Thames Water has submitted formal objections to the Haboakus developments in Northway with concerns about the inability of the local drainage systems to cope with the increased capacity. The letters are here and here.

They are asking the Council to require the developers produce a ‘drainage strategy’ for approval before development proceeds.

The Northway Residents’ Group is also objecting over drainage, crowding/overlooking, loss of green spaces and lack of consultation opportunities, and several local residents have written letters on the same themes.

Links

Westlands Drive: Reference 12/03281/FUL.

Maltfield Road: Reference 12/03280/FUL.

To see all my articles on this development click here.

There was a public meeting held in Marston Community Centre on Monday 4 March to discuss these developments. I couldn’t be there but I’ve had some feedback from someone who was. The proposals were presented by the City’s Chief Planning Officer Michael Crofton Briggs with support from other officers.

I’m told the meeting was quite lively, with many local residents unconvinced about the merits of the development. A major cause for concern was the problem with local drainage and flooding, with people worried about the effects of the increased load on the already inadequate systems. Some felt that the residential blocks would overlook and dominate existing properties. Mr Crofton Briggs assured those present that their views, as far as they fell within the permissible grounds for objection, would be recorded and fed into the evaluation process.

A quick look today (Wednesday) at the planning applications on the Council website finds that there are so far about a dozen objections, all of which focus on one or other of the issues above.