Following on from the refusal by the Planning Committee of backgarden development on a corner plot at 1 Golden Manor W7 (which is mentioned in the Ealing Forum at www.ealingtoday.co.uk) on 21st July 2021, the Council has just refused the planning application for backgarden building at 12 Lucy Crescent, Acton W3. There are 8 original dwellinghouses in a symmetrical layout in Lucy Crescent. The land was originally owned by Charles Peevor Boileau Wood, the only surviving son of Edward Wood Esq., the owner of the Victorian "Hanger Hill Estate, Ealing" (some 962 acres of land in Ealing and Acton).  It was purchased from C.P.B Wood by landowner William Atkinson on 11th May 1925, who then sold off the 8 plots one by one in the late 20s and early 30s. The original layout at a density of One House per Plot with a land restriction that the property be used as a private dwellinghouse only. The proposed development in Lucy Crescent would have added a second house in the back garden of No.12.  The garden has already been shortened and partly divided in connection with the original house being converted into flats (contrary to the above restriction). The garden of No.12 is "Greenfield" land as in the other case at 1 Golden Manor.   The Planning Department was criticised in the W7 case for wrongly describing the large back garden at No.1 as "previously-developed land" ("Brownfield" like a derelict factory!).  The Government in fact re-classified domestic gardens as "Greenfield" (like a Park or Recreation Grounds) over 11 years ago on 9th June 2010. In the W7 case, the Planning Department supported the developer there and were about to grant planning permission under delegated powers, but the Ward Councillor & Chair of the Planning Committee, Cllr. Ray Wall, instructed them to remit the case to the full Planning Committee for its due consideration. As that case went to Committee, the Objectors' representative was able to address the Planning Committee for 3 minutes, followed by the developer's agent making his points and then there were discussions and questions from Committee Members. Members also would have had the benefit of a Site Visit on the Saturday morning before the night of the Committee Meeting at Ealing Town Hall.  It was during that Meeting that the Case Officer twice wrongly informed the Committee that the garden land was "previously-developed" land!   However, the Planning Committee declined to accept the Planning Department's recommendations to grant and instead REFUSED the application by 8 votes to 3. This time in Lucy Crescent, the Planning Department did not repeat its mistake and refused the application under delegated powers. Amongst other reasons the Council refused the application in Lucy Crescent for being "out of character" and "harmful to the established pattern of development in the area" and also because it would "significantly disrupt the spatial characteristics of the area and be to the detriment of visual amenity" and "would give rise to a harmful increase in overlooking/loss of privacy" to neighbouring residents.  Residents in three roads adjoining the back garden of Nos. 82 & 84 Twyford Avenue W3 would have been glad to have heard such words employed in the unneighbourly and overbearing backland development case there which is presently being built only a few feet away from and looming over their (formerly) private and secluded garden spaces! Victor Mishiku "The Covenant Movement"  vmfree@madasafish.com 9th September 2021 !

Entire Thread

Topic	Date Posted	Posted By
Backgarden development refused in Lucy Crescent but ....	09/09/21 23:58:00	Victor Mishiku
Re:Backgarden development refused in Lucy Crescent but ....	10/09/21 13:12:00	Philippa Bond
Re:Re:Backgarden development refused in Lucy Crescent but ....	10/09/21 13:12:00	Philippa Bond
A Garden - Do they know it's Greenfield?	22/10/21 13:06:00	Victor Mishiku

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