On a number of occasions the Green Party City Councillors and myself have spoken to local residents about the derelict site of the former garage at the Fourways roundabout (on the corner of Guardian Road and Dereham Road). Residents and the Green Party have been concerned about the unacceptably long period of time for which the site has been derelict, allowing it to become over-run with weeds, to accumulate rubbish and to become a problem rather than an asset to the local community.

In 2000, the City Council Planning Committee granted approval for a new vehicle maintenance garage to be built on the site. The Council made a standard requirement that the developers, Fairhurst Estates Limited, complete the new garage within five years. As this did not happen, the previous planning application became out-of-date this year. Fairhurst Estates Limited then applied to the Council for the application to be renewed. This request was considered by the Planning Committee in June.

At the Planning Committee meeting Adrian Holmes, the Green Party representative on the committee and City Councillor for Wensum ward, argued against and voted against the application. He was concerned about the impact on the transport system of a new garage opening in an already busy area. He also felt aware of the need to secure a development for the site that the Council could count on being built promptly. As Fairhurst Estates Limited has previously failed to build a garage for which they had planning permission, Councillor Holmes thought it would be better to seek an alternative development. One possibility would be for housing (preferably affordable housing) to be built, as a number of residents had previously suggested to us.

A majority of members on the Planning Committee voted to approve the renewal of Fairhurst Estates Limited’s application to build a garage on the site. However, the Green Party was pleased that the Council did lay down a requirement for more secure fencing to be put up around the site while it remains derelict and this has happened. Unfortunately, a suggestion (supported by Adrian Holmes) that the Council require the garage to be built within a shorter period than the standard five years was not adopted. Although the Green Party has concerns about a garage being built on this site we felt that, if it is to be built, then sooner would be better than later because of the urgent need for the site to no longer be derelict.

So, even if this is not the ideal development to be taking place on this site, we are at least hopeful that the site won’t be derelict for much longer. The Green Party would like the Government to give Councils more power to require owners of derelict brownfield sites to take greater responsibility for maintaining them in a safe, clean way and for ensuring they do not remain derelict for unacceptably long periods of time… Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you would like to discuss this or any other matter.

Yours sincerely