Agenda item

RESOLVED: That application 22/00346/FP be REFUSED planning permission for the reasons outlined in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager.

Audio recording – 224 minutes 40 seconds

The Planning Officer advised Members that the statutory deadline for this application had been extended until the 24 June 2022. There had been documents circulated by the applicant to Members this week and the Planning Officer would clarify these at a later stage.

The Planning Officer presented the report in respect of application 22/00346/FP supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans.

Councillor Tom Tyson advised the Committee that he had called in this application and the reasons for his call in were detailed in the report. He was not an advocate for this application either way and, whilst he had communication prior to the meeting with the applicant this was limited to procedural advice, he was not predetermined on this and would stay for the debate and vote.

The Chair invited Mr David Cook to speak in support of the application, as the applicant’s representative.

Mr Cook thanked the Chair for the opportunity to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation, supported by a map, including:

·         Contextualised the plot in relation to the 2008 Newnham Conservation Area map.

·         Highlighted a previous application which had been allowed for a terrace of 4 houses on The Green, in spite of it being closer to Caldecote Road, as well as wider and taller than this proposal.

·         The land is in domestic usage and Class E development rights exist within this plot, there is just an absence of built form on the plot at the moment.

·         The existing outbuilding within the curtilage of Cherry Holt is large and ugly to the street scheme and it was previously suggested that removing the old building and replacing this would be suitable and of benefit to the conservation area.

There were no points of clarification for Mr Cook from Members and the Chair thanked him for his presentation.

The Chair invited the Planning Officer to respond to points raised during the public presentation, who advised:

·         The 2008 map of Newnham Conservation Area has two distinct roads, Ashwell Road and Caldecote Road, with different densities.

·         The setting of Cherry Holt is not listed, but the Conservation Officer can consider the setting of this building together with assessing the impact of the development upon other Designated Heritage Assets.

·         The location of the proposed dwelling is not in keeping with the height or built nature of the surrounding sites, as well as the spacing between sites.

·         A previous application on The Green was granted permission, where the Conservation Officer advised that a terrace would complete the crescent and this is currently being undertaken. This application is not comparable.

·         Under Class E permitted development within a conservation area, a building located to the side of an existing dwelling, as is the case here, cannot sit forwards of the rear elevation of no. 2 Caldecote Road without requiring planning permission. 

·         In-fill development in Newnham is allowed, but this site with within the conservation area and these proposals would do harm to this and to the setting of the adjacent listed building.

·         If you don’t have a 5-year land supply, applications have to be approved unless the harm demonstrably outweighs the benefits. There has been identified harm proposed to the conservation area and to the significance of Cherry Holt and this would therefore provide a clear reason for refusing permission under the neutral balance test.

Councillor David Levett proposed approval of the application as there were other sites like this in the vicinity and the site was set back.

Councillor Tom Tyson noted that the applicant had made great effort to provide proposals which mitigate against potential harm and it was good to see environmentally friendly design, which was one of the many positive aspects of this application. But the concerns of the Conservation Officer are important and he had highlighted the impact the proposal will have on the intrinsic character of the conservation area in this loose-knit part of Newnham.

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

RESOLVED: That application 22/00346/FP be REFUSED planning permission for the reasons outlined in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager.