Agenda item

Ian Anderson, Angelica Anderson and Charlotte Watkins spoke in support of the application

The Senior Planning Officer introduced the application which was for the erection of a new dwelling, car port, solar array and associated works. The application was recommended for refusal for the reasons outlined in the report. Attention was drawn to the late items which included a correction to the officer report, clarifying that Alderton did benefit from a conservation area, the boundary to which lay adjacent to the site. A location plan was shown and the location of the main road was identified, photographs of the site were also shown. The planning officer highlighted the proposed development was in open countryside and would be an unsustainable development.

There were no technical questions.

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

The local member, Cllr John Thomson, explained the application had generated some public interest, and he had called it in to Committee at the request of the parish council.

In response to statements, the officer confirmed Alderton was in open countryside.

In the debate that followed the Chairman commended the environmental elements of the proposal. Cllr Hutton moved the officer recommendation for refusal, seconded by Cllr Mollie Groom. Whilst members appreciated the environmental credentials of the scheme, it was considered the site for the proposed dwelling was inappropriate and the proposal therefore was contrary to Core Policies. It was noted that in planning terms Alderton was not a village and the paddock was agricultural.

That planning permission be REFUSED for the following reasons:

1. The site is located outside of the limits of development of any village defined in CP2 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy. The proposed residential development does not fall to be determined under any of the 'exception policies' defined within Core Policies 46 and 47 (Specialist accommodation provision) or Core Policy 48 (Supporting rural life) or para 55 of the NPPF. The proposal conflicts with the Delivery Strategy set out in Policy CP2 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy, which seeks to properly plan for sustainable development of housing sites in Wiltshire to deliver the identified needs in the Community Areas through a Site Allocations DPD and/or a Neighbourhood Plan, a strategy supported by the Wiltshire Core Strategy Inspector. The site has not been brought forward through this process. The proposal would therefore conflict with Core Policies 1 and 2 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy; saved policy H4 of the North Wiltshire Local Plan (appendix D of the Wiltshire Core Strategy); Advice in the NPPF particularly paragraphs 7, 14 and 55.

2. The proposal, by way of its scale, siting and form of development would be an incongruous and unacceptable form of development which would be harmful to the landscape quality of this part of the Cotswolds AONB contrary to policies CP42 and CP51 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy and advice in the NPPF section 11, particularly para 115.

3. The proposal, located remote from a range of services, employment opportunities which are not well served by public transport, is contrary to the key aims of local and national sustainable transport policy guidance which seeks to reduce growth in the length and number of motorised journeys. New development should be located and designed to reduce the need to travel by private car and should encourage the use of sustainable transport alternatives. The proposal is contrary to Core Policies 60 and 61 of the adopted Wiltshire Core Strategy and Paragraph 34 of the National Planning Policy Framework.