Issue - meetings

Planning application 3/23/1641/FUL, Church Farm, Ardeley

 

 

Meeting: 04/12/2024 - Development Management Committee (Item 263)

263 3/23/1641/FUL - The demolition of existing buildings and erection of Barn 1: Office accommodation, and 6 units of overnight accommodation (with 14 beds in total) for staff, volunteers and students working on the farm site (class E(g); Barn 2: 12 self-contained holiday lodges, outbuilding for shower and laundry facilities (class C3 but occupation restricted to short stays only); Barn 3: 3 retail/workshops (class E(a) / E(g)); Barn 4 - learning and meeting/events space with kitchen and two offices at first floor (Class F.1(a) / F.2(b) and Class E(g)); erection of 6 dwellings (class C3); widening of access and footpath and associated car parking provision at Church Farm, Moor Green Road, Ardeley, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 7AH pdf icon PDF 206 KB

Recommended for Approval

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Planning and Building Control recommended that in respect of application 3/23/1641/FUL, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out at the end of the report.

 

The planning case officer summarised the application and set out in detail the key planning policy issues for Members to consider. He presented the detailed ground floor and first floor plans and described the proposed layout of the site. He also detailed the relevant planning history and referred to the previous application for 3 dwellings.

 

Mr Tim Waygood addressed the committee in support of the application as the applicant. The Committee debated the application and asked questions of the planning officers. The officers responded to the questions raised by the Committee.

 

Members were advised that there were no grounds for refusing the application on the grounds of design quality, due to the similar appearance of the proposed dwellings in comparison with those already approved. The planning case officer said that the proposed development was appropriate in this location, and there was already a permission in place for 3 residential dwellings.

 

Councillor Carter spoke about the positive benefits of the application for the wider community. She supported the point that had been made that the buildings were at the end of their useful life and the proposed development was a big improvement.  She acknowledged the problem of availability of rural housing in rural areas for younger people.

 

Councillor Carter referred to condition 19 in respect of swift bricks and the details of biodiversity enhancements, and a request for 16 swift bricks to be integrated into buildings and for details of these measures to be submitted for approval at an earlier stage i.e., not just before occupation but before above ground development had commenced.

 

Councillor Carter proposed, and Councillor Buckmaster seconded, a motion for an amendment to condition 19 regarding biodiversity so that the condition specified 16 integrated swift bricks with details required to be submitted before above ground development had commenced.

 

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

 

Councillor Buckmaster proposed, and Councillor Dunlop seconded, a motion that application 3/23/1641/FUL be granted planning permission subject to the conditions set out at the end of the report, to include an amendment to condition 19 regarding biodiversity so that the proposed 16 swift bricks were integrated and with details required to be submitted before above ground development had commenced.

 

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED – that application 3/23/1641/FUL be granted planning permission subject to the conditions set out at the end of the report, and subject to the revised condition 19 regarding biodiversity so that the proposed 16 swift bricks were integrated with details required to be submitted before above ground development had commenced.