Care Home and Builders

In a 1985 objection to the building of Willowbrook to Wiltshire Council’s planning department, the Care Home owner stated that two houses were to be built within 35 feet of his lounge window and would overlook all his main rooms. (This appears to have similarities with the window openings now overlooking my property and including a large bay window, from there being none). Potentially any one of over 114 people can look out onto my front garden or driveway and observe my day to day movements.

The care home owner described the building of Willowbrook as being a considerable nuisance to him and his (then) 14 residents who ‘enjoy the privacy and comforts of sitting in the conservatory and garden just the other side of the hedgerow.'(How can he rationalise this and the building work/parking lot for builder’s vans taking place a matter of three paces from my lounge window).

The noise of this and the for the eighteen months since 9 Willowbrook began redevelopment, his 1986 objections ‘pale into insignificance’ in comparison to what I have had to endure. The care home owner ends by saying there would be considerable inconvenience in terms of losses of light view, lack of privacy and anticipated noise levels through ‘such a close and overdeveloped site.’

The care home owner’s 1988 annexe is, as stated, the other side of the garden fences of numbers 6 and 7 Willowbrook and the new annexe a car length from the street itself. The former occupant of number 7 Willowbrook told me in 1988 that he had no idea permission had been granted until work started. This appeared to indicate he had not received a written notice and I certainly did not, nor was a planning notice posted in Willowbrook. The son of the (now-deceased) occupant of 6 Willowbrook has told me that he raised an objection which was obviously refused. You will see that the rear garden of a large Victorian house was utilised to build what, in my opinion is a characterless brick and slate construction, extending the lengths of the rear gardens of 6 and 7 Willowbrook and beyond.

The fact that there have been 8 other planning applications by the care home appears to indicate that the care home owner was unable to further develop the site finally in 2009 and shortly thereafter bought 8 Willowbrook. You can draw your own conclusions as to the consideration towards other residents and the 2009’s impact when imposed on those residents objecting, if granted.

Dr Beere… Furthermore the high level of the dormer windows will enable people to look out into our garden, reducing our privacy.

Elizabeth Wilson…. with an additional two storey building to the rear of my property it will feel like living in a goldfish bowl, as it is possible to look into every room in my home from outside the boundaries.
The rear dormer window that overlooks the back of my home is proposed to be a staff room and kitchen, as this is a residential home one would suppose that there are staff on duty throughout the night, this will no doubt mean that this room will be in constant use and constantly lit, light will shine directly into the bedrooms at the back of my home all of which are used by the family.

Little changed between the 2009 and 2013 applications, except Mrs Bevington the Town Clerk had departed, the NPPF had become law and the care home owner indicated he had come to an arrangement over parking with the local working men’s club. This was that he bought an unspecified number of memberships (I would hope one for each of his 80 staff). The working men’s club is situated opposite the care home and has loud live music.

Non-Willowbrook resident’s objection to the 2013 application stated:-

Glynn and Christine Shailes -The existing two storey building is on our immediate right-hand side and extends the full length of their (Willowbrook resident’s) land. The proposed new building and link will be to our rear effectively giving us a continuous aspect of the nursing home on two sides. We are concerned that this will reduce the amount of sunlight available, and trust that this will be taken into consideration when dealing with this application.

Mr Simpson…. they will overlook neighbours properties including my own which is set at a lower level than Willowbrook, I already have Ashgrove House bordering if my property following a previous extension to the care home, this proposal would bring the bring (sic) their building onto a further boundary, and we know from previous planning applications that this will be just a start.

Please also see a summary of fears of residents on Appendix ‘B’
A further irony in this story is that the demolished bungalow was owned by a retired Police Inspector Pauline Tilley. She was an undercover Police Officer in the 1976 LSD drugs operation still regarded as the biggest LSD manufacture and supply organisation ever. (Operation Julie) A reservoir serving Birmingham was to be polluted with the drug LSD by those involved, some of whom were chemists. Retired Inspector Tilley is in a vegetative mental state in a care home following a series of strokes and her bungalow in Willowbrook, Purton was apparently sold by persons having Power of Attorney. Despite speaking with an individual apparently having the power of sale I had no idea the property was for sale. My course of action would have been otherwise had I known of the sale and care home’s interest. Wiltshire Council’s in-house solicitor indicated in the recommendation to the Planning Committee that it had been on sale for the two years preceding the planning application. This fact is also quoted in the Planning Committee’s decision. Details of the purchase price, (£204,000) were removed from Zoopla.
There were instances of sub-contractors of the main builders being verbally abusive; I choose to say nothing about the main builder’s employees at this time, other than what has already been said. In the main they attempted to cause as little upheaval as they could although working in as close proximity as they did, caused great upheaval. I still fail to see why builder’s vehicles were arriving before 7am and not starting work until 8am. Activities such as reading newspapers, working on mobile ‘phones, visiting a nearby shop and mingling, chatting took place during this period. The parking of these vehicles caused visitors to the cul-de-sac to turn their vehicles round on my drive. I also ‘learned’ from a builder that noise levels of 20 decibels or less in relation to music being played was catered for in law. I have not bothered checking…

Highways, Traffic and Parking

Despite assurances that more than ample parking space was available to the care home in their own car park, with street parking and in the local working men’s club employees cars (until the 2016 planning application) continued to use Willowbrook. An individual concerned in the management of the care home indicated that this would not take place. In my objection to the current 2016 planning application my objection stated that there had been ongoing issues about vehicles speeding in Station Road which was to be discussed at a Parish Council meeting. The local Police Officer had issued several fines for excess speed. For as far back as the 1980’s this had been topical and the Parish Clerk had made reference during the refusal of planning permission to the care home in 2009.

I added that Witts Lane was equally badly affected. One resident spoke of a chicane (similar to Station Road) and another spoke of parked cars being damaged on the week of her objection. I drive the road at least six times a week. Lorries (which probably are in breach of restrictions) and delivery van drivers getting from A to B as quickly as they can, make the road hazardous. Those parking in the street frequently have their wheels on the pavement to avoid losing their mirror or worse. The street does not lend itself to traffic being three or more abreast.

Mr Beggs in his 2013 objection spoke of their only being a few properties between Willowbrook and Witts Lane. I certainly do not want to use a recent event to illustrate why traffic calming may happen sooner rather than later but we now know definitively from Wiltshire Council that no restrictions can be imposed on the care home’s staff or construction workers working on any new development not to park in the street. A great deal of restraint was exercised by myself and the two other residents affected when our driveways were being obstructed and vehicles used as ‘static cafes’ outside our homes during breaks. Another resident had emailed Wiltshire Council stating they had contacted the Police about parking issues. I went on to say that I felt the time was now right for double yellow lines or resident’s parking permits to be issued to preserve the privacy and enjoyment of our properties which some of us have been used to for nearly 30 years.’

Wiltshire Council’s view of the development was that the use of the care home as a residential care home was considered entirely acceptable in a residential area. This took account of the impact of the development (in respect of size, scale and design); character of the locality; impact on the residential amenities of local residents; impact on the highway network and highway safety.

The care home’s Planning agent stated in 2013 that, “They (care home owner and another/others) obviously want to minimise the impact locally and of course on their own existing residents