3-31 Runwell Road

This development for a huge block of flats at the entrance to the town illustrates how the planning process can be used by clever developers to over-ride the wishes of local people and even the council. The 5 storey block will be built on the site of the empty Citroen car showroom on Runwell Road, opposite the Texaco garage.

view from Runwell Road	view from the cricket ground
(click picture to see before & after)

A number of planning applications have been submitted by Butie Limited, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, where directors can remain anonymous. We have so far been unable to find out who they are for sure, but our spies inform us that a Chelmsford councillor is one!. The plans are for a block of flats at 3-31 Runwell Road, currently a car sales plot.  06/00001/FULL was submitted in January 2006 for a 5 storey block of 84 flats, with retail outlets at ground level. It was refused by the council. They then submitted another application in October 2006 for a similar block, this time 6 storeys and 83 flats,   06/01295/OUT, and this was also turned down in December 2006.

Now for the clever part! They appealed against the second application, and residents were invited to submit comments, and the hearing was set by the government inspector for 12th June 2007 in Basildon. The Wickford Action Group circulated a newsletter to local residents a couple of weeks before, and we were all looking forward to the hearing. We then noticed that on the council website, the earlier application had been marked 'approved', so the hearing was cancelled and the application withdrawn.

What had happened was that the mysterious and devious Butie Limited had also submitted an appeal against the earlier application, but had elected to do this 'in writing'. What this meant was that the residents were unaware of the appeal, and when the government inspector, Daphne Mair, visited the site on 12th February 2007, no doubt in dark glasses and a trench coat, she decided to allow the appeal, and planning permission was granted!

Daphne Mair's full report is available on the council website, and we recommend that anyone wanting to see how a government inspector can ride roughshod over the wishes of local residents, town planning officials and the council planning committee should read the report. Download the Appeal Decision from Basildon Council's website. 

Further details are given below, and read this for more about 'Runwell Towers'

Background
The planning meeting for the second application, 06/01295/OUT, on 19 December 2006 was attended by two Wickford Action Group members, Alan Ball and Derek Harrison. The application was refused, and the 6 Councillors who voted against the development were Councillors Kirkman, Archer, Buckenham, Moore, Gordon and G Williams.

Councillor S Buckley is the only Wickford Councillor on the group (she is also Chairperson) and she was one of only two to vote FOR this lump of a building, the other being Mrs Blake.

Even the owners of the Garage on the roundabout opposite were there speaking against the development.

All agreed that something needs to be done on this derelict site, but not a six storey block with all the extra traffic, and also be the dominant feature of the building. 

This development is in the area covered by the Master Plan, and as we have noted earlier, the Plan was updated at a BDC cabinet meeting on 16 December 2006 and this particular development in Runwell Road was changed from 35 flats on the original Plan (voted on by residents), to 80 flats!

In their planning application, here's what Denis Tyson Associates said on behalf of their clients Butie Limited, for this development, undated, but received by the council on 19th October 2006:

• "It must be recognised that Wickford Town Centre does not generally speaking, provide an attractive townscape. It has very few historic buildings and the quality of many of the buildings erected during the last century leave something to be desired."

• "The town centre needs to change in response to the large amount of residential development that has taken place in Wickford over the past 30 years or so. Whilst large residential areas have been built, the town centre has remained almost unchanged."

• "The relative sparsity of historic buildings in the Town Centre, combined with the complete lack of any conservation areas, means that there is potential for radical change. The development of relatively high rise buildings would provide more of a sense of place and identity than currently existing, and act as a focus for the whole of the town." (this is our highlighting - what a patronizing and offensive statement! 

Here is what the Echo said on Thursday 21st December

• The much-heralded Wickford Masterplan has been dealt a blow after councillors threw out controversial plans for a "luxury" six-storey tower block.

• Council deputy leader Tony Ball moved quickly to reassure residents the Masterplan was not under threat, despite the unexpected refusal.
  Mr Ball said: "In a way, I am not disappointed by the decision as it shows the planning committee is thinking about what is best for the district. Although I was generally in favour of this development, I can appreciate the reasons for it being turned down." read more

Here's what the council decided:

• Rejected. Read the Council's rejection decision

Butie Limited appealed against the refusal, and as we have described above, whilst we and other residents were preparing our case, they stumped us by having an earlier appeal agreed in secret. Read more about Runwell Towers