Hello Supporters,

And a very Happy New Year to you all!

Residents and supporters will know from our last update and subsequent events that Taylor Wimpey withdrew their Reserved Matters Application P20/S2808/DIS when they were informed by SODC of its intention to reject that Application. This was a very short-lived victory, because shortly thereafter and registered by SODC on 08 November 2021, Taylor Wimpey submitted an application P21/S4524/DIS for the approval of a new Construction Management Plan, but still pursuant to their original Outline Planning Approval.

This application (to discharge condition 5) of the original consent, envisages proceeding with the grouting and vibro-compaction works on the site as part of that original Planning Permission. This is a second application to discharge condition 5, as an earlier, approved application did not envisage any grouting or vibro-compaction of the site at all.

We objected to this application, and shortly afterwards, SODC displayed on their web portal a further Application P21/S4749/LDP registered on 18 November (received by them on 9 November 2021).

This Application is for a Certificate of Lawfulness. This essentially asks SODC to confirm that the proposed grouting and vibro-compaction works are works that are permitted and included under the original outline planning permission and also the Certificate of Lawfulness issued by SODC on 6 November 2020. This new Application provided with it both a Lawyers opinion and also a leading barristers opinion that this assertion was correct.

TFAG has taken legal advice on this point, and in addition Engineering Advice on the revised method statement provided with Application P21/S4524/DIS.

As a result, we believe that those additional works are not works permitted by the extant Outline Planning Permission nor the Certificate of Lawfulness to build the 95 houses.

TFAG has therefore objected to these applications on the basis that SODC has previously advised residents (on 7th May 2021) that they also believe that those works are NOT included in the base Planning Permission and should be the subject of a fresh and separate planning application.

TFAG has no reason to believe that SODC is going to change its position of 7th May 2021. However, following the unexpected decisions in 2020 to approve the substantial (in our opinion) amendment to that original consent and also the then inevitable issuing of a certificate of lawfulness somewhat illogically and contrasting with the views of the responsible planning officers; we have to be sure that SODC will continue to maintain its stance in the matter.

TFAG’s letter of Objection is shown here, and there is also a template for local residents to join with us and object here.

We know that this process is lengthy and tiresome but unfortunately we have no control over the submissions that Taylor Wimpey choose to make, which have been a relentless effort to avoid having to make a completely new and fresh application on the site for these new/additional works.

We are now at a pivotal moment in this matter, as the decision to be taken by SODC is to either accept or reject Taylor Wimpey's Application.

Your voice and support has been overwhelming and very much appreciated, for which we thank you. If you are able to object to these latest moves by Taylor Wimpey to avoid a fresh application for this major bad neighbour engineering project, this would be very much appreciated.

Many thanks,

Peter