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Agenda item

20/10627/FUL: The Paddock, Hook, Lydiard Tregoze, Wiltshire, SN4 8EA

Change of use of land to a gypsy and traveller residential caravan site consisting of 4 pitches, each containing 1 mobile home, 1 touring caravan, 1 semi-detached utility building, car parking, access and children's play area

Minutes:

Public Participation

Robin Snell spoke in objection to the application.

Dr Angus Murdoch, Agent, spoke in support of the application.

Rose Love, Clerk, on behalf of Lydiard Tregoze Parish Council spoke in objection to the application.

 

The Head of Development Management, Mike Wilmott, and Senior Planning Officer, Eleanor Slack, presented a report which recommended permission be granted for change of use of land to a gypsy and traveller residential caravan

site consisting of 4 pitches, each containing 1 mobile home, 1 touring caravan, 1 semi-detached utility building, car parking, access and children's play area.

 

The background to the application was detailed, including that an application for the site was refused by the Committee on 11 September 2019, which had been appealed, but that as a result of delays arising from Covid-19 the appeal had not yet been determined. A new application had been submitted in part as a result of changes to the evidence base through a Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) as part of development of a Gypsy and Traveller Development Plan Document, which identified a need for 132 new pitches across the council area between 2019-2036 for Gypsys and Travellers meeting the government definition, and that the Hook site had a need for 4 adults and 2 teenagers to be accommodate.

 

Key issues for the application included the principle of development, impact on the character and amenity of the area, highways and drainage. Officers and consultees had confirmed there were no objections in relation to highways, drainage, landscaping or other matters, should the proposed conditions be approved. A late representation raising issues of drainage was raised.

 

Members then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officers. Details were sought on the GTAA, landscaping, drainage strategies and waste bins. It was confirmed that the evidence base generated through the GTAA was public information and a material consideration, though a new policy document had not yet been approved.

 

Members of the public then had the opportunity to present their views, as detailed above.

 

A statement on behalf of the local Unitary Member, Councillor Mollie Groom, in objection to the application, was then read by Councillor Allison Bucknell.

 

The Committee then debated the application. The objections of residents and the Parish Council were noted, including to the principle of the development and impact on neighbouring amenity. It was raised that the reasoning for the refusal in September 2019 continued to apply, notwithstanding the additional evidence base. Matters of enforcement of conditions were also raised.

 

At the conclusion of debate, on the motion of Councillor Tony Trotman, seconded by Councillor Andrew Bryant, and following confirmation by all Members present that they had seen and heard all relevant materials, it was,

 

Resolved

 

To REFUSE the application for the following reasons:

 

Proposals for new gypsy and traveller pitches are assessed against the criteria set out for such sites in policy CP47 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy. In this case, the proposal does not satisfy the following criteria in CP47:

 

vi) The proposed development of the site for the four pitches would have an unacceptable impact on the character and appearance of the landscape, harming the appearance of the countryside by the introduction of this urbanising development extending into the rural landscape. The development would also have an unacceptable impact on the amenity of neighbouring properties, due to the increased level of disturbance through the use of the access and the proximity of the development to nearby residential properties.

 

viii) The development of the site for gypsy and traveller pitches is inappropriate in this location to the character of its surroundings, where the village is characterised by traditionally built permanent housing.

 

For the reasons set out in relation to vi) above, the development is also considered to conflict with Wiltshire Core Strategy policy CP57 (vii), due to the adverse impact on the amenities of neighbouring properties.

 

Supporting documents: