Agenda item

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER.

RESOLVED: That application 23/00666/FP be REFUSED planning permission due to the reasons outlined in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager.

Audio recording - 6 minute 43 seconds

The Chair advised that Councillor Tyson was to speak as a Member Advocate against this item and would therefore move to the public gallery and not take part in the debate or vote.

N.B Councillor Tom Tyson moved to the public gallery at 19:42

The Area Planning Officer provided an update from Ashwell Parish Council, who had noted, that:

·       They agreed with the Planning Officers recommendation to refuse planning permission in this application.

·       Should the application be approved, or the matter was overturned at appeal stage, Ashwell Parish Council would request a £22K payment towards the Ashwell Pavilion Project, the applicant had agreed to this payment.

The Area Planning Officer presented the report in respect of Application 23/00666/FP supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans.

The Chair invited Mr Clive Self and Mr Harry Jenkinson to speak against the application.

Mr Self thanked the Chair for the opportunity and provided the Committee with a verbal presentation including that:

·       The application site was not an allocated site, and was located just outside of Ashwell, part of the site falls within a conservation area.

·       The application site was bordered by two listed buildings and was on open countryside and sheep meadows.

·       The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) required that applications were of a high quality design and respected the setting of listed buildings and conservation areas.

·       The generic cul de sac application did not respect the character of Ashwell with the site lying perpendicular to the main roads.

·       The proposed site would prevent the public view of open countryside and falls within a conservation area.

·       The application cannot be described as an infill development as it extends further north than the nearest properties.

·       The loss of countryside would cause harm to the conservation area and the nearby listed buildings.

·       The application was of poor quality and design, and there were concerns regarding the flood level.

·       The Parish Council agreed with the report of the Planning Officer and that this application would cause irreparable harm to the assets of Ashwell.

Mr Jenkinson thanked the Chair for the opportunity and provided the Committee with a verbal presentation, including that:

·       The application would cause harm to the area and had a holding objection from the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) regarding flood risks.

·       There was no agreed s106 money.

·       The application would cause damage to the village and the open countryside.

·       There were 165 detailed objections from resident to this application.

·       The development was neither sustainable, affordable, or practical.

There were no points of clarification from Members.

The Chair thanked Mr Self and Mr Jenkinson for their presentations and invited Councillor Tom Tyson to speak against the application. Councillor Tyson thanked the Chair for the opportunity and provided the Committee with a verbal presentation including that:

·       This planning application was the least policy compliant application that he had ever seen.

·       The site of the application was outside the settlement boundary of Ashwell.

·       The application was primarily for larger dwellings, and this did not meet the needs of the neighbourhood plan.

·       The application would cause harm to the conservation area of Ashwell and the listed buildings.

·       The application would have a negative impact on the High Street, and the rural character of Ashwell.

·       There was no s106 money generated by this application.

·       The report of the Planning Officer concluded that this application would cause clear and identified harm to the heritage assets of Ashwell.

There were no points of clarification from Members.

The Chair thanked Councillor Tyson for his presentation.

N.B Councillor Tom Tyson left the Council Chamber at 19:50

Councillor David Levett proposed that the application be refused, and Councillor Sean Nolan seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That application 23/00666/FP be REFUSED planning permission due to the reasons outlined in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager.