Agenda item

Planning Application 19/02235/OUT - Land at North Town Farm, Higher North Town Lane, North Cadbury

Meeting of Area East Committee, Wednesday 15th January 2020 9.00 am (Item 127.)

Minutes:

Application Proposal: Outline planning application with all matters reserved for the erection of 5 dwellings

The Chairman advised that although he lived in the village of North Cadbury, he could not see the application site from his property and so he had no interest to declare.

The Planning Consultant introduced the report and advised that that the site was formerly occupied by a large agricultural building. He noted that a class Q application to convert the barn had been refused for technical reasons. The site had permission for 3 dwellings and it was now proposed to build 5 dwellings on the site. There were third party objections to the proposal but the Highway Authority and the Council’s own Highway Consultant had not raised any objections to the application. The site was accessed from an unlit lane with no pavements and the village school was some 900m distance. It was remote from the village and in an unsustainable location therefore his recommendation was to refuse the application.

The Committee were then addressed by the Chairman of North Cadbury PC and two local residents in opposition to the application. Their comments included:-

· The junction of the lane and the A359 was very dangerous with more traffic accidents than were stated in the report.

· Applications had been submitted for two then three and now five dwellings. Would it stop there? There was no attempt to address sustainability and the road junction had accidents on a regular basis.

· Pollution from silage effluent had killed nearby trees which the Environment Agency were aware of. The development was unsustainable.

The Agent for the applicant said that since gaining approval for 3 dwellings, the planning policies had changed to allow 5 to be built. The policies also supported development on brownfield sites and the proposal was only for 2 above what already had permission. Tree contamination surveys had been carried out and the footpath to the south of the site would not be affected. He concluded that housing was needed across the district and he asked Members to support the application.

One of the Ward Members, Councillor Henry Hobhouse, said the number of accidents at the junction with the A359 was very high, nevertheless, he supported the application.

The other Ward Member, Councillor Kevin Messenger, said he had visited the site and could not understand where the silage effluent spoken of came from. He said that although the access lane was narrow it was for road users to exercise caution and he would support the application.

During discussion, Members were generally supportive of the proposal. It was felt if more properties were built then the village could become more sustainable although concern was expressed that the Highway Authority had not objected to the poor access junction. It was proposed and seconded to approve the application as the proposal was considered to be acceptable in the location, because the distance to the village was the same as other neighbouring residential developments to the west of the site, the site was not in a remote location due to it being adjacent to other residential properties, and the means of pedestrian access to the village was not considered to be unduly dangerous in this rural location. On being put to the vote, the proposal was granted permission by 9 votes in favour, 2 against and 2 abstentions.

RESOLVED: That planning application 19/02235/OUT be GRANTED permission, contrary to the officer’s recommendation for the following reason:

The proposal is considered to be acceptable in this location, because the distance to the village is the same as other neighbouring residential developments to the west of the site, the site is not in a remote location due to it being adjacent to other residential properties, and the means of pedestrian access to the village are not considered to be unduly dangerous in this rural location. Due regard has been had to the recent planning history of the site and for the extant permission for three dwellings at the site. In addition the proposal would cause no significant adverse impact on the character of the area, residential amenity, highway safety, flood risk or biodiversity. As such it accord with Policies SD1, SS1, SS2, EQ1, EQ2, EQ4, EQ5, TA5 and TA6 of the South Somerset Local Plan and relevant guidance in the NPPF.

SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING:

Conditions.

Outline / reserved matters – time limits

Accord with plans

Protection of trees along southern boundary (pre-commencement)

Surface water drainage scheme (pre-commencement)

Condition survey of existing highway (pre-commencement)

Construction Environmental Management Plan (pre-commencement)

Contamination investigation (pre-commencement)

Hours of construction works

No burning on site

Access details