Update – 18 June 2019
A planning application, ref. No. 17/03032/CONDIT, has been approved. This relates to the discharge of conditions in relation to planning permission, ref. 17/03032/FULL1, at 21 Bracken Hill Lane, Bromley BR1 4AJ (otherwise referred to as Flat 39, Blyth Wood Park, 20 Blyth Road, Bromley BR1 3TN), specifically –
  • Condition 2 – Drainage
  • Condition 5 – Arboricultural method statement
Update – 29 November 2018
The appeal has been allowed against the refusal of the application, ref. No. 17/03032/FULL1for the change of use of ground and first floor from sports hall to residential, incorporating the existing residential unit in the roof space to form a single 4 bedroom dwelling, new vehicular access on to Bracken Hill Lane and associated replacement fencing at Flat 39, Blyth Wood Park, 20 Blyth Road, Bromley BR1 3TN.

A site inspection was scheduled took place on 12 September 2018. According to the appeal decision dated 28 November 2018, the development can be made acceptable by the imposition of conditions.

On the other hand, the appeal was dismissed against the issue of an enforcement notice for the unauthorised erection of an overheight fence, enclosure, hardstanding and unauthorised access. According to the appeal decision dated 28 November 2018 (which appears to be the same as the first decision), the enforcement notice is upheld.

Update – 14 August 2018
The refusal of the application, ref. No. 17/03032/FULL1for the change of use of ground and first floor from sports hall to residential, incorporating the existing residential unit in the roof space to form a single 4 bedroom dwelling, new vehicular access on to Bracken Hill Lane and associated replacement fencing at Flat 39, Blyth Wood Park, 20 Blyth Road, Bromley BR1 3TN has been appealed.

Copies of the appeal documents from 22 December 2017 are available:
A site inspection was scheduled to take place at 11:15 on 3 August 2018 but was cancelled at the request of the appellant’s agent. A fresh date for the site visit will be arranged from September 2018 onwards.

Update – 13 December 2017
Two versions of the decision are available from the file of the refused application, ref. No. 17/03032/FULL1for the change of use of ground and first floor from sports hall to residential, incorporating the existing residential unit in the roof space to form a single 4 bedroom dwelling, new vehicular access on to Bracken Hill Lane and associated replacement fencing at Flat 39, Blyth Wood Park, 20 Blyth Road, Bromley BR1 3TN. The first version has some extra conditions on page 2 that do not seem relevant, whereas the second version is clearer.

The application is said to be refused for following [sic] the reasons:
  1. The proposal would prejudice the amenities of neighbouring residents along Bracken Hill Lane, by reason of additional noise and disturbance resulting from the proposed vehicular access and associated activity, contrary to Policy BE1 of the Unitary Development Plan.
  2. The proposal, resulting as it does, in the loss of mature trees and foliage along the boundary with Bracken Hill Lane and replacement by a vehicular access and new fence and gate, would result in an undesirable feature, undermining the established verdant frontage and the character and appearance of the wider streetscene, contrary to Policy BE1 of the Unitary Development Plan.
  3. The proposed vehicular access would lack adequate sightlines, which would therefore prejudice road safety conditions along Bracken Hill Lane, contrary to Policy T18 of the Unitary Development Plan.
A further recommendation is that the trees officer should conduct an investigation into the potential breach in the removal of trees within the site and report back to PSC [the Plans Sub-Committee] for a determination on whether separate enforcement action in respect of this matter should be authorised.

Update – 10 December 2017
The application, ref. No. 17/03032/FULL1for the change of use of ground and first floor from sports hall to residential, incorporating the existing residential unit in the roof space to form a single 4 bedroom dwelling, new vehicular access on to Bracken Hill Lane and associated replacement fencing at Flat 39, Blyth Wood Park, 20 Blyth Road, Bromley BR1 3TN has been refused. The decision sheet from the meeting of Plans Sub-Committee No. 2 held on Thursday 7 December 2017 is available.

An investigation is to take place as to whether the trees that have already been cut down should be replaced.

