Controversial Whitestake retirement development looks set to be refused by planning bosses

Members of South Ribble Borough Council’s planning committee will decide tomorrow (Thursday, July 6) on whether to allow 10 bungalows to be build on land adjcent to The Fields off Long Moss Lane, Whitestake.

They have been advised by officers to reject the application.

What are the proposals?

Applicant Michael Ellis is seeking outline permission to build 10 retirement bungalows with amenity space on land on the edge of New Longton and Whitestake.

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Agent Robert Gifford von Schiller said: “This proposal offers a unique community setting which will provide small one and two bedroom bungalows to people wanting to downsize and release their homes to future generations.”

Calling the site ‘infill’, he argued that South Ribble Borough Council has a shortage of this type of development and the units would either be developed by the applicant and rented or sold or the the site could be operated by the council.

What have people said?

Forty-one neighbouring properties have been consulted with 13 letters of objection received.

Concerns expressed include that the proposal would result in a harmful impact to neighbouring amenity by overlooking and overbearing, and that the local service infrastructure does not have capacity for the number of dwellings proposed.

Longton Parish Council has objected to the application on the grounds that it is contrary to planning policy.

“Inappropriate development”

In a report, planning officer Daniel Power said: “The proposed development of the site for residential retirement properties would constitute inappropriate development. “While the application is in outline form, it is evident that the scale and nature of the development on currently open, undeveloped site would have a significant impact on openness and a negative impact on the character and appearance of the local area. The application is therefore contrary to

policy G4 of the Local Plan.”

He added that the submitted plan shows the bungalows “cramped to the southern side of the site, with small garden areas, a footpath only to the front of

the development and not serviced to all of the dwellings.”

It has also been noted that some of the garden areas “are significantly below the guidance of 10 metres and provide little private amenity space.”