Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

Erection of two detached dwellings with private gardens including landscaping, parking and widening of existing vehicular access off Stevenage Road.

RESOLVED: That application 25/00949/FP be GRANTED planning permission subject to the conditions set out in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager.

Audio recording – 2 hours 34 minutes 7 seconds

N.B. Councillor Caroline McDonnell declared an interest in this item due to her role as a Parish Councillor for Wymondley Parish Council but clarified that she had not been involved in the application nor made any public comments on it. She remained in the Council Chamber and took part in the debate and vote.

The Development and Conservation Manager advised that there were no updated matters to report on since the publication of the agenda.

The Development and Conservation Manager then presented the report in respect of Application 25/00949/FP accompanied by a visual presentation consisting of plans and photographs.

The following Members asked questions:

·             Councillor Dave Winstanley

·             Councillor Martin Prescott

·             Councillor Tom Tyson

·             Councillor Clare Billing

·             Councillor Bryony May

In response to questions, the Development and Conservation Manager advised that:

·             After assessing the application against purposes A, B and D of the Green Belt as set out in the NPPF, they had concluded that the application site was classified as Grey Belt.

·             It had also met the criteria at paragraph 155 of the NPPF.

·             If the application was larger, they would ask for a greater housing mix, however, as it was a small development, there was no reason to resist the application because it comprised two 5-bed dwellings.

·             Decisions could not be made using assumptions of what the Applicant might do in the future, they could only consider the application before them.

·             A gap between the dwellings would be made to retain a view of the land to the rear within a substantially built-up frontage.

·             This was not a major development and the Golden Rules relating to 50% affordable housing did not apply.

·             If more applications were submitted by the Applicant on the adjacent site, they would look at the cumulative impact of each additional application and assess the need for affordable housing on this, therefore, affordable housing provision would not be avoided by submitting separate applications of fewer dwellings.

·             There would not be a noticeable difference in height between these dwellings and those nearby in Shangri-La and Todds Corner.

·             No conditions on the gap between the dwellings would be necessary to prevent an access road being built there to access the land to the rear.

The Chair informed Members that the Member Advocate Objector, Councillor Dominic Griffiths had given their apologies and was unable to attend the Committee meeting to provide a verbal presentation and read out a written statement on their behalf, and highlighted the following:

·             The land was Green Belt unless the Committee was minded to redesignate it.

·             No very special circumstances had been demonstrated to allow development on the Green Belt.

·             Infilling was not allowed in the proposed development area as it was within a hamlet.

·             The open land provided the hamlet with the only place to enjoy distant country views.

·             There was risk of adjoining properties being overlooked and the street scene being diminished with parked cars.

·             Access to the proposed dwellings would be next to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51