Agenda item

Public participation:

Isobell Guttridge, Christine Steel and Esther Harris spoke in objection to the application; Paul Gould spoke in support of the application and Cllr Gwen Allison spoke on behalf of Bradford-on-Avon Town Council.

Cllr Magnus MacDonald spoke on behalf of member Cllr Rosemary Brown.

The Senior Planning Officer outlined the report that recommended that the

application be approved with conditions.

Issues discussed in the course of the debate included: the existence of covenants and the relevance of planning conditions; the layout and the material for the proposals; the impact of the proposals on the amenity of neighbours; the implications conditions of the original permission; the ownership and the responsibility for the maintenance of the land; the views of the residents and the petition received in objection to the application; the intention of the original development; and the impact of the proposals on the landscape environment.

Members of the public were invited to speak on the application as listed above.

Members discussed the public concerns and the relevance of other planning permissions and refusals in the area.  Cllr Magnus MacDonald  proposed, subsequently seconded by Cllr Ernie Clark, that the application be refused for the reason that the height and relocation of the boundary wall encroaching on land to the side of the property, would be visually intrusive in the street scene and harmful to the openness and historic spatial characteristics of the area.

Having been put to the vote, the motion was lost.

Cllr Andrew Davis proposed, subsequently seconded by Councillor Horace Prickett, that the Committee should approve the application as per the officers recommendation detailed in the report.

Having been put to the vote, the meeting;

Resolved that the application be approved subject to 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 materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the development hereby permitted shall match in material, colour and texture those used in the existing building.

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

3      No part of the development shall be 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 600mm 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

4      The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans:

• Plans and elevations as proposed dated April 2015
• Plans and elevations as existing dated April 2015
• Block Plan dated May 2015

        REASON: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

5      No part of the development shall be brought into use until the area between the nearside carriageway edge and a line drawn 2.0 metres parallel thereto over the entire site frontage has been cleared of any obstruction to visibility at and above a height of 600mm above the nearside carriageway level.  That area shall be maintained free of obstruction at all times thereafter.

        REASON: In the interests of highway safety.