Agenda item

PROPOSAL: Change of use of dwelling and adjacent detached dwelling from C3 (dwelling house) to C2 (Childrens care home). Erection of a replacement single storey rear extension and erection of front and rear dormer extensions.

front and rear dormer windows.

OFFICER RECOMMENDATION: Permit.

72.53        This was an application for a change of use of dwelling and adjacent detached dwelling from C3 (dwelling house) to C2 (Childrens care home). Erection of a replacement single storey rear extension and erection of front and rear dormer extensions.

72.54        The Planning Officer explained that this was a change of use of dwelling and adjacent detached dwelling from C3 (dwelling house) to C2 (Children's care home) and erection of a replacement single storey rear extension (amended dormers removed). The site lay on the east side of Main Road, Minsterworth and comprised of the semi-detached property Charlton and the recently constructed adjacent detached Christie. The application was presented to Planning Committee on 16 June 2020 where Members resolved to defer the application for clarification as to the number of children and staff who would be resident and their relationship to the bedrooms shown on the plan; for further information in respect of traffic movements and a larger scale site plan to be provided to indicate the sharp bend of the road and the site in the wider context; and to receive further information regarding the drainage proposal, including a view from the Council’s Flood Risk Management Engineer. A revised site plan was submitted to show the location of the property with regard to the sharp bend on the A38 to the south of the site. The Local Highways Authority had assessed the proposal and considered that the parking policy, together with the number of parking spaces provided, were suitable to accommodate the demand on the site The plans had also been amended to remove the dormer extension and the loft conversion for the semi-detached property Charlton; the single storey rear extension was still proposed. Charlton remained a three bedroomed property and Christie had four bedrooms. The amended plans identified the bedrooms for staff and children for both properties with two children bedrooms for both properties. The care home would provide care for children 12 to 16 years with staff present on site as the children were not capable of living unsupervised. The Environmental Health Officer considered the number of people on site would not be disproportionate to that of residential properties and the children would be supervised on site which would limit any sporadic disturbance. A site inspection of adjacent land was undertaken with Officers on 31 July 2020 and in March 2021, the Building Control Officer had visited the detached dwelling Christie. Objections had been received regarding the existing onsite drainage provisions being inadequate and the foul drainage from the properties in the vicinity adversely impacting farmland to the rear. Additional information was provided and a revised drainage plan was submitted on 23 March 2021 which proposed a package treatment plant (PTP) in the rear garden of Christie.  This was originally intended to serve both properties.  However, in order to avoid the need to discharge the outfall to third party land, the PTP now only served the detached dwelling Christie and the field drain for the outfall was all contained within its garden.  Charlton remained connected to the existing septic tank system it shared with the adjacent semi-detached dwelling Horaldene. The private treatment plant and field drainage had been installed and was subject to building regulation approval.  A meeting had been held with the Council’s Land Drainage Advisor and Building Control Officer on 25 March 2021. The Building Control Officer considered the drainage arrangements of the private treatment plant and soakaway system all within the residential curtilage would be acceptable. Charlton had reconnected back to the septic tank system it previously shared with Horaldene. The future upgrading of this system would be subject to control outside of planning under separate legislation. However, since the meeting in March, details had been submitted for building regulation approval and there was still ongoing discussions in relation to the drainage issues which had not been resolved. Therefore the Officer recommendation was changed from permit to deferral.

72.55        The Chair indicated that there were four speakers for this application but a Member indicated that, in view of the change of Officer recommendation from permit to deferral, perhaps it would be better, if Members were minded to defer, to listen to the speakers when the application came back so that their views would be fresh in the minds of Members rather than inviting them to speak today and again when the application came back to Committee. The Legal Advisor indicated that in a similar situation the Committee had previously taken a motion for deferral prior to public speaking and obviously if the motion was lost the Committee could then still hear the speakers. In proposing a deferral a Member indicated that he had requested last time, and still wished to see, when the application came back, an up to date assessment of the drainage situation and not one that was based on the position years ago. In seconding the motion for deferral, the Member also requested further information in relation to  how many vehicles would be parked on the site at its maximum, taking account of one carer per child and handovers between carers. Upon the motion being put to the vote, it was

RESOLVED           That the application be DEFERRED in accordance with the Officer recommendation.