Planners reject 'garden grabbing' application for nine new homes in Coseley
Dudley planners have rejected a plan for nine new homes in Coseley after branding the scheme ‘garden grabbing’.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
The plan, for a site on Avenue Road, proposed building in three blocks, one for four one-bedroom apartments, another for four houses with a planned occupation of four, five and seven people.
A further one bedroom house and parking for ten vehicles was also proposed.
Council officers were unimpressed by the plans, in a report on the application case officer James Mason said: “In regard to Block A, it is considered that the development would fail to provide an active frontage onto Avenue Road due to the siting of doors on the side elevation and result in development that appears discordant.”
The site, in a predominantly residential area, had previously been occupied by a large detached dwelling which had already been demolished.
The design was also found to be cramped and dominated by the car parking layout.
Mr Mason concluded: “The residential use of the site would be acceptable in principle however the proposed development within the existing residential curtilage would create an overly intensive and contrived form of ‘garden grabbing’.
“The development would create a high density scheme with poor design that appears as a cramped and contrived and have a form of development.”
In throwing out the plan Dudley head of planning, Carl Mellor found the scheme “would not secure a high quality design of development, and would fail to improve the distinctiveness, character and quality of the area and the way it functions”.
A statement from RCA Regeneration on behalf of Roseville Contracts Ltd supporting the development said: “The development broadly accords with the development plan.
“The submitted plans and elevations show the high-quality nature of the design, whilst making the most effective use of brownfield land.
“Overall, the proposed scheme addresses the constraints of the site, incorporating planting and landscaping to assist in integrating and softening the development into the wider landscape, whilst contributing to biodiversity.”
