Agenda item

A report by the Case Officer is attached.

Public Participation

Stephen Walls, James Shannon, John Wilks Chair of the Town Team and Chris Wannell spoke in objection to the application.

Steve Sensecall, agent, spoke in support of the application.

Cllr Peter Willis, Chairman of Lydiard Tregoze Parish Council, and Paul Heaphy, Chairman of Planning on Royal Wootton Basset Town Council, spoke in objection to the application.

The Development Team Leader, Mr Lee Burman, presented a report which recommended that permission be granted subject to the signing of a section 106 agreement for a Hybrid Application for a 2,469 m2 (GIA) supermarket with access and landscaping (detail), and Class C2 care home of up to 3,000 m2 (outline). The 33 senior living residential units previously included with the application had been removed following amendment of the application. The amended application was therefore only for the supermarket and care home, and any references on the agenda or in the report were in error following the deferral from the previous meeting.

Key issues were stated to include scale and impact of the development outside the settlement boundary, access, impact on retail and highways. Attention was drawn to the late representations and comments, and being on the same area as the preceding application, a site visit had taken place by the Committee. It was stated that retail and elderly persons care accommodation development outside the settlement boundary was permitted under policy subject to various assessment criteria and officers were of the view the application met the necessary sequential tests, and that comprehensive information had been submitted to address any drainage concerns regarding the site, and extensive conditions were felt to address the concerns that had been raised in other areas.

It was also confirmed that should the recommendation for approval be accepted, the application  would need to be referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government before the Council could grant planning permission.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. Further details were sought on the flood risk assessment and operation of the proposed care home. It was stated officers had been informed by the applicants an operator was already lined up for the proposed care home should permission be granted.

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

Local Unitary Councillors Mollie Groom and Chris Hurst then spoke in objection to the application. A statement in objection on behalf of Local Unitary Councillor Allison Bucknell was also read. Local Unitary Councillor Mary Champion was unable to attend but the Committee was informed she objected to the application.

A debate followed, where details of vehicle and pedestrian access, and the impact on the town high street were raised, including discussion of the report on the impact of the supermarket on retail in the town. The scale of the development on the site outside the settlement boundary in the open countryside was emphasised.

A motion to refuse the application was moved by Councillor Tony Trotman, seconded by Councillor Stuart Dobson, and following debate it was resolved that consent ought to be refused due to the harmful impact to the character and appearance of the area resulting in loss of open countryside, with this harm not being outweighed by any benefits as the proposed development was not considered to be necessary or needed and poorly related to the town and its services and facilities. In this context the development of the care home was identified as in conflict with CP46 criteria ix.

Resolved:

That planning permission be refused for the following reason:

The proposals by virtue of their scale and location in an open field beyond the built-up limits of the settlement will result in the loss of open countryside resulting in harm to the character and appearance of the locality, contrary to Wiltshire Core Strategy (Adopted January 2015) Core Policies CP46 (ix), CP51 and CP57 (I, ii & iii) and National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) paragraphs 17 & 109. 

The Committee requested it be recorded that its decision had been unanimous.

A recess was taken from 1240-1250.