Land at 1-5 Hillside, Portsmouth Road, Esher, Surrey
Public Consultation
Introduction
Beechcroft Developments Limited and Moore Place Developments Limited (the Appellants) have lodged a planning appeal regarding land at 1-5 Hillside, Portsmouth Road, Esher, Surrey.
The appeal follows the refusal of planning permission by Elmbridge Borough Council (“the LPA”) following an application for full planning permission (LPA ref: 2023/3173) for a proposed development at the above site with the following description of development:
“Erection of 38no. use class C3 retirement homes along with vehicular and pedestrian access, internal roads, car parking, amenity space, landscaping, drainage, and other associated works and infrastructure including alteration of site levels (includes reapplying for 18no. dwellings which already have planning permission under LPA ref. 2018/3678)”
The appeal will be heard at a Public Inquiry that is going to open on 8th January 2025. After submitting the appeal, the Appellants made a “Wheatcroft Application” in late October and invited the Inspector to determine the appeal on the basis of slightly amended plans and elevations associated with the proposed Hillside 2 building and an updated Daylight / Sunlight Assessment, dated 24th October 2024. Those plans and reports were uploaded to this website which was then cited on notice letters to local residents, a local newspaper advert and on notices placed adjacent to the appeal site on lampposts located on Portsmouth Road. We provided those wishing to comment a 21 day consultation period, which ended on 29th November 2024.
The appellant has now made a further “Wheatcroft Application” to the Inspector on 4th December 2024 and has proposed a further minor amendment to the plans relating to one of the refuse areas located towards the northern boundary of the site. The updated plans replace this refuse area with some additional semi-mature tree planting (4 Hornbeam trees at approximately 9m height will be planted which will replace several sycamore trees that are currently located in this position). The refuse area will be relocated to an underutilised part of the proposed Hillside 2 building basement area. The proposed changes only relate to the proposed building to the rear of the site (‘Hillside 2’) and the landscaping measures along the northern boundary of the site.
This website has been updated to present the amended plans to the local community to receive comments and views on the proposed development. Further information on the Wheatcroft Amendment can be found by clicking the ‘Context’ tab and the updated plans a can be found by clicking the ‘Updated Plans (Wheatcroft 2)’ tab. The previously updated plans and report can be found on the Council website.
All of the original plans and documents relating to the original planning application can be viewed on the Elmbridge Borough Council website. The portal can be accessed from:
https://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/planning/find-or-comment-planning-application
Please enter the planning application reference 2023/3173 in the search bar.
Site Location plan
Context
The amendments proposed result in a very limited physical change to the development and one which we believe does not alter the nature of the proposal. Indeed, the changes do not alter the description of development, the application boundary or the number of retirement homes proposed.
The only changes proposed include relocating one of the refuse areas located towards the northern boundary of the site and replacing this with some additional semi-mature tree planting (which will replace several sycamore trees that are currently located in this position). The refuse area will be relocated to an underutilised part of the proposed Hillside 2 building basement area. The proposed changes only relate to the proposed building to the rear of the site (‘Hillside 2’) and the landscaping measures along the northern boundary of the site.
The Proposed Changes
The changes that are proposed as part of the Wheatcroft application include the following:
a.Removal of Refuse Enclosure 2 from the northern boundary of the site to an area within an area of the basement of the Hillside 2 building that was not previously being utilised.
b.The planting of 4, Hornbeam trees at approx. 9m height, within the area previously identified as Refuse Enclosure 2 (thereby replacing some Sycamore trees currently located on this part of the site).
An additional period of consultation is now being conducted to allow interested parties the opportunity to make comments on the amended plans which can be found on the Updated Plans (Wheatcroft 2) tab. These amended plans can also be found on Elmbridge Borough Council’s website: https://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/planning/find-or-comment-planning-application
Please enter the planning application reference 2023/3173 in the search bar.
Contact & Feedback
If you wish to make any comments, please ensure that they are returned to Pegasus Group (33 Sheep Street, Cirencester, GL7 1RQ) by no later than 3pm on 3rd January 2025. They will then be forwarded on to the Inspector prior to the opening of the Public Inquiry to be considered alongside all other consultation responses that have been received on this appeal.
Please provide any further comments you have on the updated plans and report for the proposed development in the text box below.
Alternatively, comments can be posted to:
33 Sheep Street, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1RQ
Please ensure that all comments quote the application reference 2023/3173 and the appeal reference APP/K3605/W/24/3350737.
By responding to this consultation by post or email, you consent to the use of your data for the purposes of research relating to this application only. Any personal information collected will be used by Pegasus Group in accordance with data protection legislation and our Privacy Notice* and will only be retained for as long as is necessary for the purpose of preparing and submitting the planning application.
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