main content Blue Circle Green Belt site to be developed following appeal

The planning appeal at the former Blue Circle sports ground in Crown Lane has been allowed by the Government. The decision to allow development of the 34 Green Belt site follows a Public Inquiry in the summer. The Council had argued that the Asprey Homes proposal represented ‘inappropriate development’ in Green Belt.

Councillor Stephen Carr, Leader of Bromley Council and local ward councillor said, “We are absolutely horrified by this government decision and I know that local people will be appalled too; we are currently considering lodging an appeal. Local opinions have once again been ignored and this will change the area forever. It gives lie to the Government’s claim that it believes in returning powers and democracy to locally elected Councils’. It is further proof of their determination to build inner London higher densities across Bromley’s green open spaces. There is no doubt that this is a strategic site for the whole Borough and once built upon, the damage to Green Belt is permanent. Now, we must focus and fight to protect the rest of our Green Belt.”

Councillor Gordon Jenkins, Chairman of Development Control Committee said, “We are deeply disappointed by this hammer blow of a decision to ignore local opinion and carpet Green Belt land with housing. Residents know that we have a long and proud record of protecting Green Belt land. We continue to believe that this is site is strategically important and there are not very special circumstances which would justify this decision. In effect, we have been overruled by Government who do not seem to attach the same importance to Green Belt and local residents opinion as we do. Now, the largest housing application this borough has ever witnessed will take away 34 acres of our Green Belt land.”

The Asprey Homes application consists of:

• Housing – affordable housing and open market housing at a density of 50-80 dwellings per hectare, including a mix of flats and houses, equating to 788 units 
• Bus interchange – to include a pedestrian route to the Bishop Justus school 
• A linear park open to the public alongside the A21 with the retention of the existing ‘parkway’ effect of the trees on Bromley Common and further tree planting
• Medical centre
• Nursing home
• Children’s playground

The main vehicular access to the development will be from Crown Lane Spur, with two secondary accesses from Turpington Lane.

ENDS


Notes to editors:

• The site is approximately 1 mile south of Bromley town centre. It comprises the whole of the innermost ‘wedge’ of the Green Belt abutting the east side of the A21 Bromley Common and is comprised of several distinct areas on land including the former Blue Circle sports ground, the Crown Meadow site, allotments, a park to the rear of Rayfield Close and former agricultural land.
  
• The planning reference number for the application is 03/02319. The application was originally received by the Council on 19th June 2003. On 27th September 2004 the Council agreed to hold the application in abeyance because the future of the land was to be considered by the Inspector appointed to hear objections to Bromley’s revised draft Unitary Development Plan.
  
• The planning history of the site is available online. However a previous mixed use development proposal (reference 00/03728) including erection of new secondary school and housing was rejected at an appeal as it represented inappropriate development in the Green Belt.

For media enquiries, please contact Andrew Rogers, Communications Advisor, on 020 8461 7670, or email andrew.rogers@bromley.gov.uk

Further information is available at www.bromley.gov.uk/planningaccess