Iain Duncan Smith urges council to dismiss plans to develop 5 houses along Woodberry Way and listen to the concerns of local residents.
A planning application has been submitted to build 5 new houses on one of the steepest parts of Woodberry Way. Local MP Iain Duncan Smith met residents in Woodberry Way recently and is supporting residents objections saying the proposed planning application is deeply flawed.
Mr Duncan Smith said,
“I have written to the local Council, who have received a significant level of objection from the local community and it’s important the Council listen to the concerns of local residents in this case. The plans to make the development gated will open up a wealth of safety and community concerns. Namely, poor access for emergency and delivery vehicles, and will also create a closed off feel to the area along with being visually uncharacteristic with the surrounding aesthetic.”
“There is a big issue of drainage as the existing houses built on Woodberry Way are built on London clay; many of the gardens flood in torrential rain and in removing the topsoil and many tons of earth to make way for this development, this would have a devastating effect on the land and all the houses in the road. Subsidence is an issue in the road already, two residents have already had to move out of their decades old family home for this reason”.
Of particular note and serious concern to residents is the high-level positioning of the development and the impact that this will have on the privacy of surrounding properties. Plans for the development and the landscape of the site show that the new houses will overlook the homes and gardens surrounding it. This would no doubt greatly impact a number of residents right to privacy. The development is also sure to overshadow surrounding properties, cutting off valuable access to sunlight.
The proposed development location borders the edge of Epping Forest which enjoys a wealth of wildlife, such as badgers (which have been spotted in the Woodberry Way area and development site) and other woodland critters. A large development in the area would greatly disrupt the natural habitats of these animals, causing a great disturbance and the possible invasion of people’s gardens by these creatures.
Residents are hoping the Council will take into consideration all the objections put forward and refuse this application preserving the local community, wildlife, access and the safety of local residents.
