Agenda item

Report No: DEV/WS/21/016

Householder planning application - three bay cart lodge and machinery store with first floor guest accommodation above

Householder planning application - three bay cart lodge and machinery store with first floor guest accommodation above

This application was referred to the Development Control Committee following consideration by the Delegation Panel and in view of the fact that the Parish Council objected to the proposal which was in conflict with the Officers’ recommendation of approval, subject to conditions as set out in Paragraph 42 of Report No DEV/WS/21/016.

As part of his presentation the Planning Assistant showed videos of the site by way of a virtual ‘site visit’.

Attention was drawn to the supplementary ‘late papers’ which were issued following publication of the agenda and which set out additional comments received from the Parish Council.

Speaker:      Councillor Phil Baker (Hawstead Parish Council) spoke against the application

Councillor Terry Clements (Ward Member: Horringer) opened the debate advised the Committee that Hawstead had unique mature tree-lined entrances to the village and all properties were set back from the road. He raised concern at the number of trees that the proposal would require to be removed and stated that the cart lodge would be better placed closer to the existing property and further from the road.

The Case Officer informed the Committee that none of the trees concerned were protected by a TPO and, as the site was not within the Conservation Area either, the removal of them would not require consent. Furthermore, the Council’s Tree Officer had confirmed that the trees were not worthy of a TPO and had not objected to the application.

Councillor Clements then proposed that the application be refused, contrary to the Officer recommendation, due to the size/scale of the proposal and it being not in keeping with the character of the village. This was duly seconded by Councillor Ian Houlder.

Upon being put to the vote and with 5 voting for the motion and 10 against the Chair declared the motion lost.

Councillor Roger Dicker then proposed that the application be approved, as per the Officer recommendation, and this was duly seconded by Councillor Mike Chester.

Upon being put to the vote and with 9 voting for the motion and 6 against, it was resolved that

Decision

Planning permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions:

 1       The development hereby permitted shall be begun not later than three years from the date of this permission.

 2       The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out except in complete accordance with the details shown on the approved plans and documents.

 3       Prior to commencement of development a detailed Tree Protection Plan (TPP) and Arboricultural Method Statement (AMS), in accordance with BS 5837:2012 - Trees in relation to construction - Recommendations, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The TPP shall show the extent of root protection areas, details of ground protection measures and fencing to be erected around the trees, including the type and position of these. The protective measures contained within the scheme shall be implemented prior to commencement of any development, site works or clearance in accordance with the approved details and shall be maintained and retained until the development is completed. The AMS shall include details of all construction measures within the root protection areas of those trees on and adjacent to the application site which are to be retained specifying the position, depth, and method of construction/installation/excavation for hard surfaces, boundary treatments and service routes. The TPP and AMS shall include a schedule of monitoring and a programme of arboricultural supervision. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved TPP and AMS unless agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 4       Prior to completion of the development hereby approved, full details of all proposed tree planting shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. This will include 3x standard (10-12cm girth) Acer campestre in the locations shown on drawing 'UTC-0585-P05-TPP'. Planting and maintenance specifications, including cross-section drawings, use of guards or other protective measures and confirmation of location, species and sizes, nursery stock type, supplier and defect period shall be provided. All tree planting shall be carried out in accordance with those details and at those times.

          Any trees that are found to be dead, dying, severely damaged or diseased within five years of the completion of the building works OR five years of the carrying out of the landscaping scheme (whichever is later), shall be replaced in the next planting season by specimens of similar size and species in the first suitable planting season.

 5       The cart lodge hereby permitted shall be occupied only in conjunction with and for purposes ancillary to the residential use of the existing dwelling known as Woodlands to which it is associated and together they shall form a single dwelling house.

 6       Before the cart lodge hereby permitted is first occupied/brought into use, the three rooflight windows in the rear / south west elevation shall be fitted with obscure glass to Pilkington glass level 4 privacy or an equivalent standard and shall consist only of non-operable fixed lights and shall be retained in such form in perpetuity.

(On conclusion of this item the Chair permitted a short comfort break before reconvening and continuing with the meeting.)