Change of use of land for the stationing of 13 Gypsy caravan pitches with provision of utility/day room buildings, propane gas tanks, hardstandings, access road, landscaping, fencing and drainage facilities all ancillary to that use

Change of use of land for the stationing of 13 Gypsy caravan pitches with provision of utility/day room buildings, propane gas tanks, hardstandings, access road, landscaping, fencing and drainage facilities all ancillary to that use.

Please refer to the late material circulated before the start of the meeting

Principal Planning Officer, Martin Hillier, gave a detailed update on the background to the application. The planning officer said that some late correspondence from RAID, (Residents Against Inappropriate Development), had been received but that it had been too late to include as late material. The contents of the letter would, however, be noted and published on the council website. The planning officer made a small correction to page 139 of the agenda and said that references to Human Rights Consideration should refer to Personal Circumstances. The planning officer said that the recommendation for refusal had been amended to seek delegated permission for the Group Manager for Planning and Housing to expand the reasons for refusal. He said that this had particular relevance to issues relating to the scale and intensity of use of the site on nearby properties. Further to this, additional information from the Sustainable Team would need to be considered.

Public speaking

Speaking on behalf of Newent RAID, (Residents Against Inappropriate Development), the speaker said he totally agreed with what the planning officer had said. He also made the following comments: -

‘This site was developed over the Whitsun Spring Bank Holiday weekend in May 2009, largely laid out as it is today in the form of 13 pitches. The development was undertaken in a manner that could be described as an intention to ‘steal a march on the planning system’, for which the government has since introduced new measures to counter such unauthorised development. The planning permission granted on appeal by the Planning Inspector in January 2010 expired on 31 January 2012 and the existing development is now unauthorised. A new enforcement notice was issued on 20 February 2012 and it is understood that an appeal against this notice has been lodged. The Planning Inspector determined that full planning permission would be wholly unacceptable, as it would be contrary to the Development Plan and result in harming the character of the landscape due to the extent of use in this open setting. He also viewed that the use would be adverse to the character of the surrounding area and amenities because of its scale and intensity in relation to nearby buildings. Inadequate information has been provided in respect of landscape and in relation to the effect on the heritage assets. The development will dominate the local settlement and have a detrimental impact on the local community. As a consequence, the development will not promote peaceful and integrated existence between the site and the local community’

Speaking as a local member, non-committee member, Councillor Len Lawton said that he agreed with the public speaker’s comments. He said that, on several previous occasions, he had been quite vocal about the council’s inability to look at suitable pitches for the district, but was pleased that this had now been addressed. Councillor Lawton said that the Planning Inspector had given no guidance for mitigation. He also said that he was very concerned about the lack of recognition towards the needs of protected species at the site. Objecting to the development of another piece of green belt land in Newent, Councillor Lawton believed there were other pitches available and, with six reasons for refusal, no should mean no.

Committee consideration

Local member, Councillor Julia Gooch, said that the site was outside the settlement boundary and that there were other more suitable sites available for development. Councillor Jane Horne expressed concern about the vulnerable condition of the site and about the potential harm to local habitat.

Vote

Councillor Julia Gooch moved the recommendation and Councillor Jane Horne seconded the motion. A recorded vote was taken and members,

RESOLVED to delegate authority to the Group Manager for Planning and Housing to extend the reasons for refusal and to refuse the application as detailed in the schedule of applications and in the late material circulated before the start of the meeting. 

For (15)

Councillors James Bevan, Gethyn Davies, Dave East, Terry Glastonbury, Julia Gooch, Val Hobman, Jane Horne, Brian Jones, Paul McMahon, Graham Morgan, Norman Stephens, Lynn Sterry, Arthur Thomas, David Thompson and Roger Yeates.

Against (0)

Abstentions (0)