1. No Parking - the site has a shared drive with #8 The Countess Croft that fits one car, the site is 6 bedrooms - due to the absence of sustainable travel methods employees, residents and visitors will be forced to access the property via vehicular means and there is nowhere for them to park.
2. Limited Access - for residents, visitors, emergency services, refuse collections etc - The Countess Croft has a single access and exit point, flanked by residential properties with a small turning circle, this will be increasingly congested and could present a risk to pedestrians (e.g., children going to and from local schools) as well as restricting residents’ access to their properties. This proposal will likely further exacerbate an already difficult situation with driving over adjacent private land and driveways.
3. Potential increase in anti-social behaviour - such as excessive noise levels and disturbances from a 24hr operation (such as staff, visitors and residents accessing the facility). Petty crime and drugs / alcohol use
4. Potential safety concerns for current residents (including vulnerable adults and children) pertaining to the risks outlined in point no.3. Additionally, the Croft already has minimal street lighting, due to the existing layout - the increase in activity at this property coupled with the poor lighting is only going to increase the security and safety risk for existing residents. In considering the potential use of the site “Secured by design” recommends unobstructed emergency vehicle access which cannot be guaranteed due to points 1 and 2.
5. A Restrictive Covenant contained in the property deeds that states “no house should be used otherwise than a private dwelling house” the proposed change of use breaches this restrictive covenant due to this being a private, for-profit enterprise.
6. Environmental - potential concerns around increased pollutants from a high level of additional vehicles (the Croft is an enclosed group of 16 houses) Due to a significant chance that there is medical and other hazardous waste storage and disposal it is untenable in an enclosed residential environment.
7. Privacy - “Secured by design” recommends commercial CCTV and due to the layout of the Croft, this may impact on other residents right to privacy, not only in daily undertakings but also issues of data control and surveillance.
8. Concerns over further use - Once a unit has been designated for C2 usage it can easily be transferred to another Use Class including residential care or nursing homes.
This ePetition ran from 14/03/2023 to 30/05/2023 and has now finished.
137 people signed this ePetition.