Why Little Birches?
We understand that development is always contentious, but we are local people who have a strong desire to create something of merit within our local area that would be affordable. Like many, our own adult children, unable to afford to buy their own homes, have left or are leaving the area.
Some points to consider
- It’s part of Silver Birches, and a small development – we’d rather see 10 dwellings, rather than 300.
- Broad Oak’s population is reducing year-on-year.
- The Primary school (opposite) is short of pupil roll numbers.
- Broad Oak’s young people (and some older people) can’t afford to stay in the village. We need some affordable homes.
- The village has a shortfall of 50 homes. In the last 20 years only 5/6 houses have been built in the village.
- The design is entirely sympathetic to Broad Oaks historical architecture.
- The Proposed dwellings are all small cottages, not executive homes.
- The school entrance opposite is not the main entrance, and closed for most of the day.
“We believe it is better for Broad Oak to support a few small, well designed and discreet developments like this one – rather then suffer the fate of other villages, with huge developments moving in, simply because the shortfall became too great, and therefore became justified by the planners and developers”.
A.P, Broad Oak Resident
