Agenda item

Report No: DEV/SE/17/042

Outline Planning Application (Means of Access to be considered) - 1no. dwelling and detached garage

Outline Planning Application (Means of Access to be considered) – 1no. dwelling and detached garage.

(Councillor Robert Everitt declared a non-pecuniary interest as he was known to the applicant but remained in the meeting for the consideration of this item).

This application had been referred to the Development Control Committee following consideration of the Delegation Panel at the request of the local Ward Member and because the Officer recommendation for refusal was contrary to that of the Parish Council’s for approval.

Outline planning permission was sought for the erection of a single dwelling with a detached garage. The means of access was to be considered and it was proposed that it would be created by cutting through the existing hedgerow. All other matters were reserved, and any other information that was submitted would be indicative only and would not be capable of being taken into account at that stage, except to indicate how it would be possible to develop the site.

The Case Officer spoke on the history of the site and related planning applications.

A Member site visit was held prior to the meeting.

Speakers:    Councillor Clive Pollington spoke as Ward Member for                                   Wickhambrook in support of the application

                   Mrs Parker (applicant) spoke in support of the application

Members queried the current use for the land and potential conditions that could be imposed to prevent the applicant from potentially over-developing the site if planning permission was granted. The Case Officer responded and clarified that the land was currently classified in planning terms as countryside outside the Housing Settlement Boundary and the current use was that of a garden/ paddock.

Councillor Alaric Pugh was of the opinion that whilst consideration should be given to similar applications that had been dismissed on appeal, this application was to be judged on its own merit and that it was in keeping with the spirit of policy DM27, which related to building housing in the countryside.  He recognised that Wickhambrook had a specific set of characteristics comprising several hamlets and therefore was not setting a precedent for future decision making on similar applications of this kind.  The site was located in a sustainable location and would be infilling a small undeveloped plot by one dwelling that would be of a similar scale and character to that of existing dwellings and therefore he would be minded to approve the application. The Service Manager (Planning Development) responded to Councillor Pugh’s comments and explained that taking the characteristics of the settlements that comprised Wickhambrook into account, the benefits of the proposal could be adequate enough to outweigh the conflict with the Development Plan. She explained that policy DM27 was a relatively new policy that was open to interpretation and considered that the spirit of this policy could be applied in this case, and the addition of one dwelling in a sustainable location to the Borough’s housing stock and five year land supply could justify approval of the application in this specific case.

The majority of Members supported these comments and also acknowledged the Ward Member’s and Parish Council’s support for the application.

During further discussion Members raised concerns relating to the current drainage system which was considered not to be fit for purpose; whether, if approved, a condition should be imposed regarding ensuring the dwelling be restricted to being single storey only as per the application submitted; as well as the potential for further development on this site or in the locality. The Case Officer confirmed that conditions could be listed that would require the current drainage system to be reviewed and that the development should be for a single storey dwelling only. The Service Manager explained that it could not be agreed in principle to refuse any further developments in the area and reiterated that if any such applications were to come to the Committee they would have to be considered on their own merit and not in comparison to any decisions made on previous applications.

The Case Officer read out draft conditions which could be used if Members were minded to approve the application:

1.   Submission of reserved matters with means of access to be considered

2.   Standard time limit

3.   Standard highways

4.   Scheme of drainage

5.   Hours of construction

6.   Single storey build

7.   Details of landscaping and retention of existing boundaries

Councillor David Nettleton proposed that the application be approved, and this was duly seconded by Councillor Alaric Pugh.

Upon being put to the vote and with 13 voting for the motion and 1 against, it was resolved that

Decision

Planning permission be GRANTED, contrary to the Officer recommendation, for the following reasons:

·         Taking the characteristics of the settlements that comprised Wickhambrook into account and the benefits of the proposal are adequate enough to outweigh any potential harm caused by a departure from the Development Plan in this particular case. 

·         The application accorded with the spirit of policy DM27.

·         The addition of one dwelling in this sustainable location to the Borough’s housing stock and five year land supply.

And subject to the following conditions:

1.   Submission of reserved matters with means of access to be considered

2.   Standard time limit

3.   Standard highways

4.   Scheme of drainage

5.   Hours of construction

6.   Single storey build

7.   Details of landscaping and retention of existing boundaries

(Councillor Pollington left the meeting at the conclusion of this item.)