Agenda item

PROPOSAL: Erection of two four-bedroom dwellings including details of access with all other matters reserved (appearance, scale, layout and landscaping as reserved matters).

OFFICER RECOMMENDATION: Permit.

45.39        This was an outline application for the erection of two four-bedroom dwellings including details of access with all other matters reserved (appearance, scale, layout and landscaping as reserved matters).

45.40        The Planning Officer advised that the application required Committee determination due to an objection from the Parish Council that the development did not constitute infilling.  Access would be off the A38 via Church Lane.  It was noted that The Leigh was not a Service Village and therefore Policy RES2 was not applicable.  The Leigh did not have a defined settlement boundary and was considered to be a dispersed rural settlement and Policy RES4 required residential development to be within and adjacent to the built up area of the rural settlement. The application site was separated from the main built up area of The Leigh by numerous fields which provided a clear and distinct break in built form. The site was visually separate and Officers considered the proposal to be contrary to Policy RES4 on that basis.  Notwithstanding this, as the Council could not demonstrate a five year housing land supply, the application must be determined in accordance with Paragraph 11 of the National Planning Policy Framework, i.e. planning permission should be granted unless any adverse impacts of granting permission would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits when assessed against the policies of National Planning Policy Framework as a whole.  In relation to design, it was considered that two 1.5 storey dwellings would be acceptable in this location. By way of landscaping, the site was bound by an existing hedge to the front which would be retained.  The Landscape Officer and Tree Officer had made comments regarding the additional landscaping which would be addressed in the subsequent reserved matters scheme.  In terms of highways, each dwelling would be accessed via existing field gates. The dwellings were located circa 200m from bus stops on the A38 which provided direct access to facilities and services including schools, places of employment and convenience stores. The County Highways Officer had reviewed the scheme and considered that residents of the new dwellings could use the existing grass verges to access the bus stops and raised no objections in relation to highway safety or sustainability.  As set out in the Committee report, there were no conflicts or clear reasons to refuse the application aside from the conflict with Policy RES4. Given the Council’s five year housing land supply position, the development would contribute towards the supply of housing to help meet the housing need which attracted significant weight in favour of granting permission. The scale of development and its relationship with the rural settlement was considered to be acceptable and, although modest in scale, in economic and social terms a number of benefits would flow from this development if permitted, including during the construction process and through spending on local services and facilities from future residents. The site was considered to be in a sustainable location given its proximity to the nearby bus services along the A38 and, in environmental terms, redevelopment of the site would allow the opportunity for new planting and biodiversity which would be a significant benefit. Taking account of all the material considerations and the weight to be attributed to each one, it was considered that the identified harms would not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits in the overall planning balance and was therefore recommended that the application be permitted subject to conditions.

45.41        The Chair invited the applicant’s agent to address the Committee.  The applicant’s agent advised that the proposal included two modestly sized dwellings along Church Lane of a traditional rural design, 1.5 storey in height, set back from the road, with associated landscape and ecological enhancements, and utilised existing access points onto the lane.  The application site related well to existing residential development along the northern side of Church Lane which also provided access to the village church and Leigh Court, which historically was the  court of the village and was always central to the community.  The site lay adjacent to the former school/ village hall and the village allotments with a bus stop located 200m away on the corner of Church Lane and the A38 providing regular services to Cheltenham, Gloucester and Tewkesbury allowing future residents safe access to a wide range of services and employment opportunities without reliance on a car.  This outline stage had fully addressed ecology, landscape, drainage and highway matters with no technical objections being raised.   They had worked closely and constructively with Officers to arrive at a proposal which was now supported and recommended for permission.  Despite this support, along with that lodged by members of the public, it was acknowledged there had also been some local objections which, through discussion with Officers, they had sought to address.  Privacy matters and the relationship with properties along Deenes Road would be fully addressed by a future reserved matters application with careful consideration to design details. In respect of traffic concerns, the proposal was small scale, located close to the junction with the A38, with good access to public transport, and would have minimal impact, as recognised by County Highway Authority which raised no objection. Furthermore, in response to housing supply matters and that of infill development, the Council’s current housing land deficit evidenced the need for additional housing within the borough. In conclusion, this proposal was small scale, in a sustainable location, related well to the adjoining built form, was appropriate to the function and accessibility of The Leigh and would be sensitively designed, deliver biodiversity enhancements, be technically deliverable and, importantly, would help in addressing the housing shortfall in the borough.  On that basis she hoped Members would feel able to support the Officer recommendation.

45.42        The Chair indicated that the Officer recommendation was to permit the application and sought a motion from the floor.  A Member questioned whether there would be access to the field behind where Christmas trees were currently being grown; she appreciated this was an outline application but wanted to ensure there would be sufficient space for those accessing the field as well as people on their driveways.  In response, the Planning Officer advised that existing access to the development had been adjusted with the red line amended so there was safe access to the Christmas trees.  The hedge had been cut back to allow visibility so cars could pass safely without impeding the access; a visibility plan had been submitted and reviewed by County Highways with no objections raised.

45.43        It was proposed and seconded that the application be permitted in accordance with the Officer recommendation and, upon being put to the vote, it was

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