Crest Nicholson has submitted detailed plans for development of Phase 5 of the Foldgate Lane scheme (21/05961/FUL). This is the housing area nearest the retail park. Forty-two homes will be built, of which eleven will be affordable. Four of the homes will be bungalows. The total number of houses on the development has been increased from 137 to 179 dwellings. I have asked planners whether this can be done without a variation to the original outline planning permission which caps the number of homes at 137. The additional homes will increase traffic at the new T-junction onto the A49. However, we desperately need more affordable homes in Ludlow and there will be an increase in the number of affordable houses on the development from 33 to 44. I am expecting this scheme to be approved by council planning officers.
Tag: Foldgate Lane
Foldgate Lane development will have smaller houses and contractors will work later into the evening
The housing market is always changing. The Foldgate Lane housing scheme is limited to 137 dwellings under its planning permission. Developer Crest Nicholson has decided the current market demands smaller two or three bedroom homes. It has reduced the size of homes in the first phase of the development and increased the number of market dwellings from 14 to 21. To keep within the cap of 137 homes, the later phases will have larger homes than previously planned. Under emergency coronavirus legislation, Crest Nicholson has been given permission to work until 7.30pm on weekdays and 5pm on Saturdays. Work has yet to restart on the site following the lockdown.
Mass tree felling on Foldgate Lane for road access – the planning system has failed us and the environment
In the last few days, hundreds of trees have been felled on both sides of the A49 south of the Sheet roundabout. This is to create space for a T-Junction. This will be the only road access to the controversial Crest Nicholson development of 137 homes. We have lost more than 100 trees in the last few days. New trees will be planted in their place. But it will be four or five decades before they store as much carbon. Host as much wildlife. Muffle the traffic noise from the A49. The planning system has failed us. It has failed the environment.
Work begins on Foldgate Lane housing but its not a great start – 100 trees to come down this week
Contractors moved onto the Foldgate Lane site last Monday. They are setting up a construction compound ahead of felling more than 100 trees from tomorrow (Monday 9 December). A couple of dozen heavy trucks have already driven along Foldgate Lane to deliver stone, machinery and cabins. This is in breach of planning permission, which states clearly that the lane cannot be used for construction access. This is not an impressive start to this development which has been controversial from the moment the application was submitted. There is no need to fell over 100 trees along the A49 because an alternative access could be used. Officers have told Crest Nicholson that the tree trunks cannot be taken off site along Foldgate Lane.
Success after plan to construct housing using haul road along Foldgate Lane is abandoned
Representatives from Ludford parish council and Ludlow Town Council, along with Viv Parry and myself, met with Crest Nicholson on 3 October to discuss temporary construction access to the Foldgate Lane development. The housing developer has planned to create a haul road entered from Foldgate Lane to begin construction on the site. This was opposed by all councillors at the meeting. Now, Crest Nicholson has abandoned that plan. It will instead construct the site from an access from the A49 as set out in the original planning permission. Details of that access are not yet available.