Agenda item

Recommended for Refusal.

Mr David Williams addressed the application in support of the application.

The Director of Neighbourhood Services recommended that, in respect of application 3/11/1765/OP, planning permission be refused for the reasons now detailed.

Councillor S Bull stated that this application should be approved as granting this scheme would ensure the area would be cleaned up as the site was currently in a poor state.  He commented that there were special circumstances for approving this application.

Councillor J Taylor commented that a precedent had already been set when 4 larger houses had been approved on an adjacent site.  She stated that the proposed modest houses would be very useful and she felt she was able to go against her principles of building in the green belt and support this application.

Councillor M Newman commented that the previous site, that was the subject of an application last year, did already have tightly packed derelict buildings before the site was developed.  He stated that this site was predominantly open and had only one or two buildings in need of demolition.  He stressed that this site was very much green, where as the previous site referred to by Councillor Taylor had been a Brownfield site.

In response to a query from Councillor S Rutland-Barsby, the Director reminded Members that this was an outline application and the only matters for consideration were access and layout.  Issues such as the scale and appearance were reserved matters but Members could attach conditions to limit the size of the proposed dwellings, in accordance with the design and access statement.

The Director advised that Officers were of the view that there were fewer buildings on the site than had been mentioned by the applicant in the design and access statement submitted as part of the application.

In response to a comment from Councillor Taylor, the Director stressed that the Councillor was quite correct in that the tidying up of the site was not a pre-requisite for approving an application in a green belt location.  The Director reminded Members of the need for very special circumstances as reasons why this application should be approved in a clear green belt location.

Members were also reminded that each application must be considered on its merits and the issue of a precedent was not a special circumstance that could be applied.  The Director stated that a cluster of developments could occur in this location and urged caution in that the Council’s green belt policy would be in a precarious position if this application was approved.

Councillor S Bull proposed and Councillor J Taylor seconded, a motion that application 3/11/1765/OP be approved on the grounds that the impact on the openness of the site would be broadly neutral in comparison to the existing extent of built form, if not redeveloped, the condition of the site would continue to deteriorate, the development would not contribute to the merging of neighbouring settlements, the site constituted previously developed land and was therefore suitable for redevelopment and that the removal of the existing commercial use would result in a reduction in traffic along White Stubbs Lane.

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

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the Committee supported the recommendation of the Director of Neighbourhood Services as now submitted.

RESOLVED – that in respect of application 3/11/1765/OP, planning permission be refused for the reasons detailed in the report now submitted.