Agenda item

Approval of Reserved Matters (appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) for the erection of 90 dwellings pursuant to outline planning permission PL/2022/03315.

Public Participation

Mr Matthew Hemming, local resident, spoke in objection to the application.

Ms Kate Learoyd, local resident, spoke in objection to the application.

Ms Lisa Wickes, local resident, spoke in objection to the application.

Mr Andrew Driscoll, applicant, spoke in support of the application.

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

Cllr Steve Siddall, on behalf of Holt Parish Council, spoke in objection to the application.

Julie Mitchell, as Senior Planning Officer, presented the report which recommended that the Committee approved the reserved matters application, subject to conditions, for the erection of 90 dwellings pursuant to outline planning permission (PL/2022/03315).

Attention was drawn to a minor amendment to the wording of Condition 17 to provide further clarity, which had been discussed and agreed with the applicant.

Key material considerations were identified including principle of development; highway matters; design (appearance, landscaping, scale, and layout); landscape impact; heritage impact; impact on amenity; drainage; ecological impact; other matters; Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL); and Section 106 Agreement.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions to the officer and queried matters in relation to the planning history of the site, specifically PL/2024/11359 and the discharge of Condition 6; the maintenance of green spaces on site; and contributions towards sports facilities.

In response, it was clarified that Condition 6 had been partially discharged but that part of the condition relied on the implementation of the scheme and therefore could not be fully discharged until such time. Members were also informed that it could be possible to separate the management of open spaces from the management of the estate, but that this would be confirmed as part of the compliance with the legal agreement agreed at outline stage which was separate to the considerations of reserved matters application. Furthermore, if the Parish Council or any other local groups wanted to take on responsibility for the maintenance of such spaces, they would be able to discuss this with the developers at a later stage. Finally, Members were reminded that as the application had outline planning approval, the reserved matters application could only assess those specific reserved matters and the detail as submitted, and not the principle of development, means of access or other considerations such as alternations to contributions secured.

The named public speakers as detailed above then had the opportunity to present their views to the Committee.

Following the public forum, it was clarified that the proposed pumping station was not a treatment plant, therefore no odours were expected unless there was a breakdown in the system which would then be rectified by Wessex Water. It was also acknowledged that any development of 90 dwellings outside of a village would have an impact on the character of that village. However, it was emphasised that other consultees had raised no objections and that significant changes had been made to the scheme to reach national standard requirements and to ensure high quality design and that the character of the buildings within the development were comparable to the wider village.

Cllr Trevor Carbin, as the Local Unitary Member, then spoke to the application where he thanked all officers for their work throughout the process. The importance of the Committee’s role in ensuring high quality schemes and producing a development that the village could be proud of was emphasised, alongside other factors such as the differences between the indicative plans presented at the outline and the reserved matters applications, the reduction in proposed green spaces, and the impact of the scheme approved at outline stage to the north of the site.

A debate then followed where Members acknowledged the concerns raised by Cllr Carbin and residents, including the proposed pumping station, and then discussed two appeal decisions pursuant a similar scheme at Land at Filands Road/Jenner Lane, Malmesbury (applications 21/01641/OUT and 21/01363/OUT). After requesting further advice, Members were reminded that although other appeal decisions were material considerations, the appeal decisions being discussed were in a different location with its own considerations, and therefore Members were advised to consider the application on its own merits.

Members further discussed the impact of the development on the character of the village with regard to design, and the guidance as set out in Core Policy 57 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy.

At the conclusion of the debate, Cllr Trevor Carbin moved to refuse the application as it did not meet the objectives of Core Policy 57, the National Planning Policy Framework, the Wiltshire Design Guide, and the Holt Neighbourhood Plan, which was seconded by Cllr Ernie Clark.

Following a vote on the motion, it was then:

Resolved:

The Committee REFUSED the reserved matters application as the proposal did not achieve high quality design and place making, and failed to meet the objectives of Core Policy 57 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy, Section 12 of the National Planning Policy Framework, and with particular reference to Paragraph 131 of the Wiltshire Design Guide, and the Holt Neighbourhood Plan 2016 – 2026.

Cllr Ernie Clark requested that his vote for the motion be recorded.