Planning Application
You can view the planning application online here
Summary
Ullswater Close is a peaceful and quiet cul-de-sac in Kingston Vale, the elevated gardens bordering the conservation grounds of Kingston University. There are five detached houses arranged in a semi-circle each with a substantial garden. Suddenly this peace has been shattered.
One of the residents, owner of Number 1 Ullswater Close and property developer in his own right had an application approved by the Planning Department to replace Number 2 with a pair of "Huf" semi-detached houses. He then applied to demolish Number 1, and build a further five homes there, while moving into one of the semi's. He is also trying to buy Number 3 and Number 4, and already owns Number 5 which he rents out. We think his plan is to replace all these properties with a "Huf" estate and make it into a gated development. Andrew Ailes who lives opposite, and Andy Wislocki the owner of Number 4, are strongly resisting this.
This is how the residents describe their ordeal:
"We were slow off the mark. We judged the developer by our own standards. He said the new houses would be less than a metre higher than the existing house, and would be set 11 metres back, so we would hardly see them. He said they were two-storey, and he said, if he were allowed to build two houses there would be no further development. All of these things proved to be untrue. The houses are three storey, much higher than the previous house, and within weeks of beginning the building work on the first two houses the developer applied for a further five houses.
"When we started raising questions with the Council and our Councillors we received no help at all. Telephone calls, letters, and e-mails were resolutely ignored by the Planning Officer. We held an impromptu meeting with our neighbours, arranged in less than 24 hours, and received overwhelming support. This was followed by a well-publicised meeting in the Village Hall, said to seat 78, but we had standing room only. We produced a sheet giving the addresses of our Planning Officers, local Councillors, the Chairman of the Residents’ Assocaition, our MP, Mrs. Susan Kramer, the Conservative candidate, Mr. Zac Goldsmith, and our European MEP. Mr. Goldsmith was the first to visit the site and give us every encouragement.
"We have not formed a committee, nor sought to cover our expenses, but each person has made their own contribution from laminating posters, to setting up the website www.savethevale.com, to writing to the newspapers and printing and delivering leaflets. Email has proved a very important tool, keeping us constantly in touch with each other, but our best weapon has been the unstinting support of the whole community."
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