Agenda item - Planning Application DC/21/0623/FUL - Hillcrest Nursery, Barningham Road, Stanton (Report No: DEV/WS/21/023)

Agenda item

Planning Application DC/21/0623/FUL - Hillcrest Nursery, Barningham Road, Stanton (Report No: DEV/WS/21/023)

Report No: DEV/WS/21/023

 

Planning application - one temporary static caravan for a period of three years

 

Minutes:

(Councillor Jim Thorndyke declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item in light of the fact that he was acquainted with the applicant.  However, he stressed that he would keep an open mind and listen to the debate prior to voting on the item.)

 

Planning application - one temporary static caravan for a period of three years

 

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 did not object to the proposal which was in conflict with the Officers’ recommendation of refusal, for the reasons set out in Paragraph 53 of Report No DEV/WS/21/023.

 

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

 

Attention was drawn to Paragraph 19 of the report which inaccurately stated that there were three housing settlement boundaries within Stanton, when there were actually four.

 

Speakers:    Councillor Jim Thorndyke (Ward Member: Stanton) spoke on the application

                   Jonny Rankin (agent) spoke in support of the application

 

In response to queries concerning the definition of a ‘key worker’ under Policy DM5, the Service Manager (Planning – Development) gave further explanation.

 

Councillor Roger Dicker proposed that the application be refused, as per the Officer recommendation, and this was duly seconded by Councillor Carol Bull.

 

Upon being put to the vote and with 11 voting for the motion and 3 against, it was resolved that

 

Decision

 

Planning permission be REFUSED for the following reasons:

 

1.   The St Edmundsbury Core Strategy (2010) via CS13 states that development outside of housing settlements, defined in policies CS1 and CS4, will be strictly controlled, with residential development outside of the settlement boundaries being resisted. The Joint Development Management Policies Document (2015) further supports both the NPPF and Core Strategy through policies DM5 and DM27. DM5 states that areas designated as countryside will be protected from unsustainable development and policy DM27 sets out the strict circumstances where dwellings will be permitted outside of settlement boundaries. The site falls outside of any designated settlement boundaries, showing a dwelling in the form of a static caravan. The proposed dwelling does not front a highway or form an infill within a continuous built up frontage, nor will it form a close knit cluster of 10 or more dwellings. Policy DM26 is not relevant as the dwelling is not for an agricultural, forestry or commercial equine essential worker. The proposal does not therefore meet the provisions of any of these policies and there are no material considerations, including the applicant’s suggestions that the proposal be time limited and personal, that outweigh this very significant conflict with the Development Plan.

 

2.   Policies DM2 and DM22 of the Joint Development Management Policies Document and the NPPF attach great importance to good design, expecting new developments to be visually attractive, responding to local character and reinforcing local distinctiveness. Furthermore, policies CS2 and CS3 of the Core Strategy state that a high quality, sustainable environment will be achieved by conserving and, wherever possible, enhancing the character and quality of local landscapes, making a positive contribution to local distinctiveness, character, townscape and the setting of settlements, and understanding the local context and how the development will enhance the area. The paddock where the residential static caravan is proposed, to the north of Hillcrest Nursery, is a rural setting with open countryside to its north boundary. The introduction of a dwelling in this location will have an urbanising impact, resulting in the material and harmful erosion of the countryside. The proposal is therefore contrary to the provisions of policies CS2 and CS3 of the Core Strategy, policies DM2 and DM22 of the Joint Development Management Policies Document and the National Planning Policy Framework 2019.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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