Agenda item

Public participation:

Mr Richard Bruce-White spoke in support of the application

Mrs Melanie Thomas spoke on behalf of the Winterbourne Parish Council in support of the application.

The Planning Officer presented the report which recommended refusal and drew attention to the late list of additional information.

A debate ensued regarding the access arrangements for the site, future use of the building, design and scale, impact on surrounding countryside and the principle of ‘conversion’.

Resolved:

That the application be refused for the following reasons:

1 The site lies outside the housing policy boundary, and is not considered to be previously developed land, due to its agricultural use. The guidance in PPS7 (para 10) requires special justification for planning permission to be granted for isolated new houses in the countryside. Whilst the building is identified as being of some historical interest, substantial reconstruction of the existing building is required together with a large single storey extension and an intrusive access across adjacent agricultural land to enable the conversion to residential use. The building is not considered to be sufficiently important to provide the special justification required by PPS7 to support conversion to full residential use. Furthermore, no commercial marketing evidence has been submitted to demonstrate that the building could not be used for an alternative agricultural, tourism, commercial or community use. The development would therefore be contrary to the guidance in PPS3, PPS4, PPS5, PPS7, and the adopted policies C22, H23, H26 and H27.

2. Obtainable visibility from the proposed new access position is considered to be inadequate for the volume and speed of traffic using the "C" class main road, presenting a serious road safety hazard for vehicles exiting the new access and for traffic movement along this important "C" class route, contrary to Policy G2 of the adopted Salisbury District Local Plan.

3. The proposal, located remote from services, employment opportunities and being unlikely to be well served by public transport, is contrary to the key aims of Planning Policy Guidance Note 13 which seeks to reduce growth in the length and number of motorised journeys and Policy G1 of the adopted Salisbury District Local Plan.

Appendices: None

Background Documents Used in the Preparation of this Report:

Paul Tanner Associates Inspection of Structural Fabric, ref 1822b dated 18/11/08

Letter from Paul Tanner Associates dated 3 October 2009

Letter from The Lime Centre dated 31/03/09

Ecological Assessment, received on 6/07/2010

Construction and Demolition Method Statement received on 6/07/2010

Design and access statement received on 6/07/2010

Sustainability statement received on 6/07/2010

Letter from Geoff Crawford of Witcher Crawford setting out sequencing of work dated 15 June 2010, received on 6/07/2010

Site location plan received on 6/07/10

Figured dimensions of site, and proposed buildings received on 6/07/2010

Typical cross-section of access track received on 6/07/2010

Drawing ref.no. W1198 P01 received on 6/07/2010

Drawing ref.no. W1198 P02 received on 6/07/2010

Drawing ref.no. W1198 P03 received on 6/07/2010

Drawing ref.no. W1198 P04 Rev B received on 6/07/2010

Drawing ref.no. W1198 P05 Rev B received on 6/07/2010

Drawing ref.no. W1198 P06 Rev B received on 6/07/2010