Agenda item

Public Participation

Ken Edwards spoke in objection to the application.

Anthony Coates spoke in objection to the application.

Ann Horward spoke in objection to the application.

Mr Mackechnie-Jarvis spoke in support to the application.

Tony Allen spoke in support to the application.

Martin Quigley spoke in support of the application.

The Planning Officer presented his report to the Committee which recommended that permission be approved. 

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer but none were asked.

An item of late correspondence was circulated at the meeting.

The Local Member, Cllr Helen McKeown, spoke in objection to the application. Cllr McKeown highlighted the views of Salisbury City Council whose strong objections to the application included its overbearing height and out of character appearance. The site’s locality to St. Edmund’s Church was also discussed. Cllr McKeown explained the potential for a detrimental impact on surrounding listed buildings and the need for more modest housing in the area. Concern was also raised in regards to the scale of the development.

The Chairman referred to image boards that were used by public speakers who objected to the application. He stated that although the images had been published prior to the meeting, they may have been edited by the objectors to make them less appealing to Members when making their decision.

Members discussed the steps the applicant had taken to appease neighbouring concerns. The need for an independent heritage assessment was raised, as well as the importance of heritage land. A conservation area appraisal was suggested as an alternative to the heritage assessment. Members debated the scale of the development, as well as the materials to be used and the design’s suitability in the area. The availability of car parking spaces was also discussed.

Members raised concern in regards to the design of the proposal and the need to maintain the character of the area. The need for City Councillors to attend to explain their objections was stated. Members discussed the need to enhance the area. The need to seek alternative design ideas that could be more suited to the site’s surroundings was stated.  The scale of the proposed design was debated, as well as the construction of extensions on neighbouring properties.

Resolved

To refuse permission for the following reasons:

The site is located within the heart of the historic city of Salisbury. Development should protect, conserve and where possible enhance the historic environment and is expected to create a strong sense of place through drawing on the local context and being complimentary to the locality, thereby making a positive contribution to the character of Wiltshire and enhancing local distinctiveness by responding to the value of the natural and historic environment. Development should achieve this by relating positively to its landscape setting, the existing pattern of development and by responding to local topography by ensuring that important views into, within and out of the site are retained and enhanced. Taking into account the sensitive location of the application site (within a designated conservation area and in close proximity to a number of listed buildings), it is considered the proposed development, by reason of its scale, design and layout would be out of sympathy with surrounding historic buildings and the existing character of the surrounding conservation area. In these respects the proposed development is considered contrary to the criteria set out within Core Policies 57 and 58 of the adopted Wiltshire Core Strategy, and the Council’s adopted Salisbury Conservation Area Appraisal document.