If you are distressed about today’s traffic chaos on Cambridge Road near Tesco and are concerned that the current planning appeal proposals for development on the land behind Tesco will make the situation worse, please read this letter and make your own representations to the Planning Inspectorate. Your Village Does Need You! Write by Monday, March 7th!

To Residents of Stansted Mountfitchet

27^th February 2016

Dear Fellow Residents of Stansted

MARCH 7^TH DEADLINE TO RESPOND ON AN APPEAL AGAINST REFUSAL OF PLANNING PERMISSION AT THE FORMER YOUR FURNISHED SITE BEHIND TESCO AT 14 CAMBRIDGE ROAD, STANSTED

I am writing to you as someone who has taken an interest in the future of our Cambridge Road area and the various developers’ attempts to gain planning permission – of the wrong type for this location.

You have until next Monday, March 7th to tell the Planning Inspectorate what you think about the appeal against last November’s refusal by Uttlesford of planning permission at 14 Cambridge Road, Stansted for 10 houses and 9,020ft² of commercial space.

Would you please write to the Planning Inspectorate on their planning portal at: https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk or by email to: teamp1@pins.gsi.gov.uk . Alternatively, THREE copies of letters and documents can be posted to: The Planning Inspectorate, 3/09 Kite Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Bristol BS1 6PN.

The appeal reference is: APP/C1570/W/15/3141191. The reference of the refused planning application is UTT/15/1666/FUL if you wish to look up the details on UDC’s website at http://www.uttlesford.gov.uk/applicationsearch.

As a minimum, please write to say you stand by your original representation or fully support the objections contained below. Better still write about your concerns. The following are my thoughts on what I will be telling the Inspector:

WHAT IS THE DAMAGING EFFECT OF THIS REFUSED APPLICATION?

The impact of increased vehicular traffic leaving the site between the existing Tesco store and the proposed new shop would increase dangers to pedestrians and motorists because sight lines are poor. Drivers’ ability to see pedestrians will be blocked by the wall of the Tesco store. The visibility of moving vehicles on the busy B1383 road is frequently obscured by large delivery vehicles in the delivery bay outside Tesco and by other vehicles legitimately parked on the roadside.

WHY WOULD AN ALLOWED APPEAL INCREASE THE LEVEL OF TRAFFIC COMPARED WITH PAST USES OF THE SITE?

The appellant wants to over-develop the site by building 10 homes and two commercial premises of 9,020 ft² floor area. A traffic level assessment has shown that the appealed scheme will generate 199 daily traffic movements compared with 64 under the previously authorised use; over three times the amount of traffic driving in and out. This scheme would be an over-development (too much crammed into the site) that would cause the higher traffic levels that would lead to a higher safety hazard.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER DEFECTS IN THE APPEALED DESIGN?

Yes. There are only about half the number of parking spaces needed to serve the commercial development. Many of the spaces are in tandem; i.e. one space behind another so that they would be used inefficiently and would be inconvenient to use. The people who live in the houses are likely to find that commercial visitors park outside their houses, so they will be blocked in and unable to leave their homes. Alternatively, the commercial workers and business visitors will park on Cambridge Road where they will aggravate a congested parking area; or they will take spaces in the adjacent public car park that has not been designed for use by new developments that are not self-sufficient with their own parking spaces. There is no designated disabled parking provision. The arrangements would be totally unsatisfactory and would lead to further congestion and chaos beyond that which I am sure you experience regularly.

SHOULD ANY DEVELOPMENT ON THIS SITE BE OPPOSED?

No. It is important that the site is regenerated with acceptable developments of the right design and scale and with adequate on-site parking provision.

SO IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE TO ALLOWING THIS APPEAL?

Yes. The site owner should employ a developer who will work with the local community, including the parish council, to design a scheme that will overcome as many of the traffic dangers and the chaos in Cambridge Road as are possible to achieve. This should include a one-way system for vehicles into the site from Cambridge Road but not back out at that hazardous point by Tesco. Vehicles could exit the site via the Crafton Green car park, which belongs to the parish council, and Chapel Hill. This would also allow a relief for existing parking congestion and disorder on Cambridge Road by providing a simple and ready access to the public car park for shoppers and others. By jointly redesigning both the appellant’s land and the parish council’s land a viable win-win scheme should be achievable that would bring sustainable, long-term benefits to this area of Stansted. [This is just one of the ways this could be achieved.]

You only have until 5 p.m. on Monday March 7^th. If you agree that Your Village Needs You, your individual support is needed. Please write to the Planning Inspectorate by the deadline!

Yours sincerely

Alan Dean

Member for Stansted North, Uttlesford District Council