Outline application for category 2 sheltered housing comprising, 32 new build apartments with residents lounge, refuse and cycles store, parking and revised access from Stars Pitch. (Resubmission)

Outline application for category 2 sheltered housing comprising, 32 new build apartments with residents lounge, refuse and cycles store, parking and revised access from Stars Pitch. (Resubmission)

Please refer to the late material circulated prior to the meeting

Principal Planning Officer, Emma Norgate, said that this application and the application at item 5.3 of the agenda were inherently linked and that it would be beneficial to consider both at the same time.   The planning officer outlined the proposals in detail and said that the additional comments received from the applicant since publication of the agenda had been referred to the District Valuer for consideration. She said that, whilst the applicant and English Heritage could accept some of the positions that had been presented by the other party, there still remained several differences to resolve. Referring to the late material, the planning officer concluded that, given the outstanding issues regarding the impact of the proposed development on the conservation area, listed buildings and existing residents due to the size and scale of the development, the recommendation remained one of refusal.

Committee consideration

Local member, Councillor Ian Whitburn, reiterated the parish council’s concerns about limited parking at the site and said that, with only 16 spaces, parking would almost certainly become a problem.  Responding to questions about the provision of parking spaces, Jamie Mattock, from Gloucestershire County Highways, informed members that the level of parking proposed was in fact above the maximum standard requirement of 0.53 parking spaces per dwelling. Dismayed by this calculation, Councillor Norman Stephens said that the guidelines were impractical and should be looked at.

Other members expressed concern about the impact of the development on the street scene and said that it would be a significant loss to develop such an historic building. Councillor Brian Edwards expressed concern about the narrowing of the road and proximity to adjacent properties and said that the visual display for the proposals had presented a much wider perspective of the front aspect of the development. Councillor Graham Morgan recalled work that had taken place during recent years to open out the street scene and to enhance the character of the village. He said that the development of such an historic building in this prominent location would be like taking a step backwards.

Responding to questions from Councillor David Thomson about why members were being asked to consider objections at the outline stage of the application, Group Manager for Planning and Housing, Peter Williams said that the council had no objections to the principle of the development and that the council’s viewpoint was, in fact, different to that of English Heritage in terms of the loss of the existing building on site. However, following changes to legislation in 2009, (requiring applicants to set out parameters for the proposed development at the outline stage of the application), it was necessary to consider such information. In this case, concerns about the size of the development and whether such parameters were appropriate for the location, were legitimate objections for an outline application.

Vote

Chairman, Councillor Terry Glastonbury, moved the recommendation to refuse the application and Councillor Di Martin seconded the motion. A recorded vote was taken and members,

RESOLVED to refuse planning permission for the reasons detailed in the schedule of applications

For (14)

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

Against (0)

Abstentions (0)