Seddon Homes Exhibition

The Seddon Homes proposal for 230 homes will swallow around 34 acres of green field to the west of Canal Road including development to the edge of the protected wildlife corridor of Lamberts Lane.  It is very important that you let Seddon have your views on their proposals ASAP, and the easiest way to do this is to complete their Online Feedback Form.  If Seddon’s proposals become reality then it will develop an area that will only be around 350m from the planning application under appeal for Meadow Avenue (Priesty Fields) – so we could be getting much closer to losing the green fields wanted by Seddon and then seeing this merge with the fields around Fol Hollow, and close to Astbury Village, that could be ripe for development.  See here for the Site Location and here for the Site Plan .
Below we’ve provided some Seddon responses to questions raised at their exhibition:
One of their statements is “Seddon supports the communities in which we work“.  How would Seddon’s respond if the community did not want this development?  Seddon let us know that they are looking for constructive feedback such as how to improve the site.  If you do have objections to their proposals it is important that you let Seddon know why the proposals should not go ahead and not merely say that the development is not wanted.
Seddon will be building up to the required 30% of dwellings as affordable homes.  The actual figure would be agreed with the Council at the planning stage.  It was not at all clear what an “affordable” home would be – probably 2-bedroomed houses some possibly as social rent type dwellings and others using a shared equity scheme.
When pursued further on affordable homes one Seddon Representative actually said a 5-bedroomed dwelling could well be considered affordable!!  This is in the context of such a dwelling being at a lower cost than another 5-bedroomed dwelling in a similar locality – now that’s a socially responsible developer :(.
Seddon had very little to say on schools even though their development could introduce over a 100 children to an area that already has a shortage of primary school places.  Seddon will rely on negotiating a cost for schools with the Council who will need to spend the money as they see fit.
As was to be expected Seddon did not see a problem with the additional traffic on Canal Road / Canal Street.  Statistics will undoubtedly show that the “extra peak time traffic” that the site will generate will be minimal.
It is unclear what type of houses will be developed where on the site.  Their high level site plan is only to provide people with an impression of what could be done.  Seddon will be applying for outline planning permission and detailed site plans will accompany the full planning applications.
Seddon is unlikely to wait until the decision of the appeals on their current two planning applications has been decided before submitting outline planning applications.
The length of the development is also a concern.  This is a large site that is likely to be built in stages and the development could last for 5 or more years.  Implying 5 or more years of construction traffic passing along Canal Road, and Leek Road and/or Moss Road.  The real driver for the length of the development will, of course, be the market conditions – if houses sell fast the development will proceed appropriately, and if houses are slow to sell the development will slow down.
Seddon do not see a problem with houses being built up to the Lamberts Lane.  When asked whether they would incorporate a buffer zone between the site and Lamberts Lane (e.g a green area say 25m wide) the response was that there already is a buffer zone, the existing hedge/trees on Lamberts Lane!

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