Agenda item

The applicant Daniel O’Hara spoke in favour of the application. Parish Councillor Alan Clench from Box Parish Council, spoke against the application.

The Team Leader, presented the application for a first floor extension to an existing flat roof projection. It was explained that this property was within the Western Wiltshire Green Belt and the Cotsworld Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Photographs were shown of the existing site, along with diagrams showing proposed development, detailing intended elevations. A summary of previous planning history was also provided, explaining that the property had already received permissions to allow significant increase to the size of the property. Previous permissions were granted on the basis of the removal of the first floor element which was now the subject of a further application to include in the expansion of the dwelling.

The Officer’s recommendation for refusal was explained on the grounds that the extension was disproportionate to the size of the original building and therefore constituted inappropriate development in a Green Belt area.  Attention was also drawn to the Late Items, that identified that the officers accepted the applicant’s view that the proposed extension was a 45% increase from the original, as opposed to the 50% referred to in the Officer’s report. However, it was clarified that this figure did not change the Officer’s recommendation for refusal.

Councillors were invited to ask technical questions. Members expressed concerns as to the cumulative nature of the planning permissions, incremental development, potential precedent and pursuit of the first floor extension element previously deemed disproportionate. Members asked Officer’s whether, if planning permission was granted in this instance, could a condition be put in place to prevent further development. The Officer clarified that each application had to be considered on it’s own merits and such a condition could not be applied to an approval.

Members of the public were invited to speak, as detailed above.

The Local Member Cllr Dick Tonge spoke in favour of the application. He said that there was no strict definition of a disproportionate build in a Green Belt area and that each had to be considered on it’s own merits. He also noted the Late Items and that fact that applicant had been working in good faith on the 50% figure. He also pointed out that the dwelling stood within a large acreage and that the extension would not have an increased footprint, nor would it impact neighbours or the surrounding area.

In the debate that followed, Members expressed their sympathy for the applicant, stating that they did not consider the proposal to be an inappropriate build in a Green Belt area. Members noted that there were a number of other large houses in the area and it was not out of keeping with the locality. It was also stated that the existing flat roof projection looked untidy and that the extension would be an improvement.

Cllr Glenis Ansell proposed that the application be granted with suitable conditions to be delegated to Officers to determine, on the grounds that it was not a disproportionate addition of the original, and that it was an appropriate development in a Green Belt Area, acceptable and in accordance with Wiltshire Core Strategy and NPFF. This was seconded by Cllr Howard Greenman and approved by the Committee.

RESOLVED:

To grant planning permission subject to appropriate conditions (the formulation and imposition of which were delegated to the Head of Development Management Services) and were subsequently proposed as:

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 The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the approved plans, to be determined by officers:

3 The materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the extension hereby permitted shall match in material, colour and texture those used in the existing building.

REASON: In the interests of visual amenity and the

character and appearance of the area.

Reason for granting planning permission:

This application, as we see it, does not result in a disproportionate addition over the original building and is appropriate development in the Green Belt.  In all other respects the development is considered acceptable and accords with the Wiltshire Core Strategy and NPFF.