Agenda item

Erection of single 2-storey 3 bed dwelling (Outline with some matters reserved)

Public Participation

Peter Banks spoke in objection to the application.

Jonathan Ross spoke in support of the application.

Richard Hughes (Development Management Team Leader, South) presented a report which recommended that planning permission be approved with conditions for the erection of a single 2-storey 3 bed dwelling (outline with some matters reserved).

Key details were stated to include the principle of development, character of the area, residential amenity, highways issues, trees and ecology.

The officer ran through the slides as published in agenda supplement 1, which included maps showing the site, proposed site plans, indicative elevations and floorplans, and pictures of the proposed site. The officer explained that the road to the site was owned by Wiltshire Council but was not an adopted road. The road to the site was narrow. There was a parking area next to the site which local residents used. The proposal included 2 parking spaces.

Members of the committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. In response the officer explained where within the site the dwelling was located, which was towards the access and car parking area, with the end elevation parallel to the A338. The officer stated that he believed the neighbouring parking area was owned by Wiltshire Council. In response to further questions, it was stated that the dwelling was not large, but average for a modern house and that its proposed location was about a metre away from the bank along the A338. 

Members of the public then had the opportunity to present their views, as detailed above.

The unitary division member, Cllr Rich Rogers, spoke in objection to the application. Cllr Rogers stated that there was a lack of clarity regarding the shared access, the access road in the close was very narrow, there was already a lack of parking in the area which would be exacerbated by the development. He explained that Wiltshire Council had previously contacted residents regarding double parking in the narrow access road, a problem he felt that had arisen due to the lack of available parking. Cllr Rogers highlighted visual impact as an issue as the proposed dwelling would be prominent when viewed from the A338, which would alter the existing rural character of the area. He also stated that the proposed dwelling was too big for the site and that any future residents would be exposed to noise and pollution from the A338.

Cllr Rogers proposed a motion that the application be refused, against officer recommendation, for the same reasons the 2008 application had been refused. Including that the proposal was an overdevelopment of the site which would exacerbate existing parking and highway issues in the area, and have an adverse impact on residential amenity, and the general amenity of the rural area. This motion was seconded by Cllr Carbin.

During debate Members of the Committee expressed a variety of views, including that the location of the site meant that residents on the estate had to use cars as there was little public transport available and depriving people of parking spaces would not stop them using cars; parking was already an issue in the road; that the location of the dwelling on the plot could be improved if the dwelling was moved to be in line with existing houses, this would also mean an extra parking space could be added to the plans; that the Committee could not predetermine any future applications; and that whilst the parking included with the application met requirements, more cars would clearly add to an existing issue.

At the conclusion of the debate it was;

Resolved:

That planning permission be refused for the following reasons:

REASONS: (1)

1.    On the basis of the indicative layout provided, the proposal has failed to satisfactorily demonstrate that the site can accommodate a 3 bedroomed dwelling with adequate on-site parking. As a result, the proposed development would constitute an overdevelopment of the site which would exacerbate existing parking and highway issues in the area and be unsympathetic to the general amenity and character of the rural area and detrimental to residential amenity, contrary to the provisions of the Wiltshire Core Strategy (2015) policies CP57 (Ensuring High Quality Design and Place Shaping); the National Planning Policy Framework (July 2021); and the National Design Guide 2021.