Agenda and minutes

To approve as correct the minutes of the meetings held on 5^th July and 19^th July

The minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on 5^th and 19^th July were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members of the Committee

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman of the Committee or the Chief Executive

There were no announcements.

The list of appeals lodged, appeals in progress and appeal decisions, as circulated, was noted.

The Development Manager reported that this application sought permission for the erection of 29 dwellings, including ten affordable units, comprising 23 houses and six flats with parking and landscaping, and the construction of a 106-space station car park, all served by a new access on Stopham Road.  The proposal also included private parking bays to serve some of the existing dwellings on Stopham Road which would be served by the new access. The proposed units comprised: five 4-bedroom houses; ten 3-bedroom houses; eight 2-bedroom houses; four 2-bedroom flats; and two 1-bedroom flats.

The application followed application DC/15/1025 which had been refused by the Committee in November 2015 (Minute No. DCS/71 (17.11.15) refers).  The main differences between the current application and DC/15/1025 were: the dwelling at Plot 12 would become two flats, addition of single storey sections to units in plots 9 and 20-26, replacement of detached double garage serving plot 12 with two parking spaces; and the addition of a flat crown roof to the building comprising flats.

In addition to the planning application, the applicant proposed highway works to Stopham Road, including the erection of bollards to prevent parking on certain stretches of verge, speed limit signage and a traffic light system to allow pedestrians to cross beneath the railway bridge. 

The application site was located to the north of Stopham Road and to the west of the railway line. The part of the site for residential development was outside the built-up area of Pulborough. The proposed car park was within the built-up area.  The South Downs National Park (SDNP) boundary was approximately 62 metres south of the site beyond the river Arun, and also about 138 metres to the west. There were 11 dwellings on the opposite side of Stopham Road and a field to the North that sloped up to a group of farm buildings and an area of woodland.  The site for the car park had recently been cleared of vegetation.  

Details of relevant government and council policies and relevant planning history, as contained within the report, were noted by the Committee.

The responses from statutory internal and external consultees, as contained within the report, were considered by the Committee.  Since publication of the report the applicant’s Landscape Architect had submitted additional information in response to concerns regarding the landscape impact of the proposal.

The Parish Council had supported the proposal and, since publication of the report, had confirmed the local community support for the proposal.  Sixteen letters of support from 12 addresses, and 17 letters of objection from 11 addresses had been received. Two members of the public and the applicant’s agent all spoke in support of the application.  A representative of the Parish Council spoke also spoke in support of the proposal.

Whilst a legal agreement to secure affordable housing and infrastructure contributions had not been secured, the applicant had indicated they were willing to enter into such an agreement.

Members discussed the proposal in the context of the reasons for refusal of  ...  view the full minutes text for item DCS/33

The Development Manager reminded Members that this outline application for the erection of up to 40 dwellings and a new access off London Road had been refused by the Committee in July 2015 (Minute No. DCS/24 (21.07.15) refers). 

An appeal against the refusal had been lodged, which would be dealt with as a Public Inquiry.  Since Members had resolved to refuse the application, the Council had adopted the Horsham District Planning Framework (HDPF).  Members therefore were required to reassess the application in the light of the new policy context so that the reasons for refusal could be updated.

The application site was located to the north-east of the village of Ashington outside the built-up area. The land formed part of the estate of Ashington House, a Grade II Listed Building. To the west there were a number of other Grade II listed buildings. 

Members were referred to the previous report which contained details of the location, relevant policies, planning history, the outcome of consultations and a planning assessment of the proposal.

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment and assessed the proposal in the light of policies within the HDPF and agreed that the reasons for refusal should be updated to reflect the current policy framework.

RESOLVED

That Officers be authorised to:

(i)        defend an additional in principal objection on the grounds that the proposal is contrary to the spatial strategy for growth set out in the HDPF;

(ii)       update policies referred to in the reasons for refusal to include reference to the HDPF;

(iii)      withdraw the reason for refusal regarding noise.

The Development Manager reported that this application sought permission for the erection of two L-shaped detached 4-bedroom dwellings with access from the existing vehicular access off Stane Street.

The northern property would have an attached single garage, and the southern property would have a detached double garage on the site of a dilapidated barn structure. The ridge height of the dwellings will be approximately 8.2 metres.

