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Posted on the old forum 18/04/06

Mr L Wiggins
Development Control Manager
Council Offices
Adam and Eve Street
Market Harborough
Leicestershire
LE16 7AG


18 April 2006


Dear Mr Wiggins


RE: PLANNING APPLICATION NO 06/00502/OUT

Proposed erection of warehouse and offices, Land rear of Flectcher House, Marlborough Drive, Fleckney by Suncrest Trading Ltd

I write in connection with the above planning application, I have examined the plans and I know the site well. I wish to object strongly to the development of a warehouse and offices in this location on the following points:

1. Dominant and oppressive environment created by the proposal
Another large industrial factory in a small rural village will undoubtedly create excessive noise and will diminish the natural light into the surrounding houses. Furthermore, in the winter this will result in light pollution from factory and security lighting.

2. Design out of keeping with the character of the area
The proposed siting of the development is particularly unfortunate and against public interest as it is on a Greenfield site used by many villagers for recreation and walking dogs. Building here would diminish both the view and aesthetics of this rural location which includes several trees and supports local wildlife such as foxes, badgers and kestrels. This development directly contravenes government policy PPS7 on the continued protection of open countryside for the benefit of all.

3. Excessive noise
The noise and disruption caused by the construction of this site and by the loading/unloading of lorries and parking of the 20 extra cars plus accommodating 60 extra staff vehicles will be an invasion of privacy to all surrounding residents. Not to mention the additional noise created by factory alarms and telephone systems unless an adequate sound barrier is put into place. The proposal also increases through traffic to the area significantly and is therefore contrary to paragraph 10 of PPG4 which is to discourage new development where it would be likely to add unacceptably to congestion.


4. Loss of privacy / visual intrusiveness
Our property, especially the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen windows will look directly onto the factory and car park thus causing a grave invasion of privacy.

5. Impact on rural area
The proposal will set an alarming precedent encouraging further projects that would then prove difficult to resist. Problems already caused by the existing industrial estate will be further exacerbated. At present, we are blighted by teenagers using the area at night to race cars and by large foreign articulated lorries parked up overnight and leaving rubbish.

Fleckney is a small rural village which does not have the infrastructure to support the existing industrial estate let alone any addition to this. There are several units in this area that are empty and not being utilised – it would surely be a better use of resources to redevelop these. As government policy states in PPS7, “Priority should be given to the re-use of previously-developed ('brownfield') sites in preference to the development of greenfield sites”

If this planning application is to be decided by councillors, please take this letter as notice that I would like to be informed of the meeting date at which this application is expected to be discussed.


Yours faithfully

MR T J KING
Email: tim_king@hotmail.co.uk