Agenda item

Public Participation

Mr Nicholson objected to the application.

Cllr David Wood (Teffont Parish Council) spoke in objection to the application.

Mr Richard Greenwood (agent) spoke in support of the application.

The Planning Officer presented his report to the Committee which recommended that permission be GRANTED subject to conditions.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. Members raised concern at the visibility at the point of access. 

Members of the public then had the opportunity to present their views to the Committee, as detailed above. The village design statement was discussed and clarification sought by the Committee from the Chairman of the Parish Council on this issue.

An item of late correspondence was circulated at the meeting.

The Local Member, Cllr Bridget Wayman, spoke in objection to the application. Cllr Wayman stated that this was not an infill development and raised concern at the impact on the neighbouring bungalow. Cllr Wayman stated that the development would encroachment into the open countryside. Concern was also raised at the access to the B839 with the aid of photographs within the additional correspondence. The development would also go beyond the well defined settlement edge into the sensitive landscape of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Resolved:

To REFUSE planning permission for the following reasons:

1)    The area in the vicinity of the site derives much of its character from the generous spacing between buildings, including large gardens, with open ‘green’ spaces and trees in between, and views of the rural landscape beyond. The site and wider settlement have been designated as a Housing Restraint Area in order to preserve this special character. The site, which partly comprises an open paddock with trees to its site boundary, forms the termination of a private residential road, which creates a strong sense of being the settlement edge and the beginning of open countryside beyond. The site is particularly prominent due to its position at the end, and highest point, of this road. Furthermore the road also comprises a public footpath, which continues northwards directly past the site, onto higher ground still, where prominent views of the site exist most notably from the adjoining field to the north.

By virtue of its scale, siting and layout, the proposed dwelling and its associated residential curtilage would harmfully erode the open and rural quality of the area, and would have the effect of visually encroaching into the surrounding countryside, to the detriment of the character of the area. As such the proposed development would be contrary to Local Plan policies G1(iii), G2(iv & v), D1, H19, C4 and C5 (as saved within the adopted South Wiltshire Core Strategy) and guidance contained within the Teffont Village Design Statement.

2)    The site access has limited visibility to the north and the applicant has not satisfactorily demonstrated that the necessary improvements to visibility in this direction can be satisfactorily implemented and thereafter maintained. As such the proposed development would be contrary to Local Plan policy G2(i) as saved within the adopted South Wiltshire Core Strategy.

3)    The development has not made adequate provision towards public open space, and would therefore be contrary to Local Plan policy R2 (as saved within the adopted South Wiltshire Core Strategy).

INFORMATIVE:

It should be noted that the reason given above relating to policy R2 could be overcome if all the relevant parties complete a Section 106 legal agreement.