Agenda item

Ward: Cowfold, Shermanbury & West Grinstead

Applicant: Concept Developments

The Head of Development reported that this application sought permission for the erection of eight dwellings comprising two 2-bedroom semi-detached, and four 4-bedroom and two 3-bedroom detached houses.  Each dwelling would be allocated between two and three parking spaces.  The existing access would be extended along the south-east boundary of the site.

The application site was located in the built up area of Cowfold and was part of the substantial garden attached to the dwelling Cedar Leas.  There were residential and commercial properties to the north and east, and open countryside to the south and west. Two Grade II listed buildings were adjacent to the south east of the site.

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 a number of concerns regarding the application.  Twenty-four letters, from eight households, objecting to the proposal had been received. A further two letters of objection raising concerns regarding sewage disposal, flood risk and the width of the access had been received since publication of the report. Three members of the public spoke in objection to the application and a representative of the Parish Council also spoke in objection to it.  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; design and appearance; landscape, trees and ecology; heritage impacts; its impact on neighbouring amenity; and parking and traffic.  It was noted that a commuted sum would be secured by legal agreement to compensate for the lack of affordable housing.

Members noted concerns regarding access onto the A281in the context of the Highway Authority’s comments and acknowledged that there were no highway grounds for refusal.  There was some concern regarding the impact of the proposal on air quality, given the proximity to the Cowfold Air Quality Management Area, and it was noted that electric car charging points would be provided for each dwelling.

Members discussed the impact of the scheme on the risk of flooding and in response to concerns it was agreed that Condition 6 would be amended to ensure that measures proposed to mitigate the problem would be more explicitly detailed to show how run-off rates would be the same or improved compared to existing run-off rates, to be agreed in consultation with the Local Members. 

RESOLVED

That planning application DC/17/2352 be granted subject to the conditions as reported, with pre-commencement Condition 6 amended to read: 

No development shall commence until a drainage strategy detailing the proposed means of foul and surface water disposal, and detailing that run-off rates will be the same or an improvement on existing run-off rates, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority in consultation with Local Members.  The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved scheme.