Agenda item

A report by the Case Officer is attached.

Public Participation

Chris Baines spoke in objection to the application

Matt Pugh spoke in objection to the application

George Mumford spoke in objection to the application

Chris Beaver, Agent, spoke in support of the application.

John Bishop, Chair of Westwood Parish Council, spoke in objection to the application

Mathew Perks, Senior Planning Officer, introduced the report which recommended approval be granted for the provision of two self-contained camping pods with parking, change of use of land to leisure / tourism. This was a resubmission of 17/02852/FUL.

Key issues included; the principle of development, Landscape: Green Belt, Cotswolds AONB and Conservation Area,Impact on neighbour amenity; and Highways.

Members of the Committee had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. Details were sought on: whether the application proposal could be considered to be an exception as recreation related development, as defined by para 145 b) of the NPPF; and questioned the extent of the site, the proposed length and construction of the proposed access road to service the pods and the landscape impacts of the development.

The Officer, in response to the questions advised that; the development provided recreational facilities for visitors and tourists, and that the proposed new road access would be a removable framework known as grasscrete which would allow grass to grow the substrate and make the access road appear less conspicuous.  It was accepted that the development site would allow for some long range visibility from public vantages gained across the valley at Turleigh and Winsley; and, the site would be open to views from the immediate neighbouring property positioned 50m away from where the proposed pods would be sited.

Members of the public, as detailed above, had the opportunity to speak on the application. 

In response to points raised during the public forum, the officer made reference to the points included in the report with regard to the assessment on impacts pursuant to: neighbours, nuisance, highways, landscape and visual impacts.  It was also reported that whilst the pods would have a degree of permanence by virtue of being bolted in place, they would be low key structures measuring a few metres in height and would have limited impact.

The local member, Councillor Johnny Kidney, spoke in objection to the development noting that there had been a large number of objections raised by local residents and noted that the site was located within a highly protected landscape and close to the conservation area and was not secluded but open to views from across the valley and a neighbouring property – which would all be negatively impacted on so much so that the proposed development would conflict with the NPPF Greenbelt Policy, CP39, CP51, CP57 and CP58; and, there would be highway/access issues.

A motion was moved to hold a site visit by Councillor Jonathon Seed, which was seconded by Councillor Pip Ridout.

At the end of the debate it was;

Resolved   

To defer making a decision until after a member site visit which was scheduled for 10 December 2018 at 1.15pm.