Agenda and minutes

Venue: Conference Room, Parkside, Chart Way, Horsham

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

Items
No. Item

PCN/69

Minutes pdf icon PDF 221 KB

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting held on 1 March.

(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 held on 1 March were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

PCN/70

Declarations of Members' Interests

To receive any declarations of interest from Members of the Committee

Minutes:

DC/21/1946 Councillor Tony Hogben declared a personal interest as he knew the applicant.

PCN/71

Announcements

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

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed Councillor Clive Trott to his first Planning North Committee meeting.

PCN/72

Appeals pdf icon PDF 139 KB

Minutes:

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

PCN/73

DC/21/1263 Twenty Five Acres, Leechpond Hill, Lower Beeding pdf icon PDF 296 KB

Ward: Nuthurst and Lower Beeding

Applicant: Mr Duncan Harvie

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development Control reported that this application sought permission for the construction of equestrian rehabilitation and training centre comprising stable building, indoor sand school, alterations to vehicles access, new access road and car parking.

 

Members were reminded of the addendum for this item. The addendum outlined the officer response to additional information received that the additional water neutrality statement had not addressed officer’s concerns. Additional highways information was considered appropriate by West Sussex County Council Highways and as such reason no 2 relating to safe access was recommended to be omitted from the report.

 

The application site related to land east of Leechpond Hill, south of Lower Beeding outside of the built-up area boundary within a countryside location. The site was served by two existing accesses from Leechpond Hill and located wholly within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

 

The Parish Council objected to the proposal. Eleven letters of support were received, five letters of objection and one letter neither supporting nor objecting to the proposals.

 

The agent spoke in support of the application.

 

Members considered the consultees’ responses and the officer’s planning assessment which included the following key issues: principle of development, design, scale and appearance, amenity impact, highways, water neutrality, ecology, drainage and flooding.

 

Members were concerned the application was sited in an AONB, local traffic would increase, any additional access to the new site could cause traffic issues and the development could not provide certainty that it would be water neutral. Members supported the officer recommendation to refuse the application.

 

            RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/21/1263 be refused for the following reasons:

 

1   The proposal represents major development within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and would result in an undue increase in overall activity within a countryside location, which would not provide for quiet recreational use. Furthermore, given the scale of the development within a protected landscape, the proposal would not be visually appropriate or be in-keeping with its location and surroundings and would fail to protect or enhance the landscape character of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  The proposal is therefore contrary to Policies 25, 26, 32 and 33 of the Horsham District Planning Framework (2015) and Paragraphs 174, 176 and 177 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021), which attitude great weight to conserving and enhancing landscape and scenic beauty in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

 

 

2   Notwithstanding information submitted, the application has not demonstrated with a sufficient degree of certainty that the development would not contribute to an existing adverse effect upon the integrity of the internationally designated Arun Valley Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area and Ramsar sites by way of increased water abstraction, contrary to Policy 31 of the Horsham District Planning Framework (2015), Paragraphs 179 and 180 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021), thus the Local Planning Authority is unable to discharge its duties under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (as amended),and s40 of  ...  view the full minutes text for item PCN/73

PCN/74

DC/21/1946 Pemberley, Copsale Road, Maplehurst, Horsham pdf icon PDF 203 KB

Ward: Nuthurst and Lower Beeding

Applicant: Miss R Wedekind

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development & Building Control reported that planning permission was sought for the conversion of existing barn to form a two-bedroom carbon neutral live/work dwelling with associated landscaping works.

 

Members were reminded of the email received from the applicant in response to the committee report and subsequent response from the Head of Development & Building Control.

 

This permission followed refusal of planning application DC/19/2117 in January 2020 for the conversion of the barn to form a two bedroom live/work unit.

This decision was appealed by the applicant and dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate for reasons relating to the principle of the development in the countryside.

 

The site was located outside the built up area within a countryside location to the north of Copsale Road. The surrounding area is predominantly rural with residential properties located along the road. The barn is accessed from Copsale Road via a private track.

 

The Parish Council strongly objected to the proposal. 14 letters of support had been received from 13 households and 15 objections from 6 households.

 

Nuthurst Parish Council spoke in objection to the application and three further speakers objected. The agent spoke in support of the proposal and one further speaker addressed the committee in support.

 

Members considered the consultees’ responses and officers planning assessment which included the following key areas: principle of development, design and appearance, heritage, highway and amenity impacts, climate, ecology and water neutrality.

 

Members discussed the issues of the countryside location, concern over sewage and building design. Consideration was given to whether the previous reasons for refusal had been overcome and concluded that the key issues still existed.

 

            RESOLVED

 

That Planning Application DC/21/1946 be refused on the grounds stated in the report.

 

PCN/75

DC/21/2766 Horsham Railway Station Car Park, Station Road, Horsham pdf icon PDF 161 KB

Ward: Forest

Applicant: We Buy Any Car Limited

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development & Building Control reported that a retrospective application was sought for the temporary erection of a We Buy Any Car Ltd sales kiosk including Change of Use with associated operation to existing car park. Permission was sought for 12 months subject to appropriate conditions.

 

The application had been resubmitted following officer advice to amend the application type to include change of use for land of the proposed parking space and clarification of proposed siting of the kiosk.

 

The application site is within the southern part of Horsham train station car park, east of the railway line and accessed from Station Road to the north. The site is within the built up area of Horsham and not within a conservation area.

 

Forest Neighbourhood Council raised concerns over potential highway obstructions caused by transporters removing sold cars.

 

Members considered the consultees’ responses and officer’s planning assessment which included the following key issues: principle of development, design, appearance and heritage impacts, highways, amenity impacts and water neutrality.

 

The committee discussed concerns that car transporters to remove sold cars were creating a highway obstruction to local areas, current hours of usage were not in line with those proposed, staff facilities were poor and the increase in train commuters would require the parking spaces currently taken up by the kiosk. Members agreed it was inappropriate in design, out of character for the car park  and a detriment to the local amenity.

 

It was proposed and seconded that the application be refused.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/21/2766 be refused for the following reason:

 

The design and appearance of the kiosk is out of keeping with the surrounding area contrary to Policies 32 and 33 of the Horsham District Planning Framework (2015). 

 

 

 

PCN/76

DC/21/2767 Horsham Railway Station Car Park, Station Road, Horsham pdf icon PDF 138 KB

Ward: Forest

Applicant: We Buy Any Car Limited

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Development & Building Control reported that this application sought retrospective advertisement permission for the installation of 4 non- illuminated fascia signs, 6 non-illuminated hoarding signs and 1 non-illuminated flag sign cited on the kiosk.

 

The application site is within the southern part of Horsham train station car park, east of the railway line and accessed from Station Road to the north. The site is within the built up area of Horsham and not within a conservation area.

 

The report had been brought to Committee by request of Forest Neighbourhood Council.

 

Members considered the consultees’ responses and officer’s planning assessment which included the amenity and public safety.

 

Members agreed it was inappropriate in design, out of character for the car park and a detriment to the local amenity.

 

It was proposed and seconded that the application be refused.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

That planning application DC/21/2767 be refused for the following reason:

 

The design and appearance of the advertisements for the kiosk are out of keeping with the surrounding area contrary to Policies 32 and 33 of the Horsham District Planning Framework (2015).