Summary of last night's meeting

The developers of the Oaks precinct will be submitting their scheme for planning permission by next week, the architects told a special meeting of the Churchfield Community Association at the Rocket last night.

The plans have changed somewhat since the June consultation: the Churchfield Road facing part of the complex is now less high and tweaks also to the wall facing St Mary’s Burial Ground. But the centre of the building still rises to ten storeys high and the 40-odd local residents at the meeting found this aspect of the plans most troubling.

There was a lot of discussion about whether the building could be lower if it also covered the Council car park next to the site and the consensus was that this would be preferable if it could be achieved. But the architects, John Muir and Alistair Macleod of KMW architects, said they had to apply for planning permission on the basis of the existing site.

They said putting the carpark underground was too expensive and anyhow not feasible.

Other issues raised included the pressure on traffic on Churchfield Road and of 124 apartments on local infrastructure. There were gasps of disbelief at the statement that only 25 children of school age would be housed by the project according to one forecast.

Rebecca Paczek, who is running the PR for the developers said she would let the CCA know when the planning consultation period stats so residents can comment on the final plans.

Sara Nathan
Chair CCA

19th July 2011