Agenda item

A report by the Case Officer is attached.

Public Participation

Mr Mike Lewis, a local resident, spoke in opposition to the application.

Dr Murdoch, the agent, spoke in favour of the application.

The Committee received a presentation by the Head of Development Management which set out the main issues in respect of the application.  He explained that since the preparation of the report, it had been discovered that the site was directly accessed from a bridleway where no public vehicular rights existed. Thus there was doubt that the site could be served by a safe and convenient vehicular access and therefore the recommendation for approval was now being withdrawn.

Members then had the opportunity to ask technical questions after which they heard statements from members of the public as listed above, expressing their views regarding the planning application.

Members then heard the views of Great Somerford Parish Council objecting to the proposal which were read out by Cllr Toby Sturgis, the local Member.  Cllr Sturgis then expressed his own concerns that doubling the size of the gypsy and traveller site would be a disproportionate addition for such a small rural community. This expansion in size would also have implications with regards to landscape impact. He went on to explain that he had met with the residents of Startley who had serious concerns about the proposal. They drew attention to the lack of a safe vehicular access to the site and that vehicles were likely to be parked in green open space. There was no evidence that soakaways would work efficiently in view of the clay soil and furthermore the septic tank did not function correctly, foul water discharging into the lane. There was no mains water supply to the site.  

During discussion, Members considered in detail the concerns that had been raised.

On the proposal of Cllr Tony Trotman which was seconded by Cllr Christopher Newbury,

Resolved:

To refuse planning permission for the following reasons:-  

The site lies in a rural location outside of the defined limits of development for any nearby settlement. The relevant development plan policy for assessing proposals for new gypsy and traveller pitches in such locations is CP47 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy. When assessed against this policy, the proposal conflicts with criteria (ii); (iii); (vi) and (viii) of CP47. In relation to criteria (ii), the site is directly accessed from a bridleway where no public vehicular rights exist and therefore the site is not served by a safe and convenient vehicular access; in relation to criteria (iii), the site is not supplied with essential services; in relation to criteria (vi), the proposal would have an unacceptable impact on the character and appearance of the landscape, being seen in conjunction with the adjacent authorised site and creating an unacceptable erosion of the countryside scene; in relation to criteria (viii), the development would result in a conjoined gypsy and traveller site of 5 pitches in a rural location that is out of scale and character in this situation where the closest settlement at Startley is so small that it is not recognised in the Wiltshire Core Strategy as a settlement where even infill development is permitted. The Council does not consider that there are any material circumstances in this case that outweigh this conflict with the development plan.