Approval of reserved matters for the erection of a detached dwelling

Approval of reserved matters for the erection of a detached dwelling

Please refer to the late material circulated prior to the meeting

Principal Planning Officer, Emma Norgate, informed members that the principle of development for this site, (including the reserved matter relating to access), had been established during consideration of the outline planning application. As such, the committee would only be required to consider approval of the remaining reserved matters regarding the impact on residential and visual amenity and flood risk. The planning officer referred members to the late material and confirmed that the Environment Agency had upheld their objections and that the recommendation remained one of refusal.

Public speaking

Speaking as the joint owner of the site, the applicant said that, after seeking legal advice before purchasing the property in 2011, he had been informed that the permission on the site was not onerous and that the plans were considered acceptable. Furthermore, the high quality welsh-oak frame intended for the site had been well received. With this in mind, it had therefore been both a surprise and a disappointment that the recommendation was to refuse the application. The applicant informed the committee that the proposed design included several energy saving devices. He said that, whilst acknowledging the slight increase in the footprint of the development, he believed this was not disproportionate to the site and that the garden size provided was within a reasonable interpretation of the Residential Design Guide, where there had been no indication of the minimum and maximum requirements. Noting that there had been no objections from the parish council, the speaker believed the development would be a vast improvement to what currently existed at the site.

Committee Consideration

Chairman, Councillor Terry Glastonbury, informed members that local member, Councillor Diana Edwards, wanted to speak on this application but had been unable to do so. Local member, Councillor Norman Stephens, said that, like himself, Councillor Edwards intended to speak in support of the application, which in his opinion was a fairly modest development offering a vast improvement to the local area. He said that local residents believed the proposals were both tasteful and appropriate and that he did not foresee any problems relating to flood risk, particularly when noting the longevity of the site and the positioning of mobile homes. Several other members shared this perspective and spoke in support of the proposals. Councillor Julia Gooch said that she had lived in the area for over 30 years and that during this time there had been no experience of flooding at the site. 

Group Manager for Planning and Housing, Peter Williams, reminded members that that the application related to the detail and not to the principle of the development. He referred to the specific concerns of the Environment Agency regarding the risk of flooding, and said that, should the committee be minded to approve the development, the council would be required to inform the Environment Agency of the decision and allow it time to consider the council’s reasons for doing so. (One of the actions available to the Environment Agency would be to request that the application be called in for determination by the Secretary of State). Referring to the heightened concerns of the Environment Agency, regarding flood risk, some members believed such an occurrence was highly unlikely. 

Vote

Councillor Norman Stephens proposed that the application for reserved matters be approved. Councillor Jane Horne seconded the proposal. The reasons given for the proposal were; development of the site had already been agreed in outline; a permanent dwelling would be an improvement to the appearance of the local area, the site was sufficiently protected from flooding by existing defences and there had been no increase in flood risk since the outline approval had been granted. A recorded vote was taken and members,

RESOLVED to approve the reserved matters, subject to the notification and subsequent approval by the Environment Agency.

For (14)

Councillors Gethyn Davies, Frankie Evans, Terry Glastonbury, Julia Gooch, Val Hobman, Jane Horne, Brian Jones, Di Martin, Paul McMahon, Graham Morgan, Norman Stephens, Arthur Thomas, David Thomson and Roger Yeates

Against (1) CouncillorGabriella Kirkpatrick

Abstentions (0)