Agenda item

A report by the Case Officer is attached.

The Committee received a presentation from the Case Officer which set out the issues in respect of the application.  The purpose of the report was to assess the merits of the proposal against the policies of the development plan and other material considerations and to consider a recommendation that the application be approved, subject to conditions.

Members then had the opportunity to ask technical questions after which they heard statements from members of the public as follows, expressing their views concerning the application:-

Mr Tony Phillips, the applicant’s agent, in support of the application

Cllr Mike Hayday, representing Whiteparish Parish Council objecting to the proposal. 

Members then heard the views of Cllr Richard Britton, the local Member, who set out his objections to the proposal.  He stated that the original application was approved on a personal basis to the applicant (Mr Clarke) who had now moved with his family and therefore the current application should be refused on the basis that the original application no longer existed and therefore a completely fresh application was required rather than a proposal to vary a condition.  Additionally, Cllr Britton considered that the proposal would represent an alien feature in the landscape.

 During discussion, Members were assured that legally there was no reason why the current application before the Committee should be considered as irregular.  Members considered that the landscaping of the site should be maintained and allowed to grow.

On the proposal of Cllr Fred Westmoreland, which was seconded by Cllr Tony Trotman, 

Resolved:

To grant planning permission, subject to the following conditions:-

1. The use and occupation of the land hereby permitted shall be carried on only by Mr Jimmy Gammell, his wife and their resident dependants.

Reason: To define the scope of the consent and to enable the local planning authority to maintain control over the occupation of the site.

2. When the land ceases to be occupied by those named in condition 1) above the use hereby permitted shall cease and all caravans, structures, materials and equipment brought onto or erected on the land, or works undertaken to it in connection with the use, shall be removed and the land shall be restored to its condition before the development took place.

Reason: To ensure the restoration of the site upon the cessation of the use hereby authorised.

3. No more than 2 caravans, as defined in the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 and the Caravan Sites Act 1968, as amended, (of which no more than one shall be a static caravan/mobile home) shall be stationed on the land at any time.

Reason: In the interests of amenity and the character of the surrounding landscape.

4. No vehicle over 3.5 tonnes shall be stationed, parked or stored on the land.

Reason: In the interests of amenity and the character of the surrounding landscape.

5. No commercial activities shall take place on the land, including the storage of materials.

Reason: In the interests of amenity and the character of the surrounding landscape.

6. No structure or erection or planting exceeding one metre in height shall be placed between the A27 carriageway and the 122m by 2.4m visibility splay measured in a westerly direction from the centreline of the access point onto the public highway.

Reason: In the interests of amenity and Highway safety.

7. The existing parking and turning areas within the site shall be retained thereafter for as long as the use permitted subsists and shall not be used for any other purposes other than the parking and turning of vehicles.

Reason: In the interests of amenity and Highway safety.

8. Within three calendar months of the date of this permission a scheme to ensure and facilitate the long term retention and ongoing maintenance of the existing levels of planting and natural screening within and around the site shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The long term retention and ongoing maintenance of the existing levels of planting and natural screening within and around the site shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

Reason: To ensure a satisfactory landscaped setting for the site and to ensure the ongoing mitigation in respect of the character of the surrounding Special Landscape Area.