Agenda item

David Pearce spoke in support of the applications.

Cllr Lesley Palmer, Grittleton Parish Council, spoke in support of the applications.

The planning officer introduced the applications which were for full planning permission and listed building consent to allow the conversation of stables to form dormitories for Grittleton House School. The application had been deferred from a previous meeting to allow members to undertake a site visit; the site visit had taken place on 20 September 2016 and was attended by six members of the Committee. The officer recommended that both applications be refused for the reasons outlined in the report, the officer had significant concerns in respect of the impact of permission on the character and setting of listed buildings. Photographs of the site were shown, along with the proposed elevations and plans for the conversion.

In response to technical questions, it was confirmed that in the event of permission being granted a condition could be in place to seek details of insulation. Officers considered that a full business case and heritage impact assessment to demonstrate and justify the need for conversion had not been submitted and advised the Committee that such a business case was material in balancing the benefits of the application with the risk of harm.

Members of the public then addressed the Committee as detailed above.

The local member, Baroness Scott, spoke in support of the application, preferring that the site be used for business enterprise by the school rather than for residential use.

In the debate that followed, members acknowledged the absence of a full business plan, however considered that the proposals would support the school to be economically viable and make a significant contribution to the local economy. The Committee considered that it would be impractical for dormitories to be within the school house and that the proposal would be the best option to maintain the stables by ensuring they had a use. The Committee agreed that, on balance, the benefits of the conversion outweighed the harm caused, due to the advantage it would bring to the business, educational benefit and social benefit of bringing the stables back into use. The Committee felt that other means to create dormitories would be more damaging that the current proposal.

Members were conscious that planning permission and listed building consent should be strictly conditioned to protect the listed buildings. Cllr Sturgis, seconded by Cllr Greenman, moved a recommendation for planning permission, and listed building consent and delegated to officers to impose conditions, requesting that conditions included WL1 and WC1.  The reasons given for moving approval of permissions were that the Committee considered that the public benefits arising from the proposed development and works were significant and sufficiently so to outweigh the less than substantial harm to the listed building, adjacent listed buildings and conservation area that had been identified. The public benefits included the significant contribution to the local economy of the enhanced business operations at the site and the development proposed; alongside the enhanced educational opportunities that would arise from these business operations and activities. On the basis of the site inspection undertaken on 20/9/2016 and the information and statements provided to date by the applicant the committee considered that there were no other reasonably feasible options for securing the proposed development at this site or locality without the identified harm arising.

Resolved:

To grant planning permission and listed building consent and to delegate to officers to determine a comprehensive and appropriate list of conditions for both applications including:

WC1 (on planning permission)

“No development shall commence on site until a scheme of hard and soft landscaping has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, the details of which shall include:-

·       finished levels and contours;

·       means of enclosure;

·       all hard and soft surfacing materials; and

·       minor artefacts and structures (e.g. furniture, play equipment, refuse and other storage units, signs, lighting etc)

The development shall be carried out in full 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, to ensure a satisfactory landscaped setting for the development and the protection of existing important landscape features.”

And WL1 (on LBC):

“Notwithstanding the approved drawings, no works shall commence until details of the following have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority:

(i)      Large scale details of all external joinery including metal-framed glazing (1:5 elevation, 1:2 section) including vertical and horizontal cross-sections through openings to show the positions of joinery within openings, depth of reveal,  heads, sills and lintels;

(ii)      Large scale details of all internal joinery (1:5 elevation, 1:2 section);

(iii)     Full details of proposed rooflights, which shall be set in plane with the roof covering:

(iv)     Full details of external flues, background and mechanical ventilation, soil/vent pipes and their exits to the open air;

(v)     Full details of proposed meter and alarm boxes;

(vi)     Large scale details of proposed eaves and verges (1:5 section);

(vii)    Full details of proposed internal service routes;

(viii)   A full schedule and specification of repairs including:

(ix)     a structural engineer's report setting out the nature of, and suggested remedial work to, structural defects

(x)     proposed timber and damp proof treatment

(xi)     proposed method of cleaning/paint removal from historic fabric

(xii)    a full schedule of internal finishes to walls, ceilings and floors

(xiii)   Full details of external decoration to render, joinery and metalwork; and

(xiv)   Full details and samples of external materials.

The works 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 listed building consent and the matters are required to be agreed with the Local Planning Authority before works commence in order that the scheme is undertaken in an acceptable manner, in the interests of preserving the character and appearance of the listed building and its setting.”