Green light for new homes despite ‘privacy’ fears from neighbours

The new homes in Coventry will be an “imposing block”, one resident has said. Plans for eight houses next to Pond Farm House in Eastern Green were approved by councilors at a meeting last week, July 18.

But the scheme has been hit by multiple objections and one neighbor raised concerns about how it would affect their view and privacy. Jon Dent told members of the council’s planning committee: “What I see when I look at the proposed development is just an imposing block in front of me.

“A huge amount of windows looking in, right in and an extreme invasion of my privacy right into my garden and right into my house.” Mr Dent, who lives on Upper Eastern Green Lane, said the outlook from his home was “excellent” and would not be affected by planned urban sprawl nearby.

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He also wished he had been warned about the plans, telling councillors: “We have just completed a refurbishment and extension to that property and have put quite a lot of money into it, in excess of £150,000.

“What I see now is a proposed development that is very likely to devalue my property. It would have been good last year if I had known this was coming, which was previously discussed, I may not have bothered to make those changes. at home myself”.

But a planning consultant for applicants Kingswood Properties said the development would not adversely affect neighbours. Ellie Jones said the houses met the council’s standards for setback distances and would be more than 20 meters from properties on Upper Eastern Green Lane.

The new homes are also designed so their windows don’t face directly onto the homes on that road, she said. They will have low eaves to help reduce the impact of their height and also a ‘substantial hedge’ of trees.

Ms Jones also pointed out that concerns about housing devaluation and loss of views are not so-called “material” considerations, meaning they cannot be factored into planning decisions. She emphasized that the scheme was of “high quality” and pointed out that council officers supported the plans.

Residents have a ‘right to say what they feel’

In debating the plans, councilors agreed they could not consider the effect on views or property values. But they stressed that residents’ concerns were important, with Cllr Catherine Miks (Lab, Lower Stoke) saying: “The developers may be right that residents’ concerns are not materialistic (sic) planning considerations, but they have a right to say how they feel. this development will affect them.

“Because we’re trying to build communities, not just houses, communities.” She later added: “I know what we have to do and what the planning considerations are, but our residents matter too.”

A council planning officer said the scheme was “well designed” and officers had spent “a considerable amount of time” getting amendments to make the heights acceptable and ensure the number of houses was not too dense. “I think we have a very nice scheme here,” she added.

But while Cllr Jackie Gardiner (Con, Sherbourne) agreed with officers that it “looks like a high-quality scheme”, she told the resident she had “every sympathy for the position you are in”.

“To invest in your home and then find out the very thing that you love so much is going to be taken away is (a) very, very hard thing to swallow.” But she said the planning board is not allowed to give any weight to that and also added that the city must provide housing.

“I don’t see how we could ever defend that position on appeal, so I think we’ve done it, we have to approve that here today,” she concluded. Cllr Kevin Maton (Lab, Henley) also called for planning applications to encourage those applying to talk to neighbors or local residents.

“I think it’s disappointing that in this case it didn’t happen. I think a lot of issues could have been solved or at least understood if that had happened.” He added: “I think a message just needs to get back that there’s nothing wrong with talking about what you want to do so there’s a better understanding.”

The majority of councilors on the committee voted in favor of approving the plans.

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