Listed Building Consent for the retention of sunroom

Listed Building Consent for the retention of sunroom

Please refer to the late material that was circulated at the start of the meeting

Development Control Manager, Clive Reynolds, referred to the late material and confirmed that Dymock Parish Council supported this retrospective application for listed building consent. Recalling the inspection panel’s visit to the site earlier in the year, the Development Control Manager reminded the committee that it had resolved to take enforcement action for removal of the conservatory. (It was noted that listed building consent to retain the structure had already been refused twice). The Development Control Manager said that the council’s Conservation Specialist believed the conservatory had an adverse impact upon the listed building by virtue of its scale and design. He said that there had been no material changes in circumstances since the previous refusals and that the latest guidance on how to deal with heritage assets (PPS 5) had existed at the time of the last refusal and during consideration of the enforcement action that had been agreed by the committee in March.

Public Speaking

Speaking as the agent for the application, the speaker questioned the relevance of referring to planning policy PPS 5 to support the officer recommendation of refusal, especially when it was evident that the application clearly satisfied the public benefit test of the policy. The speaker said that the conservatory did not harm the historic fabric of the cottage and that there was no justification for the council to adopt different criteria for the assessment of works other than that applied to earlier alterations and extensions at the site.  The speaker informed members that great care had been taken to ensure that the conservatory did not harm the fabric of the cottage. He said that he could not understand why the council was unable to explain the apparent nature of the harm and that, on this basis, it was unacceptable to refuse the application.

Committee consideration

Members of the previous committee recalled the extensive debate that had taken place before the committee had made their decision to take enforcement action in March.  Councillor Norman Stephens believed there was no harm in retaining the conservatory and proposed that listed building consent be approved. Councillor Jane Horne seconded this proposal. The majority of members supported the proposal on the basis that there was no substantial harm to the listed building or to the fabric of the cottage. Councillor Stephens noted that this was the first time the application had been considered by the committee and believed it made common sense to grant listed building consent.

Vote

Councillor Norman Stephens proposed that the application be granted listed building consent and Councillor Jane Horne seconded the proposal. The reason for approval was that the conservatory did no substantial harm to the listed building and did not impact on the original fabric of the property. A recorded vote was taken and members,

RESOLVED to grant the application listed building consent for the retention of a sunroom at the site

For (12)

Councillors Frank Beard, Gethyn Davies, Terry Glastonbury, Julia Gooch, Jane Horne, Brian Jones, Graham Morgan Norman Stephens, Lynn Sterry, Arthur Thomas, David Thomson and Roger Yeates

Against (2)

Councillors Frankie Evans and Gabriella Kirkpatrick

Abstentions (0)