Builder has applied for pp to put in new extra detached house in estate

I am looking for advice. Our estate is complete now for approximately 5 years. It is a small estate of c. 22 4 bed semi ds and 8 3 bed semis in a C shaped / incomplete circular arrangement around a central green area. The road goes around in an incomplete circle making two cul de sacs. Unfortunately the driveways are short and narrow meaning that there is a lot of residents who have to park at the edge of the green, which makes it dangerous for little kids crossing to the green to play and difficult for two cars to pass each other. Anyway the builder has just erected a sign at the end of one of the rows of houses indicating that he wants to build a new Detached house. He already owns the three bed at the end of this row that he rents out. It would mean that he would be using up part of one of the turning circles where several cars are normally parked. He would also have to do away with one of the cul de sacs meaning that cars could now drive fully all the way around the green, with loss of some of the green area < 10%. We are planning to object on several grounds, however I would value your advice

1. the house applied for is detached, all the other houses are semis so its out of character with the estate
2. loss of turning circle currently used by residents to park meaning greater congestion in estate
3. loss of portion of green amenity
4. alteration to traffic flow, it will now be bidirectional - making it more dangerous for children

Has anyone come across this situation before where builders suddenly decide they are going to stick in another house on a whim, several years after "completion" of the estate ?
any advice on how to phrase/best approach our objections to the COCO ??

Many thanks

You should group together and appoint a competent professional to examine the planning application when lodged, and to prepare an observation on your behalf.
It does seem that your grievances are mainly about how the estate is functioning now. Have you made any complaints to the Council or the developer about these? If so, copies of these may be useful.
The following initial thoughts do come to mind:
1. the house applied for is detached, all the other houses are semis so its out of character with the estate

It is probably worth mentioning this. However, if the proposed house is finished to match the existing houses it is unlikely to be deemed visually out of character. Also, as the use is the same (residential) it is not out of character from a use point of view.

2 loss of turning circle currently used by residents to park meaning greater congestion in estate

You should initially compile evidence of the existing congestion (start taking photos at various times of the day and evening showing on street parking, etc...).
The application should show a layout in which all cars related to the new dwelling (probably 2) must be able to be parked within the application site.

3. loss of portion of green amenity

This is not as simple as you may think. The developer was obliged to provide a certain percentage of the site area as amenity space. This is likely to be 10%. If the current application does not reduce the amenity area to less than the required area, he may not be infringing on the original permission.

4. alteration to traffic flow, it will now be bidirectional - making it more dangerous for children

Are you sure that the original permission dictated that traffic flow be one directional?

The current residential density guidelines are likely to be higher than those in force when the original permission was granted.
In general, and all else being equal, Planning Authorities are generally inclined to allow (and will soon be actively encouraging) intensification of existing estates. Hence my advice to appoint a professional to prepare your observation.

By the way, has the estate been taken in charge by the council yet?

Also, you should obtain copies of the original planning documents and check if all the conditions etc. of the original application have been met. the original application will be available in the planning office and copies may be purchased.

www.studioplustwo.com

This (old) thread from boards might be of interest. A housing estate in Co Meath had a similar experience - the builder applied for and got permission to build 50 houses on what had been designated green space in the completed estate.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=65871978

Thanks very much for all the information. The estate was originally marketed as an exclusive development of 40 semi detached houses (32 4 beds and 8 3 bed semis - apologies for error earlier when i said 22 4 beds). The council have not yet taken over the estate despite it being commenced over 7 years ago. i would imagine that the green area will not be reduced by much overall. Our main concern is that the parking will worsen and the safety of the road will definitely be affected. thanks for the point about the photos - we will take some pictures at various times of the day as you advised. from what you have said it sounds like this builder will get his pp. is there any way of getting him to put extra parking in the estate - by using some of the green space as part of this pp ? many thanks

One small little point on the parking and the turning circle. A turning circle is not intended for parking it's for turning (for the likes of bin lorries, etc). In any objection you might make, don't get too hung up on that particular point.