Agenda item

(Councillor Tim Metcalfe declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Agenda Item 4(5) by virtue of the fact that he was the applicant for the planning application. As his interest was personal and prejudicial and a disclosable pecuniary interest, he would be leaving the meeting during the course of consideration of the matter and would take no part in the debate or voting on the matter other than to speak as the applicant).

(All Committee Members declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 4(5) by virtue of the fact that the applicant was known to them as a fellow Councillor and Committee Member. As their interest was personal and not prejudicial or a disclosable pecuniary interest, they determined to remain to take part in the debate and vote on the matter.)

The Committee considered a report (Agenda Item 4(5)) concerning Planning Application 18/00415/FULD in respect of the demolition of an existing bungalow and double car port, the erection of a replacement house with triple car port and storage, and new roof and cladding to existing outbuilding.

Simon Till, the Planning Officer, introduced the report and stated that the application site was located outside of the settlement boundary, in land defined as countryside under Policy ADPP1 of the Core Strategy and situated within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The site consisted of an existing bungalow which had been extended over the course of several previous planning permissions.

The proposed works were for the demolition of the existing bungalow on the site and the erection of a two storey replacement dwelling on a similar footprint to the existing bungalow. The office accommodation to the north of the existing dwelling would be retained via works to separate it from the main dwelling, make good the demolition works, clad the building in feather board and re-roof it and a triple garage and store building was proposed to be erected to the rear of the site, adjacent to the north-eastern boundary. Previous planning permission was granted by the Eastern Area Planning Committee for a two storey replacement dwelling on this site on 26 October 2016.

The existing dwelling was a large, considerably extended bungalow. Nevertheless, despite its size and considerable footprint it was relatively low key in form, due in part to the substantial screening offered by the existing surrounding hedge, and in part to the low ridge height of approximately five metres and the simplicity of design. By contrast, the proposed replacement dwelling would be a more imposing building, with an overall ridge height of approximately 9.7 metres opposed to the 8.5 metre ridge height of the previously approved replacement dwelling. Nevertheless it was noted that the proposed building was a farmhouse, situated amongst land including a farm, farm buildings and other two storey dwellings, and therefore a large main farm dwelling would not be uncommon to find in such circumstances.

It was noted that the proposed replacement dwelling would occupy a slightly smaller floor area than that of the previously approved replacement dwelling, particularly in terms of its two storey elements, reducing the visual impact of this aspect of the built form by relying more on single storey elements and concentrating the two storey elements into a smaller area. A timber framed design would assist the replacement dwelling in responding to the rural character of the surrounding landscape in the AONB. Officers considered that the proposed replacement dwelling was an improvement on that previously approved in terms of the elements of its design and impact on the surrounding landscape of the AONB.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Councillor Tim Metcalfe, applicant, addressed the Committee on this application.

Councillor Metcalfe in addressing the Committee raised the following points:

·                    Councillor Metcalfe confirmed that the design of the new dwelling would be less symmetrical in nature than the existing bungalow;

·                    The ridge height would increase to 9.7m but that this type of dwelling would not be uncommon as a farmhouse;

·                    The gable end of the dwelling would only be visible from the public footpath.

In considering the above application Members queried what screening would be put in place. It was confirmed that screening would be via a hedge the height of which would be in the region of 2.6 metres.

(Councillor Tim Metcalfe left the room at 9.09pm)

Councillor Emma Webster proposed the Officer recommendation of approval as she felt that the design of the proposed dwelling would make good use of the site. This was seconded by Councillor Alan Law.

RESOLVED that the Head of Development and Planning be authorised to grant planning permission subject to the following conditions:

Conditions

(1)       The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

          Reason: To comply with Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004).

(2)     The development of the replacement dwelling hereby approved shall be carried out in accordance with the location plan and drawing numbers 201-04, 201-06, 201-05, 201-03, 201-02 registered on 22 February 2018.

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

(3)     Irrespective of any details given in the approved plans and application form no development of the approved replacement dwelling shall commence until a schedule and samples of materials to be used in the external surfaces of the replacement dwelling has been submitted and approved under a formal discharge of conditions application. Thereafter development of the replacement dwelling shall take place in accordance with the approved schedule.

          Reason: In order to ensure that sufficient consideration is given to the impact of materials on visual amenity in the North Wessex Downs AONB in accordance with the NPPF (2012), Policies CS14 and CS19 of the West Berkshire Local Plan Core Strategy (2006-2026) 2012 and Policies C3 and C7 of the West Berkshire Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document (2006-2026) 2012.

(4)     No demolition of the existing dwelling or development of the approved dwelling shall take place until a Construction Method Statement has been submitted and approved under a formal discharge of conditions application. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved Construction Method Statement. The Construction Method Statement shall provide for:

(a)     The parking of vehicles of site operatives and visitors

(b)     Delivery, loading and unloading of plant and materials

(c)     Storage of plant and materials used in constructing the development

(d)     Wheel washing facilities

(e)     Measures to control the emission of dust and dirt during construction

(f)      A scheme for recycling/disposing of waste resulting from demolition and construction works

          Reason: The site is located adjacent to land in an existing agricultural use that generates traffic flow into Purley Village and past the access to existing residential properties, and where construction activities might have a detrimental impact on existing traffic flow and the existing agricultural use if not appropriately controlled. The proposed works might also result in high levels of dust and mud arising from the development which would impact detrimentally on highway safety without appropriate measures for their control in place. This condition is imposed in order to safeguard the amenity of land uses and occupiers surrounding the site and in the interests of highway safety, in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012), Policies CS5, CS13 and CS14 of the West Berkshire Core Strategy (2006-2026), Policy TRANS 1 of the West Berkshire District Local Plan 1991-2006 (Saved Policies 2007).

