For what seemed a considerable time, it was difficult for residents to persuade Elmbridge’s Councillors and Officers that a lack of off-street parking provision constituted sufficient grounds for refusing a planning application, despite the requirements laid down in Policy DM7 b) of Elmbridge’s Development Management Plan 2015.
Following the Inspector’s refusal of an appeal decided in respect of 85 Queens Road in March 2021 (Appeal Ref: APP/K3605/W/20/3259759) the Inspector recently refused another appeal, this time in respect of 91 Queens Road, Weybridge (Appeal Ref: APP/K3605/W/21/3271737) citing parking as one of the main reasons ( See item 3, below).
In addition, Elmbridge’s South Area Planning Committee has recently rejected a number of applications on similar grounds (See items 2, 6 and 7 below)
It would appear that residents’ concerns regarding saturation parking are at last being heeded, at least by elected representatives. Hopefully, this will start to be reflected in Elmbridge Officers’ reports and in due course will influence developers and the applications they make.
Parking in the Triangle
Residents will already be aware that the findings from the 2020Parking Survey were fed into Surrey CC and then discussed in a meeting involving Cllr Tim Oliver and a representative from SCC Parking Department.
In view of the need to address the Triangle holistically and take into account the needs of both residents and businesses, Surrey’s advice was to include the Triangle in the Atkins Study, which is considering traffic and parking in Weybridge.
This study is currently underway and is expected to be completed in February.
Planning application 2021/2765, 85 Queens Road on land to the Northwest of Campbell Cottage and No. 1 Beacon Mews, South Road Surrey KT13 9DZ
This was an application for the construction of a two-storey building comprising two semi-detached cottages to the rear of 85 Queens Road on land to the Northwest of Campbell Cottage and No. 1 Beacon Mews, South Road, Weybridge.
No off-street parking was proposed.
The application was refused on the grounds that: The proposed development, by reason of its zero parking provision for the building as a whole, would result in an increase in on-street parking stress, detrimental to the amenities of local residents. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policy DM7 b) of the Development Management Plan 2015.
Appeal, 91 Queens Road, Weybridge, KT13 9UQ Appeal Reference APP/K3605/W/21/3271737 in respect of Planning Application 2020/1007
The appeal was refused. One of the principal reasons was parking. The Inspector’s report can be accessed here. Paragraphs 4-10 are particularly relevant.
Planning application 2021/2558 in respect of 85 and Land rear of 85 Queens Road Weybridge Surrey KT13 9UQ.
This application is for a detached two-storey building, ostensibly for retail space and storage with no provision for off-street parking.
The plans are for a two-storey building suitable ready for easy, almost immediate conversion into 4 apartments.
This application was approved at the South Area Planning Committee on 9th December 2021, subject to conditions strengthened with additional wording to prevent change of use to housing or retail.
The official decision has still to be posted on the Elmbridge Planning website.
The application was for a roof extension creating a fourth floor on top of the former Café Rouge building, incorporating a roof ridge height of 2.4m to create a 2-bedroom 3-person apartment with a front balcony.
This was refused for, among other more technical reasons, the following: The proposed development by virtue of its design, scale, form and materials would be harmful to the character and appearance of the host building. It would thereby conflict with Policies DM2 and DM12 Elmbridge Local Plan, Policies CS4 and CS17 of the Elmbridge Core Strategy, Design and Character Supplementary Planning Document (2012) and the National Planning Policy Framework 2021.
Land North West Of Campbell Cottage And 1 Beacon Mews South Road Weybridge Surrey KT13 9DX(Application2020/3213)
was an outline application for a detached two-storey building to provide 4 flats (28 objections),
No off-street parking was proposed in this application.
It was refused for, among other more technical reasons, the following: The proposed development, by reason of its zero parking provision for the building as a whole, would result in an increase in on-street parking stress, detrimental to the amenities of local residents. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policy DM7 b) of the Development Management Plan 2015.
Land North West Of Campbell Cottage And 1 Beacon Mews South Road Weybridge Surrey KT13 9DX(Applications2020/3188 and2020/3190)
The applications are as follows:
Outline application for a detached two-storey building to provide offices for use by the visually impaired (24 objections to date)
Outline application for a detached two-storey building to display works of art (not for sale) (24 objections to date)
No off-street parking was proposed in either of these applications.
Both were refused. For the former, lack of parking provision was the sole reason. For the latter, it was one of two reasons. The wording relating to parking was as follows.
The proposed development, by reason of its zero parking provision for the building as a whole, would result in an increase in on-street parking stress, detrimental to the amenities of local residents. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policy DM7 b) of the Development Management Plan 2015
This is an application for a detached, three-storey block of 10 flats following demolition of existing house. Approval has already been granted at appeal (2019/0657) and subsequently amended (2020/2291) for a three-storey block of 9 flats. Wessex has now been demolished and building work is already under way on the site, presumably in accordance with the permission given for a nine-flat development. The developer would appear to be seeking to increase its profitability by this intensification.
This change would have little apparent impact on the dimensions of the building. However, an additional apartment would add further to cumulative parking pressures. As the Inspector discounted lack of off-street parking provision in the appeal, saying there would be parking availability in neighbouring roads which are not protected by parking restrictions, objections on these grounds in this instance are unlikely to be sustained.
7 objections have been lodged which means the decision will be delegated to the Planning Officer.
The application remains ‘under consideration’.
TRG Committee & Communications
Triangle residents who would like to join the Committee or participate in TRG activities should email trgweybridge@gmail.com or speak to Nick Thripp on 01932 855579.
TRG normally communicates with residents via email. Please let us know at trgweybridge@gmail.com if you would like to be added to our e-mail list. The TRG Committee (Nick Thripp, Dave Arnold, Ferdi Fischer, Greg Popper and Alan Wright)
