Agenda item

Public Participation

Mr James Collin spoke in support of the application.

Mrs Margaret Field spoke in support of the application.

Mrs Helen Dewick, applicant spoke in support of the application.

The Area Development Manager presented a report which recommended that planning permission be refused. Key issues were stated to include the principle of development within the Green Belt and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the impact upon the Highway and design issues.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer, where details were sought on the building materials for the proposed Cattery.

Members of the public then had the opportunity to present their views to the Committee, as detailed above.

The Local Member, Councillor Trevor Carbin, then spoke in support of the application.

A debate followed, where the sustainability of the proposal was raised, along with the impact upon highways and neighbouring area, and the former use of the site for long-term material storage and the impact that had had on the Green Belt was noted.

After debate, it was,

Resolved:

To GRANT planning permission, 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 landscaping has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding season following the bringing into use of the building or the completion of the development, whichever is the sooner within that particular phase; 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.

REASON:

To ensure a satisfactory landscaped setting for the development.

3)    No development shall commence until details of the proposed means of disposal of the waste arising from the use of the site as a cattery have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The waste shall be disposed of in accordance with the approved details.

REASON:

In the interests of amenity

4)    The building shall be used solely for the purposes of a cattery and for no other purpose without the prior grant of planning permission from the local planning authority. If the building ceases to be used as a cattery, it shall be demolished and the resulting materials removed from the site within six months of its use ceasing.

REASON:

The site lies within the Green Belt where new buildings are not normally permitted. However, an exception has been made in this case because of the economic benefits of the new cattery. If this use were to cease, the economic justification would no longer exist and the openness of the green belt should be restored.

5)    The car parking area and access shall be completed in accordance with the approved plans, including hardsurfacing, before the cattery is first brought into use, and shall thereafter be retained for these purposes.

REASON:

To ensure the satisfactory provision of off-street parking and access to serve the proposed site, in the interests of road safety and amenity.

6)    This permission relates to the submitted plans, including the car parking and access layout; floorplan of proposed cattery; block plan and elevations; and Figure 1 showing the site outlined in red.

REASON:

To define the permission in the interests of clarity.