no money to build it.
“We think they ought to put something back into the town,” Mr Mussett said.
The committee is also asking for non-pollutant lighting to be used on the site, anti-crime housing standards to be met and for two play areas to be moved away from roads.
St Edmundsbury Borough Council will have the final say.
The council’s Planning committee was considering amended plans for 398 homes at the Hales Barn Farm site from Wilcon Homes.
Original plans for the site were called in by the Government as greenfield development on which a public inquiry should be held.
The developers have submitted amended plans and other documents in support of them to try to avoid this.
The planners agreed on strict conditions that should be applied if the plan were approved.
They asked that land for community use should be transferred to the ownership of the town or borough council before the first property was sold.
Before the 25th property was sold, they said the developer should, at its own expense, have started building a community facility on the site, with designs approved by the town council.
This should be completed before the sale of the 250th property and then owned by either the town or borough council.
Town clerk Gordon Mussett said townspeople had learned from the experience of Hanchett End and wanted to avoid the same situation. It was no use having the land for a community facility if there was no money to build it.
“We think they ought to put something back into the town,” Mr Mussett said.
The committee is also asking for non-pollutant lighting to be used on the site, anti-crime housing standards to be met and for two play areas to be moved away from roads.
St Edmundsbury Borough Council will have the final say.
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