Agenda item

The deferred item from the 16 December 2016 meeting.

The Senior Planning Officer, Jonathon James, outlined the report that recommended that the application be approved with conditions. It was noted that the Committee had previously received a presentation at the previous committee meeting, and that the members of the Committee had had the opportunity to visit the site following a deferral.

Peter Auburn, Alexander Venables and Elsa Joyce spoke in objection to the application. Dermot Tully, the applicant, and Peter Grist, the agent, spoke in support of the application.

Cllr Trevor Carbin spoke as the local member.

Issues discussed in the course of the presentation and debate included: the location of the site and its relationship with neighbouring properties; the orientation of the properties and gardens; the footprint of the existing property in relation to the proposals; the impact of the application on the amount of natural light received by neighbouring properties; the concerns of the neighbours, particularly with regard to privacy; the size and scale of the proposals in relation to the existing and neighbouring buildings; the topography of the site; the size, location and glazing of the windows in the proposal; the materials proposed to be used; how the proposal accords with other extended properties nearby; and the potential impact of the proposals on the amenity of  neighbours.

Cllr Trevor Carbin moved that the application be refused as, by reason of the bulk, size and height of the extension, the proposal was contrary to core policy 57.

There being no seconder to this proposal, the proposal was not successful.

In response to a question from Cllr Clark, it was clarified that the proposed windows to be formed in the rear elevation would have Juliette balconies that would not extend out from the exterior wall.

In response to a question from Cllr Davis, the planning officer advised that condition 4 should remain and that a condition removing more extensive permitted development rights to restrict further extensions and additions to the property could be included.

Cllr Andrew Davis, subsequently seconded by Cllr Tony Knight, proposed that permission should be granted subject to the inclusion of an additional condition removing permitted development rights for any further extensions or additions.

Having been put to the vote, the meeting;

Resolved

That the application be approved 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 the exact details and samples of the materials to be used for the external walls and roofs have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

REASON: The application contained insufficient information to enable this matter to be considered prior to granting planning permission and the matter is required to be agreed with the Local Planning Authority before development commences in order that the development is undertaken in an acceptable manner, in the interests of visual amenity and the character and appearance of the area

3      No paint or stain finish shall be applied to the external timber cladding unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details and maintained as such in perpetuity.

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

4      Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (or any Order revoking or re-enacting or amending that Order with or without modification), no window, dormer window or roof light, other than those shown on the approved plans, shall be inserted in the side elevations and roof slope(s) of the development hereby permitted.

REASON:  In the interests of residential amenity and privacy.

5      Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England)Order 2015 (or any Order revoking or re-enacting or amending those Orders with or without modification), no development within Part 1, Classes A and D shall take place on the dwellinghouse the subject of this application.

REASON: In the interests of the amenity of the area and to enable the Local Planning Authority to consider individually whether planning permission should be granted for additions, extensions or enlargements.

6      The window(s) in the side elevation(s) serving en-suite bathrooms shall be glazed with obscure glass only to an obscurity level of no less than level 4 and fixed with a ventilation stay restricting the opening of the window prior to the first occupation of the development hereby permitted and shall be permanently maintained as such in perpetuity.

REASON:  In the interests of residential amenity and privacy.

7      The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the application form and the following approved plans/drawings: Existing site plan, elevations and floor plans and Proposed site plan, elevations and floor plans all received on 16 September 2015

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

Planning Informatives:

1.          There is a risk that bats may be present at the development site. The Council considers it would be unreasonable to require the applicant to submit a bat survey because this could be considered disproportionate to the scale of development. Furthermore, given the particular proposals for the site, the Council considers that if bats were found, mitigation would probably not require further planning permission and a Natural England Licence would be forthcoming. Nevertheless, anyone undertaking this development should be aware that bats and their roosting places are protected at all times by the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010. Planning permission for development does not provide a defence against prosecution under this legislation or substitute for the need to obtain a bat licence if an offence is likely. Consideration should be given to obtaining a survey from a professional ecologist before commencing work (e.g. a building assessment to search for evidence of roosting bats internally and externally, which can be carried out any time of year, and inform the need for further bat emergence / re-entry activity surveys). If bats or evidence of bats is found at any stage of development, the applicant is advised to follow the advice of a professional ecologist or to contact the UK Bat Helpline on 0345 1300 228 (homeowners and churches) or visit http://www.bats.org.uk/pages/natural_england_roost_visits.html for more information

2.        Please note that Council offices do not have the facility to receive material samples. Please deliver material samples to site and inform the Planning Officer where they are to be found.