09.07.02 - Letter to CALA Homes / CALA Group Ltd - Executive Chairman Geoff Ball

referring to BBC Panorama programme on Sunday 30.06.02 -
Affordable Housing


THE TELEPHONE HOUSE NEIGHBOURS ASSOCIATION
37 Church Road
Royal Tunbridge Wells
TN1 1JT
e-mail: telephonehouse@aol.com
internet: http://uk.geocities.com/telephonehouse

CALA Group Ltd
Geoff Ball, Esq.
Executive Chairman
Adam House, 5 Mid New Cultins
Edinburgh EH11 4DU

9 July 2002

Dear Mr Ball

Tunbridge Wells, Telephone House - Affordable Housing

We read in a transcript of the BBC Panorama programme of Sunday 30.06.02, that you said:
“We're obviously in business to make profit, that's our job. But out of those profits we pay for the affordable housing and virtually every planning application that's granted today on a site of any size has about 25-30 percent affordable housing on it paid for by the developer.”

After our meeting with your company, led by Archie Norman, MP, we were convinced that the executive management of CALA Homes would welcome the chance to enter into a dialogue with Councillors and Residents to modify the planning permission for the Telephone House site. We are convinced a successful negotiation with regard to affordable housing can be achieved.

In the Notes of that Meeting filed on the Internet page: http://uk.geocities.com/telephonehouse/calameeting120402notes.html
you will find:
DB said that CALA could consider filing a different planning application.
AM thought this was not foreseen.
DB said that in the case of a new submission the underlying application is not voided.
AM said recessing the buildings on York Road would change the volume of the development.
DB advised that affordable housing could be relaxed and that the Draft Local Plan contains a clause [6.38].
RB advised that on the actual planning permission changes can be made and plans can be modified to a degree. RB proposed that he and LP could facilitate a meeting with councillors, officers, and if needed, with the Chief Executive.

In a letter of 30 April - http://uk.geocities.com/telephonehouse/cala300402.html - our chairman Peter Morse wrote to Arthur Mann once more about the support your Company would receive from Residents and Councillors if CALA Homes were prepared to change the scheme to a development of approximately 25 units.

With regard to your statement in Panorama concerning affordable housing, would you kindly advise us when your representatives wish to take up the offer to negotiate with our Council.

Yours sincerely
Annemarie Topliss
Secretary


Whom are we dealing with? - The developers of Telephone House, Tunbridge Wells

Is CALA really going ahead with THAT scheme?

The Telephone House Neighbours Association informs on CALA Homes (South) Development :
Telephone House, Church Road / York Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1