Development Management
Fao: Dave Nash
Civic Centre
Queen Elizabeth Drive
Pershore
Worcs
WR10 1PT
3rd December 2012
Dear Sirs
Proposal: Outline application for the erection of 92 dwellings (Class C3) with public open
space and landscaping, vehicular access, footpath links and all associated works.
W/12/02358/OU
Location: Land West of Old Worcester Road, Hartlebury
Thank you for your letter regarding the above.
Pease note that your online application viewing facility has been down for long periods of time, days
on occasions, the application supporting documentation is full of technical detail and planning
jargon, accordingly, time constraints have limited my comments to generalisations but I hope the
thrust of my comments will make it clear that this is a wholly inappropriate proposal for this site.
Objection in Principle
The proposal to develop this site is purely speculative and if Hartlebury had not been arbitrarily
designated as a Category 1 Village, in the draft SWDP, it would not receive favourable
consideration.
In addition to over stating the level of facilities available in the ‘village’ the plan ignores Hartlebury’s
remoteness to centres of population/services in South Worcestershire and its Cheek by Jowl
relationship with adjacent centres of population in north Worcestershire, where recent and ongoing
residential development is addressing housing demand, and where primary services are accessed.
Category 1 villages are identified as the focus for sustainable rural development and in the main
these villages will benefit from the bolstering of existing communities. I would reiterate that
Hartlebury is unique in that it falls within the gravitational pull of adjacent large towns, outside the
South Worcestershire district, and as a result does not require bolstering. In fact existing services
and infrastructure arel used to capacity but there is no opportunity to expand and/or develop them to
serve the needs of this development; the proposal does not recognise a need to have a ‘village’
development plan that enhances services and infrastructure alongside the proposed significant
increase in population.
I note that suggested financial contributions to community facilities are likely to be pooled and spent
enhancing facilities too far away to be sustainably utilised by Hartlebury residents, in towns that
could accommodate a large proportion of the proposed housing units, without stressing existing
services/infrastructure.
Encouraging significant development in Hartlebury will not contribute to the broader aims of the
SWDP as new housing, other than affordable housing provision for existing local needs, is only likely
to attract residents from adjoining areas. This would assist North Worcestershire in meeting their
targets without contributing anything to South Worcestershire. At the same time it will, contrary to
the applicants submission, contribute to an increase in work travel miles as public transport facilities
are not capable of providing sufficiently flexible services for likely residents (see below).
There is scope for improving neighbourhood retail facilities and the development of additional
community facilities, on a scale that reflects local need, but the majority of primary facilities are
accessed outside the village in North Worcestershire.
Local employment opportunities are available in the general area and to a larger extent in North
Worcestershire. Travel to work surveys show that as little as 5% of village residents work in local
employment sites, the majority (60%) are employed in the greater Kidderminster – Stourport area,
with 23% working between 6 and 19 miles away which would capture a significant part of the greater
West Midlands conurbation as well as Worcester and Droitwich.
The use of a village categorisation for Hartlebury, as a broad brush tool, to justify further
development, is inappropriate.
Specific Objections:
This site is unsuitable for development for the following reasons........

The man on the Clapham Omnibus can clearly see this is not an infill within a gap in
established built frontages and does not meet proposed SWDP policies. See my comments
above regarding the inappropriateness of site allocation to Hartlebury.

The site has been identified as being capable of supporting a development of up to 100
houses this would result in an increase of approximately 40% in the number of housing units
currently enclosed by the village envelope. This is too many for existing infrastructure to
cope with without having a seriously detrimental effect on existing residents.

The proposed site curtilage would leave a land locked field, generating yet further pressure
to release this for development which, at a similar density, would accommodate a further 8090 units. This development would further contribute to the slow corrosive creep of
urbanisation which has eroded the ‘village’ character over the last 20 years and would result
in an increase of 50% over existing established properties. Given the 70 or so dwellings
added to the ‘village’ in the mid 1990’s, development in the last 15years represents a virtual
doubling of the number of dwellings in Hartlebury. A what stage does a village become a
Suburb/Town?

Traffic levels in the village are a major negative factor for village residents, development of
this site would further exacerbate these problems. The Worcester road has been monitored
following complaints regarding speeding.
Although a traffic assessment has been provided it is a sterile document in that
measurements have been selectively sampled and do not reflect the real word environment.
The Worcester Road, north of the site, specifically in the location of the only retail premises
in the ‘village’ envelope, is on occasions (Rush Hour and Weekends) subject a Russian
Roulette style of risk management.
Inn Lane suffers from Stourport commuters (both personal and commercial) to the Trading
Estate using it as a rat-run, avoiding the slightly longer designated route via Crown Lane and
the main entrance to the trading estate. Further development fronting the Worcester Road
will result in additional traffic pushing against the prevailing flow in this narrow lane at peak
times.
Traffic passing through the Inn Lane, Worcester Road, and Station Road junction consist of a
mix of HGV’s accessing the industrial estate via Station Road (Including Brick Lorries,
Commercial Waste Lorries, and 12 wheel Transport Lorries), Buses, the School Coach
(drop-off), Light Commercial Vehicles (Distribution and Local Highways Depots), Commuters
from outside and within the village, when traffic backs up on the A449 rat running from the
south to the north, and groups of horse riders from local stables at evenings and weekends.
This, together with short stay shop customers parking along both sides of the Worcester
Road and on pavements, also around the bend into Inn Lane, in combination with vehicles
undertaking three point and U turns (in darkness during the winter period), presents a
kaleidoscope of vehicles movements with constant near misses and minor accidents (I’ve
lost two wing mirrors so far) but have not, as far as I am aware, not yet resulted in physical
injury/fatality. The proposed development will significantly increase this risk.

The presence of a sharp bend in the Worcester Road, north of the proposed site access, and
an existing private drive on the apex of the bend present further highway hazards.

Existing educational establishments are at and expect to be full for the foreseeable future,
without the opportunity to expand facilities. Demands generated by the proposed housing
development would not be satisfied within the village.

Housing needs surveys have not identified a market need for new dwellings in Hartlebury.

At quieter times horse riders from local equestrian centres use the Worcester Road to
exercise horses and provide rider training, any increase in local traffic is likely to deter this
activity and again diminish the quality of the village environment

The loss of productive arable land at this location will negatively impact on the ‘village’
character, visual amenity, local wildlife, and bee keepers.
There does not appear to be a clear justification for this development, other than profiteering, and
the negative impact on the village will seriously diminish its character.
A more appropriate approach to future development of the village should include a holistic review of
the issues raised above, where the longer term village needs can be co-ordinated into a plan signed
up to by village residents.
Accordingly I wish to register my objection to this application.
Yours sincerely
Mr N Proffitt
Halcyon
Worcester Road
Hartlebury
DY11 7XD