Agenda item

Public participation

Kevin Wells, local resident, spoke in objection to the application.

Andrew Jones, Calne Our Place, spoke in objection to the application.

John Boaler, local resident, spoke in objection to the application.

Matthew Shellum, the agent, spoke in support of the application.

Glenis Ansell, Calne Town Council, spoke in objection to the application.

Attention was drawn to the late list of observations provided at the meeting and attached to these minutes. It was noted that the waste contribution had been scaled down to £2,324.

The Planning Officer, Paul Galpin, introduced a report which recommended granting planning permission, subject to conditions, for 39 apartments for older people, a guest apartment, communal facilities, car parking, landscaping and four retail units.

Key issues highlighted included: principle of development; design and appearance of the development; town centre vibrancy; impact of the development on Listed Buildings and the Calne Conservation Area; impact on residential amenity; highways/parking; ecology; planning contributions and infrastructure and archaeology.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions

of the officer which focused on: loss of retail and the imbalance of retail and residential use; building height and size; the harm to setting of the Zion chapel and conservation area; the lack of servicing to commercial units and the pedestrian access to the retail units in the Pippin.

Members of the public then had the opportunity to address the Committee, as

detailed above.

Cllr Ian Thorn, Division Member, spoke regarding the application with the main points focusing on: the Calne Community Neighbourhood Plan; elderly housing not being suited to boosting the vibrancy of the town centre; the current state of the site; the imbalance of retail and residential use; the Spatial Planning Officer conclusion that the proposals are in conflict with the Calne Community Neighbourhood Plan and Calne Town Centre Masterplan; the community’s clear disapproval of the application and the applicant failure to engage with members of the public and in particular those who live in close proximity to the site.

The Planning Officer addressed some of the issues raised by the public and Division Member. In response to a suggestion from the applicant’s agent that photovoltaics (PV) solar panels would be constructed in the development, it was confirmed that this had not been detailed by the applicant in its submission.

At the start of the debate a proposal was moved by Cllr Christine Crisp, seconded by Cllr Gavin Grant to refuse planning permission contrary to the officer recommendation as it would not comply with the requirements of Core Policy 8 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy and is contrary to the provisions of Core Policy 57 and 58 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy.

During the debate the main points raised were: loss of retail and the imbalance of retail and residential use; the lack of servicing to commercial units; the design and appearance of the development; highways concerns; confliction with the Calne Neighbourhood Plan; town centre vibrancy; impact on the Calne Conservation Area; the need for elderly housing; that PV solar panels seem inappropriate for the development and were not committed to in the application and parking provision.

Resolved

That planning permission is refused for the following reasons:

1.    The mix and proportions of land uses proposed is not considered to help strengthen or regenerate the town centre and would not comply with the requirements of Core Policy 8 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy or the vision outlined within the Calne Community Neighbourhood Plan 2016-2026 and associated masterplan.

2.    By reason of its scale, bulk, mass, positioning, detailing and lack of public realm improvements and use of materials, the proposed development would result in harm to the setting of the Grade II Listed Building Zion Chapel, and the character and appearance of this important part of the Calne Conservation Area. The proposal is therefore contrary to the provisions of Policies CP57 and CP58 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy, Policy BE2 of the Calne Community Neighbourhood Plan 2016-2026 as well as section 12 of the of the National Planning Policy Framework (2018).

3.    Due to its height, mass, scale and the placement of windows in close proximity to neighbouring residential properties the proposal will result in an unacceptable level of overlooking and an unacceptable impact upon the amenity and living conditions of existing residential occupiers, contrary to the provisions of policy CP57 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy.