Agenda item

Public Participation:

 

-       Mr John Fletcher spoke in objection to the application

-       Mr Peter Crane, on behalf of CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England), spoke in objection to the application

-       Mr Graham Parker spoke in objection to the application

-       Mrs Louise Flemming spoke in support of the application

-       Mr Chris Alexander, applicant, spoke in support of the application

-       Mr Simon Coombe, Chairman of Limpley Stoke Parish Council, spoke in objection to the application

 

Councillor Linda Conley, Unitary Member for Winsley and Westwood, reported the high interest in the application by local residents and the emotive nature of objections due to the application being located within the Western Wiltshire Green Belt and Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Councillor Conley welcomed the opportunity for the application to be considered by the Western Area Planning Committee to ensure a full and open public debate.

 

Officers introduced the report which sought approval and, in doing so, drew the Committee’s attention to the late list which informed the committee of a petition of 184 signatures objecting to the application as well as the receipt of revised plans (the superseded plans proposed to use gabion walls which had been replaced as part of the proposal by natural Cotswold stone walls flanking the entrance.)  

 

During the ensuing debate the Committee was reassured that the status of the land was agricultural and there was no proposal within the application to change the use of the land.

The Committee questioned the design of the proposed new access from Crowe Hill to Stoke End and it was explained that the “meandering” aspect of the access was due to the nature of the ground (particularly steep slope).

It was also clarified that the proposed walled kitchen garden, replacing the existing tennis court, was not located within the open countryside.

 

The Committee understood and accepted that the key issues to be considered were road safety and the visual impact on the landscape. With regards to road safety, members of the Committee expressed concerns at the loss of one unofficial pull-in, as the entrance would be blocked in line with the existing wall. Although members of the Committee acknowledged the concerns of the Highways Officers (page 16 of the agenda refers) and recognised that the pull-ins were of an unofficial nature, they felt strongly that the existing pull-ins should be retained.

 

It was therefore

 

Resolved:

 

To delegate authority to the Area Development Manager to grant planning permission subject to the receipt of amended plans showing the two access points to be closed at Church Lane closed at the position of the existing gateways, thereby retaining the existing pull-ins.

 

For the following reason:

 

The proposed development would have road safety benefits though the closure of two accesses with poor visibility and the improvement of a third. The proposal would not harm the openness of the green belt and although it would have an impact on the appearance of the landscape, it is considered that the design and mitigation proposed minimise this. Accordingly, it is considered that the proposal is in accordance with the relevant policies of the West Wiltshire Development Plan First alteration (C1; C2; C6; C6a; C31a; C32 and C38).

 

Subject to the following conditions:

 

1. The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

 

REASON: To comply with the provisions of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

 

2. The development hereby permitted shall not be first brought into use until the first 4.8m of the accesses (onto Church Lane and Crowe Hill), measured from the edge of the carriageway, have been consolidated and surfaced (not loose stone or gravel) together with a system for the collection and discharge of surface water to prevent runoff onto the highway. The accesses shall be maintained as such thereafter.

 

REASON: In the interests of highway safety

 

3. Any gates shall be set back a minimum of 4.8m from the edge of the carriageway, such gates to open inwards only.

 

REASON: In the interests of highway safety.

 

4. The gradient of the access ways shall not at any point be steeper than 1 in 12 for a distance of 4.8m metres from its junction with the public highway.

 

REASON: In the interests of highway safety.

 

5. The access on Church Lane shall not be brought into use until visibility splays have been provided between the edge of the carriageway and a line extending from a point 2m back from the edge of the carriageway, measured along the centre line of the access, to the points on the edge of the carriageway 18.5m in both directions from the centre of the access, in accordance with the approved plans. Such splays shall thereafter be permanently maintained free from obstruction to vision above a height of 600mm above the level of the adjacent carriageway.

 

REASON: In the interests of Highway Safety.

 

6. The access on Crowe Hill shall not be brought into use until visibility splays have been provided between the edge of the carriageway and a line extending from a point 2m back from the edge of the carriageway, measured along the centre line of the access, to the points on the edge of the carriageway 15m in both directions from the centre of the access, in accordance with the approved plans. Such splays shall thereafter be permanently maintained free from obstruction to vision above a height of 600mm above the level of the adjacent carriageway.

