Agenda item

RESOLVED: That application 21/03464/S73 be GRANTED planning permission subject to the reasons and conditions outlined in the report of the Senior Planning Officer.

Audio Recording: 4:00

The Senior Planning Officer advised that there we no updates to provide to Members and presented the report in respect of application 21/03464/S73 supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans.

In response to a question from Councillor Tom Tyson, the Senior Planning Officer advised:

·         One of the conditions in the Officer’s report that was imposed was to remove the Permitted Development Rights for ground floor extensions, loft extensions and garden outdoor buildings. At the Committee that condition was not imposed. The report being considered at this meeting would remove PD Rights from the developer.

The Chair invited Phillip Crowe to speak against the application.

Mr Crowe thanked the Chair for the chance to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation, with points including:

·         Mr Crowe is representing Ickleford Parish Council to reiterate the objections already put forward by the Parish Council;

·         This land has always been designated as Green Belt, however the Emerging Local Plan is redesignating it as White;

·         This application will have irretrievable visual affect on residents, and will detract the village scene from the nearby conservation land;

·         The new modified designs benefit only those looking to downsize from much larger properties or are looking for a place in the country;

·         Since 2016 Ickleford has undergone many developments. None to date have caused as much heartfelt anger due to bad design and lack of thought;

·         Since approval from the inspector the applicant has now put forward a new revised planning application to increase the amount of houses, and altered the total house design to include a bedroom in the now heightened roof line.

The Chair invited Ben Clarke, agent of the applicant, to speak in favour of the application.

Mr Clarke thanked the Chair for the chance to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation including:

·         None of the plots are within 20 metres of an adjacent neighbouring window. While plot 5 is closer to some of the properties on Manor Close, considering the bedroom window to be an invasion of privacy is not typically planning practice;

·         Affordable housing doesn’t kick in until 10 houses or more. In terms of housing need this would bring 5 family homes to the market;

·         The level of parking meets the Parking SPD and no objections have been raised from the Highways Authority;

·         A new agricultural assessment and landscape plan were submitted as part of the Section 73 and were accepted by Officers.

·         The new plan improves drainage and runoff concerns raised by the objector, as the application is removing an area of hard standing which is not to be rain gardens;

·         The additional ridgeline height is 200mm, which is less than a standard ruler.

Councillor David Levett sought clarification from the Legal Advisor as to the status of the application.

The Legal Advisor informed the Committee that this application is a Section 73 application, meaning it has already received permission from the Inspector via the appeal. The Committee is not considering this application as a whole but rather the variation of the particular conditions.

The following Members took part in the debate:

·         Councillor David Levett

·         Councillor Morgan Derbyshire

·         Councillor Ian Mantle

·         Councillor Tony Hunter

Councillor Morgan Derbyshire proposed and Councillor Tony Hunter seconded and, following a vote it was:

RESOLVED: That application 21/03464/S73 be GRANTED planning permission subject to the reasons and conditions outlined in the report of the Senior Planning Officer.