Update – 25 November 2017
The application, ref. No. 17/03032/FULL1for the change of use of ground and first floor from sports hall to residential, incorporating the existing residential unit in the roof space to form a single 4 bedroom dwelling, new vehicular access on to Bracken Hill Lane and associated replacement fencing at Flat 39, Blyth Wood Park, 20 Blyth Road, Bromley BR1 3TN is awaiting decision. The actual committee date is Thursday 7 December 2017.

Update – 14 October 2017
The application, ref. No. 17/03032/FULL1, for the change of use of ground and first floor from sports hall to residential, incorporating the existing residential unit in the roof space to form a single 4 bedroom dwelling, new vehicular access on to Bracken Hill Lane and associated replacement fencing at Flat 39, Blyth Wood Park, 20 Blyth Road, Bromley BR1 3TN is in progress. A revised drawing was published on 15 September 2017 of the proposed new access and parking, which appears to show the car park entrance moved slightly to the south.

The latest neighbour consultation date was on 5 October 2017, with an expiry date 19 October 2017.

Update – 22 July 2017
A further application, ref. No. 17/03032/FULL1, has been made for the change of use of ground and first floor from sports hall (use class D2) to residential (C3), incorporating the existing residential unit in the roof space to form a single 4 bedroom dwelling, new vehicular access on to Bracken Hill Lane and associated replacement fencing (Part Retrospective) at Flat 39, Blyth Wood Park, 20 Blyth Road, Bromley BR1 3TN.

The following documents are available:

This revised planning application seeks retrospective planning consent for the change of use of the former leisure centre building on site to form part of the residential dwelling at Flat 39, Blyth Wood Park, Bromley BR1 3TN. The application also includes the creation of a vehicular access on to Bracken Hill Lane and associated replacement and/or altered boundary treatment.

The application continues to propose a change of use of the former leisure facilities on site to form part of Mr Pooke’s residential dwelling. This element of the proposal is unchanged from that earlier submitted to the Council, to which there was no objection.

The applicant says he has gone to significant lengths to provide evidence in the form of a Technical Note provided by Transport Planning and Infrastructure Ltd which shows that suitable measures can be taken to ensure that levels of highway safety are not prejudiced. The submitted plans purport to show the existing situation on site (given that this application is part retrospective), and a suitable solution to deal with the highway safety concerns raised by the Planning Inspector.

The standard consultation expiry date is Wednesday 9 August 2017.

Update – 22 April 2016
The appeal against the refusal of the application, reference 14/03400, for the controversial development at 20 Blyth Road, Bromley, and affecting residents in Bracken Hill Lane, has been dismissed. The appeal decision is available.

The development proposed was the change of use of ground and first floor from sports hall to residential, incorporating the existing residential unit in the roof space to form a single four bedroomed dwelling. The main issues were the effect of the proposed development upon (i) highway safety; (ii) the character and appearance of the area; and (iii) the living conditions of neighbours with particular regard to noise and privacy.

Whilst the inspector could find no harm to the character and appearance of the area and no harm to the living conditions of neighbours, these favourable findings do not outweigh the harm to highway safety and the consequent conflict with adopted Development Plan policy. She has considered all other matters raised but none outweigh the conclusions she has reached.

Update – 13 January 2016
The following documents are also available from the appellant's case:
APPENDIX 1
Case Officer’s Report to Plans Sub Committee of 18 December 2014
APPENDIX 2
Case Officer’s Report to Plans Sub Committee of 14 June 2015
APPENDIX 3
Case Officer’s Report to Plans Sub Committee of 22 July 2015
APPENDIX 4
Technical Note prepared by Gateway TSP, Highway Consultant

