A potential lack of privacy to a number of existing properties in Oakdale has led to plans for four new homes on a former Scout hall site being turned down.
The proposed development was for four terraced houses to be built, plus associated ground and access works, on the derelict 1st Oakdale Scouts Group hall site.
Members of Caerphilly County Borough Council’s planning committee voted down the proposals, following a recommendation from officers, during their meeting on Wednesday, May 23.
Addressing the committee, Cllr Ray Saralis said: “The most obvious of these reasons for objection is the invasion of privacy to the property immediately adjacent to the development,” said the Labour ward member for Penmaen.
“Officers make reference to the loss of privacy in their statement but totally dismiss it with misleading and unjustified statements.
“Neither do they make reference to the significant issues over rights of privacy which are equally important as stated in planning guidelines and can be defended in law under the Human Rights Act.”
Cllr Saralis added: “By protecting a person’s right to privacy is an important way of showing that respect.
“Planning guidelines endorse this stating a person has a right of privacy in their garden.
“A person has the right to use an area of their garden where they are not overlooked.
“This I would think in terms of a development is a recipe for neighbour conflict.”
Members discussed the possibility of installing windows in the new terraced houses with obscured glass or opening in a certain way that would limit the view.
However, the committee voted in favour of recommending the proposal for refusal.
Isnt it funny how small private developments get rejected by the council, yet housing proposals put forward by the council are allowed to build where and when they like with out any objections. If they are rejected it goes to the Cardiff bay talking shop and is reinstagated. This smells of corruption. Rule 1 unless you are the council you cant build new homes. Rule 2 unless you are a housing assocation who can give money to the council you can build new homes. Rule 3 private builds who provide no money are not allowed to build.
As a small private developer or self builder you are made to jump through burning hoops and forced to pay thousands of pounds having totally unnecessary reports and tests carried out before Caerphilly Council will even look at your planning application, then they will spend the best part of two years putting you through the wringer and charging you for yet more unnecessary reports before they will make a decision – then the planning officer will not actually make the decision because he is scared to make a decision, he will send it to committee for them to make the decision thus dissolving himself of all responsibility for doing a job they are paid to do.
If you still have the will to continue and have been granted your planning application after paying Caerphilly Council their pound of flesh – the community infrastructure levy, you may then commence your build – then the fun really starts once the building regs officer gets his teeth into you.
Why folk then want to build another is beyond me.
Cross my Hand with Sliver and i will give you anything you want in the planing department.
As a builder surveyor for a council I can assure you that Planning make it just as difficult for the Council to build anything as they do anyone else. The exception is companies like the big supermarkets who can build what they want and where they want because they have the money to tie up a local authority in courts for years. Money talks and bull**** walks and the general public will always be the underdog sadly.
Does anyone know who actually owns this building