The applicant had indicated that the design would include traditional architectural features.

The application site was located in a countryside location north of the hamlet of Five Oakes with open landscape to the south and west.   It was on the eastern side of the A29 (Stane Street) opposite a road junction with Haven Road.  The Grade II listed property, 'Buckmans' was to the north of the site.  The site was approximately 135 metres from the last dwelling in Five Oaks to the north. 

Details of relevant government and council policies and relevant planning history, as contained within the report, were noted by the Committee. 

The responses from statutory internal and external consultees, as contained within the report, were considered by the Committee.

The Parish Council had objected to the application.   Three letters of objection from one address had been received.  One further letter of comment outlining the proximity of an Archaeological Notification Area had been received.  The applicant’s agent addressed the Committee in support of the proposal.  

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment which indicated that the key issues for consideration in determining the proposal were: the principle of development; its impact on the setting of the adjacent Listed Building; its impact on the surrounding countryside and on the amenity of neighbours; and highways and traffic. 

RESOLVED

That planning application DC/16/1091 be refused for the following reasons:

01     The proposed development is located in the countryside, outside the defined built-up area boundary of any settlement, on a site which has not been allocated for development within the Horsham District Planning Framework or an adopted Neighbourhood Plan. The Council is able to demonstrate a 5 year housing land supply and consequently this scheme would be contrary to the overarching strategy and hierarchical approach of concentrating development within the main settlements. Furthermore the proposed development has not been demonstrated as being essential to its countryside location.  Consequently the proposal represents unsustainable development contrary to policies 1, 2, 3, 4 and 26 of the Horsham District Planning Framework (2015) and would fail to meet the definition of sustainable development within the National Planning Policy Framework.

02     The proposed development, by reason of its scale, siting and design, would have an unacceptable adverse impact on the setting of the adjacent Listed Building 'Buckmans’, and represents a harmful urbanising form of development which would be out of keeping with and detrimental to the rural character and appearance of the area.  The proposal would therefore be contrary to policies 25, 26, 31, 32, 33 and 34 of the Horsham District Planning Framework (2015).

03     The  ...  view the full minutes text for item DCS/35

The Development Manager reported that this application sought permission for the erection of a single storey 2-bedroom house.  Foundations had been dug for previously approved DC/10/2692 (for a commercial building) and, as an update and correction to the printed report, it was confirmed that this permission had lapsed because pre-conditions had not been discharged.

The application site was located outside the Built-Up area on the west side of Goose Green Lane.  Former buildings on the site, which had contained various workshops, had been demolished.

Ladybrook Brickworks and associated ponds were to the west and to the east was a residential property known as The Green.  The surrounding area was generally open countryside with sporadic residential and farm buildings.

Details of relevant government and council policies and relevant planning history, as contained within the report, were noted by the Committee. 

The responses from statutory internal and external consultees, as contained within the report, were considered by the Committee.

The Parish Council had raised no objection to the application.  One letter of support had been received.  One member of the public and the applicant both spoke in support of the application.

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment which indicated that the key issues for consideration in determining the proposal were: the principle of residential development in this location and whether it was essential to its countryside location; the character of the dwelling and visual amenities of the countryside and streetscene; the amenities of neighbouring occupiers; parking and traffic; trees; and the quality of the resulting residential environment for future occupiers.

RESOLVED

That planning application DC/16/0240 be refused for the following reason:

01     The proposed development is located in the countryside, outside the defined built-up area boundary of any settlements, on a site which has not been allocated for development within the Horsham District Planning Framework or an adopted Neighbourhood Plan. The Council is able to demonstrate a 5 year housing land supply and consequently this scheme would be contrary to the overarching strategy and hierarchical approach of concentrating development within the main settlements. Furthermore the proposed development has not been demonstrated as being essential to its countryside location and the introduction of a residential dwelling, and the accumulation of additional ancillary domestic paraphernalia, would harm the character of the rural setting.  Consequently the proposal represents unsustainable development contrary to policies 1, 2, 3, 4 and 26 of the Horsham District Planning Framework (2015) and would fail to meet the definition of sustainable development within the National Planning Policy Framework.