Agenda item

Report No: DEV/WS/19/006

Planning Application - 1no dwelling

Planning Application - 1no dwelling

This application was referred to the Development Control Committee following consideration by the Delegation Panel.

Hepworth Parish Council supported the application which was contrary to the Officer recommendation of refusal, for the reasons set out in Paragraph 44 of Report No DEV/WS/19/006.

A Member site visit was held prior to the meeting.

Councillor Carol Bull (Ward Member: Barningham) spoke in support of the application and proposed that the application be approved, contrary to the Officer recommendation of refusal.  This was duly seconded by Councillor David Roach.

The Service Manager (Planning – Development) explained that if Members were minded to approve the application, contrary to the Officer recommendation of refusal, then Officers would invoke the decision making protocol and a risk assessment would be produced for consideration by the Committee at a future meeting, prior to making final decision on the application.

Upon being put to the vote and with 3 voting for the motion and with 13 against the Chair declared the motion lost.

Councillor Peter Stevens spoke in support of the Officer’s recommendation of refusal and commented on the harm the application could have on the character of the site.

The Service Manager (Planning – Development) stated that the second reason for refusal could be expanded in order to include the impact upon the character of the site as a consequence of the elevated position.

Henceforth, Councillor Stevens proposed that the application be refused as per the Officer recommendation and inclusive of the expansion to the second reason.  This was duly seconded by Councillor Roger Dicker.

Upon being put to the vote and with 13 voting in favour, 2 against and with 1 abstention it was resolved that

Decision

Planning permission be REFUSED for the following reasons:

1. Policies CS1 and CS4 of the Core Strategy between them establish the spatial strategy and the settlement hierarchy for development within West Suffolk. Both seek to resist, in conformity with the provisions of Para. 79 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), residential development outside of settlement boundaries in otherwise unsustainable areas. Furthermore, Policy DM5 states that areas designated as countryside will be protected from unsustainable development and Policy DM27 sets out the circumstances where dwellings will be permitted outside of settlement boundaries. Hepworth is a lower order settlement and the provision of a dwelling outside of the designated settlement boundary represents an unsustainable form of development. The proposal does not meet the provisions of policy DM27 in that it is not within a cluster and neither is it considered to be a small undeveloped plot within an otherwise continuous built up frontage. There are no material considerations that outweigh this significant conflict with the Development Plan; and

2. Policy DM2 (Creating Places - Development Principles and Local Distinctiveness) states that proposals should recognise and address key features, characteristics and landscape of the area, supporting the provisions of DM13, and Policy CS4 seeks to ensure that development proposals do not adversely affect the setting of a settlement. The proposal would create an encroachment to the countryside, distinctively separate from the housing settlement boundary. The provision of 1no. dwelling on this elevated and visually prominent site would intrude into this countryside setting, which forms an important buffer beyond the existing linear dwellings within the settlement boundary. It would have an undesirable urbanising effect on views from the settlement, and upon its setting. The provision of a long access from North Common will also erode the spacious linear character of the settlement. The dwelling is also likely to be visible in gaps between buildings when viewed from The Street, again materially and harmfully eroding the spacious rural character of the village and its setting, and which is further exacerbated by the elevated nature of the site relative to neighbouring properties. A dwelling in this location, plus associated curtilage and paraphernalia, would also adversely alter the landscape character of this area. The proposal would create a visual intrusiveness in this rural location and create a significant impact, causing material harm to the surrounding landscape, to the detriment of the character and appearance of the settlement and wider area. The proposal is therefore contrary to the provisions of Policy DM2 and Policy DM13 of the Joint Development Management Policies Document 201, Policy CS4 of the St Edmundsbury Core Strategy 2010 and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).