I am writing concerning the above application.  Although my property is not included in your consultation list my rear garden adjoins the entire western boundary to the site known locally as the paddock.  Although I do not have any objection in principle to its use for woodland studies which I believe is referred to as a forest school it does have a significant effect on the quiet enjoyment of my garden which I have landscaped in recent years and enclose photographs.  There are a number of different aspects to this application which I believe should be considered before a decision is made.  The most significant is the planning status of the site and that it is in a residential area surrounded and adjoining eight private dwellings.  I set out below the basic areas of concern.

Planning Status and History of the Site

The land was originally owned by the Christie family and was laid out as Bellhurst, Langham and Knelle roads for sale as building plots by auction at The George in 1923.  This particular plot was subsequently purchased by the local farmer William Hoad who constructed the bungalow Homehurst for his own occupation and the remainder of the site was garden land.  There are covenants imposed on the land and within the registered title to this site to ensure the houses are to a good standard and excludes any trade business or caravan house on wheels show booth or roundabout.  The Christie family can be contacted at Tapeley Park, North Devon or Glyndbourne if required.  In 1975 the land was purchased by Michael French and became a paddock with stabling and has been known as The Paddock since that time.  In 1998 a school governor suggested they purchase the paddock for school use and although she is local she did not realise that there are rights of way across the land and gave no thought to the fact that it is surrounded by eight private dwellings.  In respect of planning status the ESSC purchased a paddock, there have been no decided planning applications since and therefore it remains a paddock.  Although I knew Michael French it was bought off market without my knowledge.  For twenty five years the college have done nothing with the paddock apart from dumping rubbish and rubble across the right of way which we had to clear, there are self sown trees, weeds and brambles that have become a jungle and the original stable collapsed beneath.  I have had to hack away eight foot high foliage from my boundary hedge and clear the right of way for twenty five years.  A permanent covered structure has recently been constructed in the paddock by the college without consent.  

The Planning Application

The application shows the proposed yurt only 5m from my boundary hedge and it is approximately 3.5m high.  I would ask that this is reconsidered and suggest that it should be at least 10m from my hedge.  This can easily be incorporated within the design layout.  The architect's report confirms that the covered structure is to be removed and this would be the ideal location for the yurt.  The college have already constructed a compost bin and raised beds about 1m from my hedge.  The enclosed photographs show my garden next to the hedge and the contrast is obvious.  The students can be quite noisy at times and I am now fluent in Anglo Saxon!  There is a lengthy ecological report with the application and I can confirm that I have had one long eared bat for many years.  There used to be hedgehogs in the paddock and foxes lived beneath the stable before it collapsed.  There is sometimes a passing badger.  However the report does not mention the rats which cross the paddock, the caretaker said that my cat cleared them from the college, but they then run across Langham Road.  Composting toilets are notorious for attracting rats.

Contamination

The application incorrectly states that there is no contamination.  There is asbestos on the site including blue asbestos.  After the stable was allowed to collapse beneath the jungle the site was part cleared by a contractor late last year who broke up and spread the asbestos about including piling up the soil and debris against my neighbours fences behind the new close boarded fence and the asbestos can be seen lying on the surface.  We have had the asbestos tested and it includes blue asbestos.  It is likely some remains beneath the bark chippings in the study area.

Summary

As I have stated I am not against the forest school in principle but I would strongly oppose the change of use of the paddock to educational land as it is totally incompatible with this residential neighbourhood.  If permission is granted for the yurt I assume that educational planning use will be gained in plain sight.  The present use is without planning consent and the permanent covered structure does have consent.  Perhaps there is a way that some form of licence could be granted for this use renewable every few years?  The site is not particularly secure due to the right of way and permanent access to Knelle Road.  I know my neighbour will be removing a considerable amount of scrap over a period of time that they have stored in the corner of their land and I made considerable use of the right of way for contractors and diggers etc when landscaping my garden.  The asbestos contamination is causing concern to my neighbours several of whom have children at the college.  I would ask that the location of the yurt is reconsidered.

Brian Cole

Tapley

10 Langham Road

Robertsbridge

TN32 5DU