Agenda and minutes

Venue: Conference Room, Parkside, Chart Way, Horsham

Contact: Email: CommitteeServices@horsham.gov.uk  Direct Line: 01403 215465

Items
No. Item

PCN/86

Minutes pdf icon PDF 84 KB

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting held on March 2020

(Note: If any Member wishes to propose an amendment to the minutes they should submit this in writing to committeeservices@horsham.gov.uk at least 24 hours before the meeting.  Where applicable, the audio recording of the meeting will be checked to ensure the accuracy of the proposed amendment.)

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee on 3 March were agreed to be an accurate record and would be signed by the Chairman at a later date.

PCN/87

Declarations of Members' Interests

To receive any declarations of interest from Members of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

PCN/88

Announcements

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

Minutes:

There were no announcements.

PCN/89

Appeals pdf icon PDF 78 KB

Minutes:

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

PCN/90

DC/19/1389 - Dun Horse Inn, Brighton Road, Mannings Heath pdf icon PDF 155 KB

Ward: Nuthurst and Lower Beeding

Applicant: Mr Freddy Goodall

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development reported that this application sought permission for the change of use at ground floor level from a pub to two 1-bedroom flats and one studio flat.  The proposed external alterations would not significantly change the appearance of the building.  Permission for  two first-floor flats, accessed via an external staircase, had been approved under DC/17/2294.

 

The application site was located within the built-up area of Mannings Heath and was the former Dun Horse public house on the corner of Brighton Road and Pounds Lane.  The site is surrounded by residential properties, including some Grade II Listed Buildings. 

 

The Parish Council objected to the proposal.  There had been 49 public consultation responses, from 46 households, objecting to the application and ten letters of support, from nine households, as set out in the report. Three letters of comment had also been received.  Since publication of the report a further three letters of objection, from two households, and one letter of support had been received, none of which raised additional issues.

 

Three members of the public spoke in objection to the proposal.  The applicant and two members of the public all spoke in support the application.  Their statements were read out by an officer on their behalf.  A representative of the Parish Council addressed the Committee; whilst  the Parish Council had  originally objected to the application, they had reconsidered it and their statement advised that four councillors opposed the application and six supported 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 development; its character and the visual amenities of the street scene; the amenity of neighbouring occupiers; and highways considerations.

 

Members noted that the public house had been closed for three years and concluded that the proposed three flats in this sustainable location were acceptable. 

 

In response to Members’ concerns regarding local housing needs, Officers agreed that an Informative should be added to the decision notice requesting that the flats to be made available to members of the local community in the first instance.

 

RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/19/1389 be granted subject to the conditions as reported

PCN/91

DC/19/2500 - Land adjacent to Heathtolt Cottages, Park Lane, Maplehurst pdf icon PDF 161 KB

Ward: Nuthurst and Lower Beeding

Applicant: Mr Simon Burrough

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development reported that this application sought permission for the erection of six two storey semi-detached 3-bedroom dwellings, set back from adjacent properties along Park Lane, with 12 parking spaces (two for each dwelling) and a new access.

 

The application site was agricultural land  located to the south of Park Lane, outside the built-up area boundary, but on a site allocated in the Nuthurst Neighbourhood Plan.  There were residential properties to the north and linear residential development to the west, with the wider area characterised by open countryside

 

The Parish Council objected to the proposal.  There had been ten public consultation responses, from six households, objecting to the application.  Two members of the public spoke in objection to the application and the applicant’s agent spoke in support of the proposal.  Their statements were read out by an officer on their behalf.  A representative of the Parish Council spoke in objection to the prosopal.

 

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment which indicated that the key issues for consideration in determining the proposal were: the principle of development; design and appearance; amenity impacts; and highways impacts. 

 

Members discussed the proposal in the context of the Nuthurst Neighbourhood Plan, in particular Policy 10 regarding scale and density.  Members noted that Condition 13 regarding General Permitted Development would prevent extension or adaptation of the dwellings without further planning permission. 

