Agenda item

Report No: DEV/FH/15/046

Change of use of land to use as a residential caravan site for 2 no. gypsy families, each with 2 no. caravans and an amenity building (total of 4 no. caravans and 2 no. amenity buildings), including the laying of hardstandings and improvement of access

Change of use of land to use as a residential caravan site for 2 no. gypsy families, each with 2 no. caravans and an amenity building (total of 4 no. caravans and 2 no. amenity buildings), including the laying of hardstandings and improvement of access.

This application was referred to the Development Control Committee by the Head of Planning and Growth due to the controversial and contentious nature of the proposal.

A Member site visit was held prior to the meeting.  Exning Parish Council and a number of residents objected to the application. 

Officers were recommending that the application be refused as set out in Paragraph 88 of Report No DEV/FH/15/046.  Attention was drawn to a supplementary paper tabled to the meeting which set out an amendment to recommendation 2 (Paragraph 88), further to this the Committee was advised that the wording “… and Northend Stud, Exning” needed to be added to the end of the first sentence.

The Planning Officer also made reference to Paragraph 36 of the report and explained that the extract from the guidance therein contained an error and the words “…or permanently…” should be removed and disregarded.

Members were advised that since publication of the agenda a further letter had been received from Northmore Stud in Exning, stating that there was a possibility that the land in question could have been used for target practice historically.  In response to which, the Officer drew attention to Paragraph 58 of the report and the Environmental Health Officer’s comments with regard to land contamination.

Additional objections had also been received from residents, however, none of which raised any new issues/points to those covered in previous representations.

Lastly, the Committee was provided with an update in respect of Paragraph 36 a) which made reference to an unmet need for 9 additional traveller sites/pitches within the District for 2011-2016.  The Officer explained that approval for 3 sites had been granted within Red Lodge, meaning there was now an unmet need for a further 6.

Councillor Simon Cole, as Ward Member for the application, spoke in support of the Officer recommendation and moved that the application be refused.  This was duly seconded by Councillor David Bowman and with the vote being unanimous, it was resolved that:

The application be REFUSED for the following reasons:

1.   The proposed development would, by virtue of the inadequate visibility splays and access gradient, have an unacceptable impact on highway safety, to the detriment of both vehicles leaving the site and other road users (including horses) on North End Road. Furthermore, there are no footpath or highway verges close to the application site,  where the lane is narrow, such that there is potential for further highway conflict. The proposal is therefore considered to be contrary to policy DM5 of the Council’s Joint Development Management Policies Document and paragraph 32 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

2.   The applicant has failed to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority that the development would not adversely affect the operational use of Northmore Stud and Northend Stud, Exning.  In the absence of such information, and given the unique quality of Newmarket and the surrounding area which is dominated by the horseracing industry, the Local Planning Authority is of the opinion that the proposed development would, by virtue of the layout/position of the buildings and caravans on site, have an adverse impact on the horseracing industry by virtue of increased nose, light pollution and additional traffic in an unsustainable location.  The proposal is therefore contrary to Policy DM48 of the Council’s Joint Development Policies Document (February 2015).

3.   The applicant has not sufficiently demonstrated a need to be located on the site, including local connections to support any need, and has not demonstrated why this need cannot be met by an alternative site. By failing to provide any evidence of substance, the Local Planning Authority cannot positively determine this application, where the site is situated within the open countryside, away from the defined settlement boundary of Exning. The proposal is therefore considered to be contrary to policy CS 8 of the Council’s Core Strategy and policies B, C and H of the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (PPTS).

Speakers:    Mr James Meade spoke against the application

Councillor Terry Wood (Exning Parish Council) spoke against the application.