Agenda item

Planning Application 16/04605/OUT - Land at Church View Close, Aller.

Meeting of Area North Committee, Wednesday 25th January 2017 2.00 pm (Item 140.)

Minutes:

Proposal: Demolition of existing agricultural buildings and erection of 2 dwellings and a garage with associated parking and landscaping (with some matters reserved).

The Planning Officer introduced the application and provided a brief overview of the site and proposal.

He updated members that two further neighbour letters had been received and provided a summary of the concerns raised which were primarily about issues to do with the provision of parking.

He advised members that the application had reference to providing white-lining on the road, but this was not a necessary requirement to approve the application and it was recommended to remove reference to it from any approval. It was also suggested that the wording of condition 5 be amended to make it more clear and to refer to specific parking arrangements. He read out the suggested revised wording if members were minded to approve the application.

Mr D Mayor, spokesperson for Aller Parish Council, noted they were supportive of the principle but had concerns about highway safety, and acknowledged plans had been amended to address issues. The scheme would provide better parking for some of the existing properties and improve access.

Mr M Bellamy, highway consultant for the applicant, and Mr C Miller, agent, addressed members and some of their comments included:

· Existing use of the site could be brought back into active use at any time.

· Impact from residential traffic likely to have minimal impact.

· It’s an outline application seeking approval about access and scale with only the design and materials to be considered as reserved matters.

· Applicants would like to do barn type dwellings of local natural stone.

Ward member, Councillor Gerard Tucker, commented the principle of the application was widely accepted but there were genuine concerns about highway safety. Given land in the applicant’s ownership he questioned why access was as proposed. There was no parking provision proposed for St Andrews Cottage and its residents would continue to need to park on the road. He queried if it was possible to condition the requirement for provision of parking for St Andrews Cottage.

During a short discussion most members were minded to approve the application, noting the application needed to be considered as detailed in the agenda report.

In response to comments made, the Area Lead and Planning Officer clarified some points including:

· Detailed what was being offered by the applicant.

· Provision to provide additional car parking but only to those properties with a right of access.

· Parking on road available unless yellow lined.

· Need to consider existing access and if residential use compared to existing agricultural use will cause so much harm to refuse the application.

At the conclusion of debate it was proposed to approve the application as per the officer recommendation, subject to the revisions to wording of conditions 3, 5 and 6 as suggested by the officer in his presentation, and this was carried 9 in favour, 1 against with no abstentions.

RESOLVED:

That planning application 16/04605/OUT be APPROVED, as per the officer recommendation, subject to the following:

Justification:

01. The proposed residential development of the site is considered to be acceptable in this location, and could be carried out, subject to detail, with respect to the character of the area, and without causing demonstrable harm to residential amenity, having a severe impact on highway safety, and without increasing flood risk locally, in accordance with policies SD1, SS2, SS5, TA5, TA6 and EQ2 of the South Somerset Local Plan (2006-2028) and the provisions of chapters 4, 6, 7, 10, 11 and the core planning principles of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Subject to the following conditions:

01. The development hereby permitted shall be begun either before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission, or before the expiration of two years from the date of approval of the last of the reserved matters to be approved, whichever is the later.

Reason: As required by Section 92(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

02. Application for approval of the appearance and landscaping of the development, referred to in this permission as the reserved matters, shall be made to the Local Planning Authority before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

Reason: As required by Section 92(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

03. The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following submitted plans:'1:1250 Site Location' plan, received 24th October 2016 and drawing number 'DSGN0046_P_SB01_REVA', received on 23rd January2017.

Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

04. A detailed scheme of landscaping shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. This shall include indications of all existing trees and hedgerows on the land, and details of any to be retained, together with measures for their protection in the course of the development, as well as details of any changes proposed in existing ground levels. All planting, seeding, turfing or earth moulding comprised in the approved details of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding season following the occupation of the building or the completion of the development, whichever is the sooner; and any trees or plants which within a period of five years from the completion of the development die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species, unless the Local Planning Authority gives written consent to any variation.

Reason: In the interests of visual amenity, in accordance policy EQ2 of the South Somerset Local Plan (2006-2028) and the provisions of chapter 7 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

05. The area proposed as access track, and allocated for parking, on approved plan 'DSGN0046_P_SB01_REVA' (as annotated 1 and 7 on said plan), shall be kept clear of obstruction at all times and shall not be used other than for accessing the site and for the parking of vehicles respectively, in connection with the development hereby permitted. The hatched area on approved plan 'DSGN0046_P_SB01_REVA' (annotated 10), shall be shall be kept clear of obstruction at all times and shall not be used other than for the parking of vehicles in connection with neighbouring residential properties fronting High Street. Such approved parking areas shall be provided prior to any of the properties within the development hereby approved being first occupied, and maintained thereafter.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety, in accordance with policy TA5 of the South Somerset Local Plan (2006-2028) and the provisions of chapter 4 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

06. The access hereby approved shall be completed in accordance with details, as indicated on drawing number 'DSGN0046_P_SB01_REVA', received 23^rd January 2016. The access shall be fully constructed in accordance with these approved details, before the dwellings hereby permitted are first occupied and shall thereafter be maintained at all times.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety, in accordance with policy TA5 of the South Somerset Local Plan (2006-2028) and the provisions of chapter 4 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

07. Before the dwellings hereby permitted are first occupied, the approved access and associated shared driveway shall be properly consolidated and surfaced (not loose stone or gravel), details of which shall have been submitted and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The access shall be constructed in accordance with the approved details and shall thereafter be maintained at all times.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety, in accordance with policy TA5 of the South Somerset Local Plan (2006-2028) and the provisions of chapter 4 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

08. The development hereby permitted shall not be commenced until the surface water and watercourse proposals have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, in conjunction with the Parrett Internal Drainage Board. Such approved drainage details shall be completed and become fully operational before the development hereby permitted is first brought into use.

Reason: The application has insufficient information to determine if drainage matters will be properly addressed, to ensure that there will be no adverse impact on flood risk locally, in accordance with policies EQ1 of the South Somerset Local Plan (2006-2028) and the provisions of chapters 10 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

09. No development shall take place until the badger mitigation works have been implemented as outlined in section 6 of the Extended Phase 1 and Badger Sett survey report (Abbas Ecology, March 2016) or as amended in respect of the Natural England sett interference/closure licence.

Reason: For the conservation and protection of legally protected species and to ensure compliance with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and Protection of Badgers Act 1992, and to accord with policy EQ4 of the South Somerset Local Plan (2006-2028) and the provisions of chapter 11 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

10. No development hereby approved shall take place until the applicant, or their agents or successors in title, has secured the implementation of a programme of archaeological work in accordance with a written scheme of investigation, which has been submitted by the applicant and approved by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To ensure the adequate opportunity is afforded for investigation of archaeological or other items of interest, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 12 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Informatives:

01. The applicant should note that in assessing a reserved matters application, the Local Planning Authority reserve the right to reconsider the need to request appropriate planning obligations, should the combined gross floor space of the proposed dwellings exceed 1000 square metres.

(Voting: 9 in favour, 1 against, 0 abstentions)

Supporting documents: