I am a local resident living near the site of proposed development under Planning Application DC/24/137745. This petition is personal to me and my neighbours because, if approved, this application will allow The Church in London to expand and alter the property behind houses on Pitfold Road and Woodyates Road in a way that could fundamentally harm our quality of life and damage the Open Space land we seek to preserve.  

There are several points within this objection to consider:

1. Violation of Original Conditions and Tri-Party Agreement
   • The original planning permission (granted 25 May 2001, Ref. LE/371/B/TP) included specific conditions to protect the community’s interests. Condition 2 specified that the Hall was to be used exclusively for religious worship by the Cheviot Trust, while Condition 5 required the permanent provision and retention of car parking facilities as shown in the approved drawings. Additionally, the tri-party agreement, a legally binding document, explicitly defined the development as “the erection of a meeting hall for worship” and based its approval on the original plan and conditions.
   • The current proposal to subdivide the Hall into multiple rooms and to relocate car parking areas not only disregards these conditions but also directly contravenes the tri-party agreement that underpinned the approval of the original design. This disregard for established agreements undermines community trust in the planning process and dismisses the agreements upon which residents have relied for over two decades.
2. Violation of Section 106 Agreement
   • The original planning permission is legally bound by Section 106, which prohibits alterations that would fundamentally change the Hall’s purpose or structure as approved. This agreement remains binding on all involved parties, including the church and any successors. Moving forward with this proposal would disregard the responsibilities defined in the agreement and erode the council’s enforcement of planning safeguards. Approving such alterations would weaken the integrity of legally binding planning conditions and set a concerning precedent.
3. Increased Noise and Disturbance
   • The proposed expansion, with additional windows and a patio area, implies a likely increase in outdoor events and gatherings. Such events would lead to higher noise levels, particularly on weekends when residents have a reasonable expectation of a quiet environment. This intrusion would be disruptive for all neighbouring households and would significantly diminish the quality of life for residents who previously depended on the peaceful nature of this area, as outlined in the original consultations and resident feedback documented on 9 December 1999 (Reg. No. 44047 & 44047B, Case File LE/371/B/TP).
   • In addition, the proposed air source heat pump would create significantly  more noise for the properties surrounding the hall.
4. Traffic and Parking Overload
   • The proposed changes to car park locations and functionality would also lead to a likely increase in traffic congestion and strain on nearby street parking. The permanent car parking areas provided under the original conditions were intended to prevent overflow into surrounding residential areas, a concern raised in community consultations. Repurposing and relocating these car parks could result in higher traffic and reduced parking availability on neighbouring roads, which many residents rely on daily. This change poses a clear safety risk, particularly for families and pedestrians.
5. Environmental Impact
   • The addition of outdoor spaces and increased activity would disrupt the local wildlife that inhabits the woodland areas around the Hall. The noise and movement associated with the expansion would degrade the natural habitat of various species, threatening biodiversity and contradicting the council’s commitment to environmental preservation. The council’s responsibility to protect the local environment is clear, and this proposal would be detrimental to that cause.  The proposed air source heat pump would require the felling to two trees, which would be hugely damaging to the ecosystem that the Open Space volunteers have been working so hard to preserve.
6. Disregard for Resident Welfare
   • The nature of this proposed expansion—designed to increase the Hall’s versatility and allow for gatherings that extend beyond religious worship—shows a lack of consideration for the welfare of local residents. The planned structural changes indicate an intent to hold larger and possibly louder gatherings, which would be especially disruptive on weekends, when community members expect a peaceful setting. This disregard for the well-being of residents directly conflicts with the community protections established by the original planning conditions.  
7. The Planning Application has THE WRONG POSTCODE (SE12 9JB, which related to houses on Pitfold Road only) which as a point on it's own should make the application (which is a document of record) invalid.  I understand the Church in London are in the process of trying to change their address, but at the time of putting the planning application live, this has not happened.

Therefore, we urge local planning authorities to reconsider the specifics of Planning Application DC/24/137745.

Kindly sign this petition to help us defend our peaceful community living.