Update – 13 October 2015
The decision refusing the planning application, reference 14/03400, for the controversial development at 20 Blyth Road, Bromley, and affecting residents in Bracken Hill Lane, has been appealed. According to the appellant:
  1. The appellant is firmly of the view that the proposed development would not result in a materially harmful impact on the character and appearance of the street scene and the proposed access would not result in any demonstrable harm to the residential amenities of nearby properties or the conditions of road safety along Bracken Hill Lane.
  2. This appeal is supported by a detailed Technical Note carried out by consulting Highway Engineers on behalf of the appellant, which support the advice given from the Council’s own Highways Engineer. There would not appear to be any sustainable ground of refusal relating to highway matters, particularly in relation to paragraph 32 of the Framework which sets out that proposals should not be refused unless transport impacts are ‘severe’.
  3. The removal of any vegetation on site has been reviewed by the Council’s Tree Officers, and no objection has been raised. The subjective view that the removal of this unprotected vegetation would result in a harmful impact on the character and appearance of the street scene would also therefore appear to be unjustified and unreasonable in the circumstances.
  4. There is no conflict with the Council’s adopted Policy C1 in respect of the change of use of the redundant community facilities on site or with the objectives of the Council’s adopted Policies BE1 and T18 relating to nearby residential amenity and highway safety conditions respectively.
  5. The detailed Arboricultural Assessment that supported the application sets out that no protected trees on site would be harmed as a result of the development, which further supports the view of the Council’s Tree Officers.
  6. The proposal would create an access for use solely by the appellant and his immediate family which would result in a low level of vehicle activity and provide off street car parking space within the appellant’s residential curtilage similar to that seen elsewhere within Bracken Hill Lane.
  7. As such, it is respectfully suggested that the Inspector allows this appeal and grants planning consent subject to any necessary safeguarding planning conditions.
The following documents are available:
Update – 3 July 2015
We are delighted to announce that the planning application for the controversial development at 20 Blyth Road affecting residents in Bracken Hill Lane was refused last night. Councillors were particularly concerned by the loss of trees and amenity of neighbours that had already occurred at the site. We are grateful to our three Bromley Town councillors for support in this matter and particularly Cllr Will Harmer who spoke at the meeting.

Update – 18 December 2014
In preparation for representing residents at the Plans Sub-committee meeting on 18 December where two applications for 20 Blyth Road were going to be considered, we submitted to the committee and all the councillors on it, a synopsis of our arguments as to why permission should be Refused. At 5 o'clock, just two hours before the meeting start time, the Council realised, on the basis of our arguments, that it had not considered these applications properly and they were withdrawn from the meeting. The Council will now be undertaking a thorough review of the trees on this site, including what work has already been carried out to trees and the implications to the remaining trees of these two applications.

It is likely that these applications will come back to committee at the end of January 2015.

We would like to thank Councillors Nicky Dykes and Michael Rutherford, who were going to attend this meeting in order to support us.

Update – 8 December 2014
The application for a new vehicle crossover at Blyth Wood Park, 20 Blyth Road, Bromley BR1 3TN has been refused following our objection. The following are available:
Update – 4 October 2014
We have recently objected to these two applications - see these documents:
There is a third application 14/03400, but as this is essentially a repeat of an earlier allowed application we are not objecting to it. In itself, this application is not unreasonable – even though the other two related applications are.

Update - 9 September 2014
The ‘missing’ application for the fence and gates has now been submitted and details can be found here. Make any comments by Wednesday 24 September 2014.

A significant issue here is the very poor sightlines available, which will mean that any car leaving the site will not be able to see any oncoming traffic. The existence of the access will in itself promote car parking in this already very narrow road. The access will also promote the possibility of a subsequent planning application to turn the existing leisure centre into a block of flats which will further exacerbate the parking and transport issues.

Update - 3 September 2014
An application for a new vehicle crossover has now been submitted to the council and details can be found hereObjections and/or comments, which should be made by 23 September 2014, can be made here.

This application does not appear to include seeking approval for the unauthorised fence (which is new and too high for the existing approval), and this is something we understand is being investigated.

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20 Blyth Road - 29 June 2014
Residents have brought to our attention significant work occurring at 20 Blyth Road (where it fronts on to Bracken Hill Lane) including the construction of a new and higher fence and new access way, both of which appear to be contrary to previous planning conditions at this site. We understand that the Council is currently considering whether these issues require planning approval. We hope to have further information on this matter at our meeting on 3 July 2014.