 

Members sought reassurance that the height of the proposed dwellings would be in keeping with the existing neighbouring cottages, as reflected in the submitted plan.  To overcome concerns regarding the difference in height between the proposed and existing buildings,  it was agreed that a condition regarding slab levels would be added.

 

RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/19/2500 be granted subject to the conditions as reported, with the following  additional condition regarding how slab levels related to neighbouring properties:

 

6     Pre-Commencement Condition: No development shall commence until precise details of the existing and proposed external ground levels, finished floor levels and ridge heights of the development, in relation to nearby datum points adjoining the application site, have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority in writing. The development shall be completed in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: As this matter is fundamental to control the development in detail in the interests of amenity and visual impact and in accordance with Policy 33 of the Horsham District Planning Framework (2015).

PCN/92

DC/19/2336 - Sandygate, Sandygate Lane, Lower Beeding pdf icon PDF 143 KB

Ward: Nuthurst and Lower Beeding

Applicant: Mr and Mrs Michael Lewis

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development reported that this application sought permission for the erection of a 3-bedroom house within the side garden of an existing dwelling.  A new vehicular access onto Sandygate Lane to allow for an in-out configuration serving both dwellings was proposed.

                                                                                                

The application site was located on the southeast side of Sandygate Lane, outside the built-up area of Lower Beeding.  The access to the site was shared with Cedar Lodge, the neighbouring property.

 

The Parish Council neither supported or objected the proposal.  There had been 18 public consultation responses, from 15 households,  in favour of the application, and one letter of objection had been received.   Both applicants addressed the Committee in support of the proposal.  Their statements were read out by an officer on their behalf.  A representative of the Parish Council, which took a neutral stance on the application, also addressed the Committee.

 

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 character and the visual amenities of the street scene; neighbouring amenity; and highways considerations.  It was noted that insufficient information had been submitted regarding potential odour nuisance from the nearby Waste Water Treatment Plant, and that the Highways Authority had received insufficient information regarding the access to the site.

 

Members concluded that the proposal was contrary to a number of policies within the HDPF and that there was no justification for this development outside the built-up area boundary.

 

RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/19/2336 be refused for the reasons set out in the report.

PCN/93

DC/19/0700 - 50 Barrington Road, Horsham pdf icon PDF 144 KB

Ward: Forest

Applicant: Mr P Everitt

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development reported that this application sought permission for the change of use of a detached former butcher’s cold-store to a two storey 2-bedroom dwelling, and the erection of a single storey front extension.  The former butcher’s had been converted to a dwelling.  Permission DC/17/1337 to convert the site into a 1-bedroom dwelling remained extant.

 

The Committee were advised that, in response to comments regarding bats roosting at the application site,  the recommendation to approve the application had been amended to: to delegate to the Head of Development for approval, in consultation with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Local Members, to allow for an ecology appraisal to be submitted and the Council’s Ecologist to be consulted.. 

 

The application site was located within the built-up area of Horsham on the west side of Barrington Road, close to the junction with Depot Road.  The surrounding area was predominantly residential.

 

The Neighbourhood Council objected to the proposal.  There had been 13 public consultation responses, from nine households, objecting to the application.  Two letters from the same address raising some concerns had also been received.   Three member of the public spoke in objection to the proposal and the applicant’s agent spoke in support of it.  Their statements were read out by an officer on their behalf. 

 

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment which indicated that the key issues for consideration in determining the proposal were: the principle of development; the character and appearance of the proposal; neighbouring amenity; and highways impacts.

 

Members raised a number of concerns regarding the scale of the proposal in relation to the size of the site and proximity of neighbouring properties, including  its detrimental impact on the existing boundary wall.  

 

Members concluded that the proposal would lead to an overdevelopment of the site and was therefore unacceptable. 

 

RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/19/0700 be refused for the following reasons:

 

The proposal would lead to a cramped form of development which would be harmful to the character and appearance of the surrounding area. The proposal would therefore be contrary to policies 25, 32 and 33 of the Horsham District Planning Framework (2015).