‘Triangle field’ meeting to be rushed before outgoing DPA

It is proposed that two three-bedroom houses be built on a triangular field called La Pointe, which is located in the Vale opposite the entrance to the Braye Road Industrial Estate.

The planning application is the latest iteration of proposals to build houses on the site and is the smallest yet.

But it has still run into difficulties. The professional planners have recommended that it get permission, but at an open planning meeting on 1 October the three members sitting from the Development & Planning Authority political board were divided.

DPA president Dawn Tindall, who was not re-elected this week, said no. Vice-president Victoria Oliver, who was re-elected, said yes, and Alderney representative Alex Snowdon abstained.

This caused the decision to be deferred so extra details could be sought. Now the documentation has been released ready for an open planning meeting on Thursday.

The quick rescheduling is to allow the same members to sit, as opposed to a new board, which will appointed the following week.

One of the issues was clarifying whether the root areas of the protected trees around the field were being adequately shielded from the new development.

To address this it is proposed that a planning condition be expanded to state that each tree must be protected for the duration of building operations.

Within the areas agreed to be protected, except for mulching, the existing ground level must not be raised or lowered, and no materials or temporary building or surplus soil of any kind shall be placed or stored thereon.

Any trenches must be excavated and backfilled by hand and any tree roots with a diameter of 5cm or more must be left unsevered.

There were also concerns that the design of the dwellings could be better to help the structures fit in with the area.

This led to amended plans, involving minor alterations to the location of the proposed dwellings, the extent of hard surfacing surrounding them, and their external appearance.

‘Following consideration of the amended plans, and as previously concluded, the proposed development represents a carefully considered and coherent architectural design, which subject to the imposition of conditions to control fine constructional detailing is considered to represent a particularly high standard of design,’ the planners said in making their recommendation.

The issues to be discussed at the open planning meeting will be limited to the protection of trees and design of the buildings. Anyone opposing has to confine their comments to these issues.

. The meeting will be held in the Saumarez Room at Beau Sejour at 2.30pm on Thursday.