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ii It is unclear to us whether or not the proposed houses are to be provided with detached
garages. If these are not part of the proposal, it is very probable that the occupants would
wish to erect these in the future, as well as perhaps house extensions or, under Permitted
Development Rights, other desirable ancillary buildings such as sheds and summerhouses.
All this would increase density and bulk, impact upon openness; and result in further
'suburbanisation' – something the Planning Inspector regarded as unacceptable when coming
to her decision.

b) Impact upon the character of the area As the Inspector recognised, conversion of the
site to one of residential development would significantly change its character and create
urban sprawl in upper Parsonage Lane. This part of the Lane is semi-rural in character – the
application site being located on a bridle path leading to Chalk Wood and Joydens Wood, one
used both by horse riders and by ramblers. Its buildings may be ramshackle, but they are no
more than one would expect to see in a semi-rural area.

NB The application form states that the site cannot be seen from a public road. This is untrue.

c) Impact on vehicular usage

The occupants of the proposed new dwellings would create a significant impact on current
road usage, ie the coming and going of six cars seven days a week instead of that of workers
travelling to and from the site on weekdays, or visitors to the kennels, were these commercial
operations to be re-opened for business as is 'threatened' in para 4.18 of the applicant's
Planning, Design and Access Statement.

Of particular concern is the size of the vehicles that would be needed to service the three new
dwellings, eg weekly refuse lorries and oil delivery vehicles (there is no gas supply in the
area). The residents of the cottages in upper Parsonage Lane already suffer many problems
from this kind of traffic along this very narrow road. For the horse riders and walkers
regularly using this part of Parsonage Lane - and the bridle path upon which the application
site stands- there would be a significant increase in both nuisance and danger.

d) Impact upon services These are already stretched in this area, ie low water pressure, the
overhead power supply, appallingly slow broadband and inadequate mains drainage. Also,
over the past year or so the residents of Parsonage Lane have had to endure repeated water
leaks – and road closures- due to the damage done by vehicles over a road where the drainage
pipes lie close to the surface, being protected by no more than the clay in which they sit.
Thames Water now regard this area as a High Risk one. And residents are currently suffering
fresh leaks, with yet another road closure being planned.

e) Setting a precedent If planning permission for residences were to be granted in this case,
it would open the door to Forest View Stables (opposite Orchard View Farm) to renew its
application to build a bungalow. Their recent Appeal to the Inspectorate* was rejected on the
grounds that it would be an “inappropriate development in the terms set out in the Framework
and would lead to a small but significant loss of openness to the Green Belt”. We see this
decision as one applying equally to the current application from Orchard View Farm.

*APP/D5120/A/14/2212677 (Bexley 13/01826/FUL)