(5)     Development of the approved replacement dwelling shall not commence until details of a scheme of hard and soft landscaping and boundary treatments to be implemented on the site have been submitted and approved under a formal discharge of conditions application. Such details shall ensure:

(a)     The identification of all trees to be retained;

(b)     The use of native species of trees and shrubs;

(c)     The full implementation of the scheme of soft landscaping in the first planting season following completion of the development;

(d)     The full implementation of the approved hard landscaping before the approved dwelling is occupied;

(e)     The implementation of the approved boundary treatments before the dwelling is occupied.

(f)      Measures for the protection of any trees and shrubs to be retained on the site through the course of development;

(g)     Retention of all approved landscaping for a period of five years;

(h)     Any trees or shrubs that become diseased, damaged or die shall be replaced with examples of the same species and a similar size within the following planting season. Irrespective of the provisions of Schedule 2, Part 2, Class A of the Town and Country (General Permitted Development) Order 2015, or any subsequent version thereof, no means of enclosure shall be erected on the site apart from in accordance with the approved details of means of enclosure unless planning permission has been granted on a planning application made for this purpose.

          Reason: The site is located in a visually prominent location within the North Wessex Downs AONB. This condition is imposed in order to ensure that the development is provided with a comprehensive scheme of landscaping in order to soften its impact in surrounding views, and to ensure that no harm to the character of the surrounding AONB results from the use of visually intrusive means of enclosure and hard surfaces in the development of the site, in accordance with the NPPF (2012), Policies CS14 and CS19 of the West Berkshire Local Plan Core Strategy (2006-2026) 2012 and Policies C3 and C7 of the West Berkshire Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document (2006-2026) 2012.

(6)     The finished floor levels in the approved dwelling shall match those shown in the approved drawings.

          Reason: In order to safeguard visual amenity in the North Wessex Downs AONB and to assist in flood resilience in accordance with the NPPF (2012) and Policies CS13, CS14 and CS19 of the West Berkshire Local Plan Core Strategy (2006-2026) 2012.

(7)     Irrespective of the provisions of the Town and Country (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 or any subsequent version thereof, no extensions or alterations shall be made to the dwelling hereby approved, or alterations and extensions made to its roof, nor any outbuildings erected in its curtilage, without planning permission first having been granted in respect of a planning application made for this purpose.

          Reason: The site is located in a visually prominent part of the North Wessex Downs AONB, and the works hereby permitted significantly increase the amount of built form on the site. This condition is required in order to prevent an accumulation of outbuildings and extensions that might otherwise detrimentally impact on the character and appearance of the site within the surrounding AONB, in the interests of visual amenity in the North Wessex Downs AONB in accordance with the NPPF (2012), Policies CS14 and CS19 of the West Berkshire Local Plan Core Strategy (2006-2026) 2012 and Policies C3 and C7 of the West Berkshire Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document (2006-2026) 2012.

(8)     Irrespective of the provisions of the Town and Country (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 or any subsequent version thereof, the outbuilding and car port hereby approved shall be used only for purposes ancillary to a) the residential enjoyment of the main dwelling on the site OR b) business activities associated with the surrounding agricultural landholding/business known as Home Farm. The outbuilding and car port shall not be sold, leased, rented or otherwise separately used or disposed of from the main dwelling. No separate curtilage shall be created. The car port shall be retained for the purpose of parking vehicles and storage and shall not be used for other purposes.

          Reason: In order to prevent the creation of a separate dwelling unit and to avoid pressure for additional outbuildings which would result in an increase in built form on a visually prominent site in the North Wessex Downs AONB in the interests of visual amenity in accordance with the NPPF (2012), Policies CS14 and CS19 of the West Berkshire Local Plan Core Strategy (2006-2026) 2012 and Policies C3 and C7 of the West Berkshire Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document (2006-2026) 2012.

(9)     The hours of work for all contractors, site operatives and other persons employed in the development of the replacement dwelling hereby approved, for the duration of the site development, shall be limited to:

          7.30 am to 6.00 p.m. on Mondays to Fridays 8.30 am to 1.00 p.m. on Saturdays and

          NO work shall be carried out on Sundays or Bank Holidays.

          Reason: In the interests of the amenities of neighbouring occupiers in accordance with the NPPF (2012) and Policy CS14 of the West Berkshire Local Plan Core Strategy (2006-2026) 2012.

(10)   No development of the approved dwelling shall take place until a scheme of parking and turning has been submitted and approved under a discharge of conditions application made for this purpose. The dwelling shall not be occupied until the parking and turning has been surfaced and laid out in accordance with the accordance with the approved details. The parking and turning shall be retained on the site for the parking of private motor cars in accordance with the approved details thereafter.

          Reason: In order to ensure that sufficient parking and turning for the use of the approved dwelling are provided on the site in the interests of highways safety in accordance with Policy TRANS 1 of the West Berkshire District Local Plan (1991-2006) Saved Policies 2007, Policy CS13 of the West Berkshire Local Plan Core Strategy (2006-2026) 2012 and Policy P1 of the West Berkshire Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document (2006-2026) 2012.