 

REASON: In the interests of highway safety.

 

7. No development shall commence on site until a scheme of hard and soft landscaping has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, the details of which shall include:

* indications of all existing trees and hedgerows on the land;

* details of any to be retained, together with measures for their protection in the course of development;

* all species, planting sizes and planting densities, spread of all trees and hedgerows within or overhanging the site, in relation to the proposed buildings, roads, and other works;

* finished levels and contours;

* means of enclosure;

* car park layouts;

* other vehicle and pedestrian access and circulation areas;

* hard surfacing materials;

* minor artefacts and structures (e.g. furniture, play equipment, refuse and other storage units, signs, lighting etc);

* proposed and existing functional services above and below ground (e.g. drainage, power, communications, cables, pipelines etc indicating lines, manholes, supports etc);

* retained historic landscape features and proposed restoration, where relevant.

* tree(s), of a size and species and in a location to be agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority, shall be planted in accordance with BS3936 (Parts 1 and 4), BS4043 and BS4428

 

REASON: To ensure a satisfactory landscaped setting for the development and the protection of existing important landscape features.

West Wiltshire District Plan 1st Alteration 2004 - POLICY: C31a and C32

 

8. The development shall be carried out as specified in the approved Arboricultural Assessment.

 

REASON: To prevent trees on site from being damaged during construction works.

 

9. All soft landscaping comprised in the approved details of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding season following the first occupation of the building(s) or the completion of the development whichever is the sooner; All shrubs, trees and hedge planting shall be maintained free from weeds and shall be protected from damage by vermin and stock. Any trees or plants which, within a period of five years, die, are removed, or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of a similar size and species, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the local planning authority. All hard landscaping shall also be carried out in accordance with the approved details prior to the occupation of any part of the development or in accordance with a programme to be agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority.

 

REASON: To ensure a satisfactory landscaped setting for the development and the protection of existing important landscape features.

 

10. No development shall commence on site until a Construction Environmental Method Statement has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The statement shall include full details of the measures to be taken to reduce damage to the calcareous grassland during the construction period e.g. fencing, bog mats, careful sitting of compounds and storage, machinery spec etc, also mitigation measures for reptiles, timing tree removal to avoid breeding bird season.

 

REASON: In the interests of Ecology Protection on site.

 

11. No development shall commence until an Ecological Management Plan has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The Management Plan shall include full details of the cut and fill and any reseeding and establishment of banks with a suitable seed mix, control of invasive species, cutting regime to encourage botanical diversity and native tree planning.

 

REASON: In the interests of protecting the Ecology of the application site.

 

12. No development shall commence on site until a sample wall panels for the proposed blocking up of the existing accesses, not less than 1 metre square, have been constructed on site, inspected and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The panel shall then be left in position for comparison whilst the development is carried out. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved sample.

 

REASON: In the interests of visual amenity and the character and appearance of the area.

 

13. This permission relates to the following plans and documents

 

ECOLOGICAL SURVEY received on 20.10.2010

ARBORICULTURAL ASSESSMENT received on 20.10.2010

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT received on 20.10.2010

DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT received on 20.10.2010

REVISED ACCESS PROPOSALS received on 22.10.2010

FIGURE 1 SITE LOCATION PLAN received on 01.11.2010

FIGURE 2 EXISTING SITE PLAN received on 01.11.2010

FIGURE 3 LANDSCAPE PLANNING CONT received on 20.10.2010

FIGURE 4 LANSCAPE CHARACTER received on 01.11.2010

Drawing 622_C_D_103 CROWE HILL ENTRANCE received on 20.11.2010

 

Drawing: 622_C_D_105 received on 22.10.2010

Drawing: 622_C_D_200 TREES LOST AND RETAINED received on 01.11.2010

Drawing: 622_C_D_102_02 REVISED MASTERPLAN received on 06.01.2011

Drawing: 622_C_D_107 CLOSED STOKE END ENT received on 20.01.2011