From WildCookhamWe urgently need your help before the end of this coming Sunday (5 January 2020) .
We need large numbers of objections to be sent to the Council about their own planning application that will negatively affect wildlife at Battlemead.
It will only take 10-15 minutes of your time and could make all the difference.
The situation
1. RBWM has put in a new planning application for a large car park at Battlemead.
2. Battlemead is a species-rich, quiet site, unsuited to the presence of large numbers of people (and their dogs). A larger car park is very likely to attract professional dog-walkers which would be highly detrimental to the biodiversity of the site.
3. We don’t disagree with having parking there, but the Council has applied for planning permission to create 26 parking spaces. We think that 14 spaces would be more than sufficient and would cost less money to create.
4. The Wild Maidenhead core team and species experts consider this scale of parking to be excessive – completely out of scale with similar sites elsewhere in the Borough and entirely at odds with a site where protecting the biodiversity is the primary goal (RBWM Terms of Reference for the site).
What we need you to do
If you agree, prepare an objection based on the text below and submit it before the end of Sunday.
How to submit your objection:
1. Go to
http://publicaccess.rbwm.gov.uk/online-applications/, log in (or register if you haven't used this portal before) and enter the planning reference: 19/03103/FULL. Then click 'Make a Comment'. Choose 'Member of the Public but NOT neighbour', click Object, then paste your text into the box. There is a 2,000 character limit, and the suggested text below is shorter than that. Make sure you add your full name and full address including postcode.
or
2. Email your letter to
planning.maidenhead@rbwm.gov.uk, ensuring that you include your full name and full address including postcode.
NOTES:
- Your objection will have more effect if you write it in your own words, using the information below as a basis. (Note that your comments will be visible on the RBWM system as a public objection.)
- The reference to biodiversity loss and the National Planning Policy Framework in the first two paragraphs is a legal basis for objection and is the most powerful argument against it. The arguments about cost, comparative sites and the trees are also good and worth including.
We send you our sincere thanks for supporting this work.
Regards
The Wild Maidenhead team
+++
TEXT ON WHICH TO BASE YOUR OBJECTION(If using email to
planning.maidenhead@rbwm.gov.uk, the subject line can be: Objection to planning application 19/03103/FULL. Battlemead Common, and include the words in blue below as well as your version of the remaining text)
Dear Ms Pugh,
19/03103/FULL. Battlemead Common. Part change of use from agricultural land to a car park with 26 spaces, 8 cycle spaces and associated works.
I am writing to OBJECT to this planning application on the grounds that it will cause a net loss in biodiversity contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework.
The application proposes 26 car parking spaces. I believe this number of spaces is excessive given the importance of the site as a nature area. This many spaces could result in up to a hundred visitors and dog-walkers being present on the site, which would significantly disturb wildlife, including protected species. Litter and dogs’ mess would also have a negative effect upon the site’s habitats.
I am also concerned that the location of the car park may be too close to the root zone of the surrounding trees, which would cause unacceptable harm to the trees. I note with concern that the Tree Officer’s report records that preparatory works have already caused damage to trees.
I cannot see how such a large car park can be justified. It is a waste of money to build something so big without justification. A similar site, Dorney Wetlands, is popular for dog-walking and birdwatching but only has 14 spaces in its car park.
Regards
Add your full name
Add your full address including postcode
The online form on the Borough planning website is saying that it is closed for comments on this application. But, as stated in our last message, you can email your comments. These should go to both the Case Officer for the application - Claire Pugh - and to the general planning email address. So it's
claire.pugh@rbwm.gov.uk and
planning@rbwm.gov.uk.
