Agenda item

Public Participation

Mr Simon Chambers, agent, spoke in support of the application.

The Planning Officer presented a report which recommended refusal, highlighting the conservation area status and lack of necessity for the creation of such an impactful access.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officers.

Members of the public then had the opportunity to address the Committee, as detailed above.

The Local Member, Cllr Jane Scott, then spoke in support of the application.

A discussion followed where the inadequacy of the current access was raised, along with the lack of detraction from the character of the conservation area in light of the limited visibility and safety considerations around the current access.

After debate, it was,

Resolved:

That planning permission be GRANTED for the following reason:

The proposed new driveway would be not be harmful to the natural beauty of the area of outstanding natural beauty and would enhance the character or appearance of the conservation area, in accordance with policies C3, NE4, NE15 and HE1 of the North Wiltshire Local Plan 2011.

And 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. 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:

(a) indications of all existing trees and hedgerows on the land;

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

(c) 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;

(d) finished levels and contours;

(e) hard surfacing materials;

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

3. 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.

4. The development hereby permitted shall not be first brought into use until the first five metres of the access, measured from the edge of the carriageway, has been consolidated and surfaced (not loose stone or gravel). The access shall be maintained as such thereafter.

REASON: In the interests of highway safety.

5. No development shall commence on site until details of the stopping up of all existing accesses, both pedestrian and vehicular, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. That stopping up shall take place in accordance with the approved details within one month of the first occupation of the development. No later than one month after the first use of the new access, the sole means of vehicular and pedestrian access to the development shall be as shown on the plans hereby approved.

REASON: In the interests of highway safety.

6. No part of the development shall be first brought into use, until the visibility splays shown on the approved plans have been provided with no obstruction to visibility at or above a height of 900 above the nearside carriageway level. The visibility splays shall be maintained free of obstruction at all times thereafter.

Reason: In the interests of highway safety

7. Any gates shall be set back 4.5 metres from the edge of the carriageway, such gates to open inwards only.

REASON: In the interests of highway safety.

8. Within three months of the use of the new access, those buildings proposed to be removed, shall have been removed and the land restored as shown on the approved plans.

Reason: The removal of the buildings was considered a beneficial feature of the application when considered as a whole.

9. The gradient of the access way shall not at any point be steeper than 1 in 15 for a distance of 10 metres from its junction with the public highway.

REASON:  In the interests of highway safety.

10.  The development hereby permitted shall be implemented in accordance with the submitted plans and documents listed below. No variation from the approved plans should be made without the prior approval of the local planning authority. Amendments may require the submission of a further application.

Plan Ref:  1815- SLP, EP 01, EP 02, ESP, EE01 Rev A, EE02, PSP, PP01, PP02, PE01 REVA, PE02RevB, SK/AR/06, SK/AR/07, SK/AR/08, A3 Access Road Layout Long Section and Cross Section, GA07revC

REASON: To ensure that the development is implemented as approved.