Birds Eye appeals over new homes plan for west Hull site
BIRDS Eye is appealing the decision to reject plans for housing on its former factory site off Hessle Road.
The company wanted to build 185 homes on the land, along with some light industrial units.
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SITE PLAN: The former Birds Eye site off Hessle Road. Pictures: Rob Stebbing.
The site has been empty since the firm's pea processing plant closed in 2007.
Hull City Council's planning committee rejected the plans last week, claiming the land is important for creating jobs.
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The scheme had already been recommended for refusal by planning officials, and councillors voted to refuse the plans by nine votes to five, with ward councillor Pete Allen voting in favour of the scheme.
Commercial real estate services firm CBRE is the agent for Birds Eye and put in the application.
Jay Everett, director of planning, said: "We have been instructed to appeal the decision and are now awaiting the documentation outlining the reasons for refusal.
"We assume it will be on the basis that this is employment land.
"But we feel the plans we submitted will deliver jobs and much-needed housing."
The appeal will go to Planning Inspectorate, which would probably be held in a few months' time.
This will be the second appeal, after a previous application by Birds Eye for 260 homes was rejected in 2010. On that occasion, the planning inspector upheld the decision to reject the application.
Mr Everett said: "We are confident about the appeal and I think we have a strong case.
"After the last appeal, when we put in an application for just housing, we have taken on board what the planning inspector said."
A petition was signed by 130 residents backing plans for the 185-home development at the Hessle Road site last month.
Peter Welton, 70, of Forester Way, on the Summergroves Way estate, said he hoped the appeal would be successful.
He said: "I will certainly support the appeal.
"I have said before, there are too many industrial units in the city as it is.
"I think there is a good chance the appeal will be successful because they have tried to compromise."
Pickering ward councillor Claire Thomas has backed the appeal.
She said: "I think Birds Eye has done the right thing in compromising.
"The vast majority of the residents want housing on the site.
"They don't want to live next to a factory with the noise, traffic and fumes.
"I believe Birds Eye had worked hard to come up with a workable solution."
8 Comments
by mewho
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 7:00PM
“How ridiculous - rejecting this, houses are badly needed as is work - what is wrong with this council - do they want to help the people of Hull or not - it would seem not!!!”
by Kustard
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 3:22PM
“Well I thought it was funny..... Some folk have no sense of humour !!!”
by soozhull68
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 10:42AM
“What job creation miracle are the council going to perform on this derelict site? Building homes and business units would at least create short term employment which is better than the zero employment the eye sore is creating now.”
by killer127
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 10:08AM
“Lets be totally honest, the council dont have any money, or any plans for new housing, they are full of wind and hot air, plans like £40k for an Orchard Park fishing lake, or purchasing and knocking down buildings on Anlaby road, the city is littered with empty spaces, building sites, and places that have not been regenerated since they got bombed during the blitz, there is a massive housing shortage in Hull that will only increase once the bedroom charge kicks in and people will want to be rehoused, never mind the next influx of Eastern Europeans. However whenever someone comes up with a plan to do something about it, the council sit in their ivory towers knocking back any private investment or other peoples plans for regeneration.”
by meldrewvic
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 9:41AM
“Would the Council care to explain exactly how this land is going to "create jobs". It obviously hasn't managed to do so in the 6 or so years it has lain empty. Although the Birds Eye factory was there previously it is in a mostly residential area. So what is the problem with building houses?”
by noseyparker87
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 9:20AM
“We want the houses!
If they get their way and turn it into a bloody industrial estate who is going to fill the buildings?
Stupidity.”
by Kustard
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 8:03AM
“I understand that 'Birds Eye'may be facing problems after it was found that their fish fingers were contaminated with "Sea Horse''”
by consort14
Wednesday, March 13 2013, 7:54AM
“so we dont have enough homes in hull...they want builders to build on brown field sites...but they still reject it....”