Proposed change of use and conversion of former coach house to form a 2 bedroom dwelling together with provision of turning and parking facilities and private amenity area at former coach house.

The application was refused contrary to the case officer’s recommendation.

(Proposed change of use and conversion of former coach house to form a 2 bedroom dwelling together with provision of turning and parking facilities and private amenity area at former coach house.)

(Councillor Greenow fulfilled the role of local ward member and accordingly had no vote on this application.)

The Development Manager (DM) gave a presentation on the application.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mrs W Soilleux, of Bartestree and Lugwardine Parish Council spoke in opposition to the Scheme.  Mr R Jones, a local resident, spoke in objection.  Mr B Eacock, the applicant’s agent, spoke in support.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, the local ward member, Councillor Greenow spoke on the application.

He made the following principal comments:

·        He referenced the refusal of several previous applications as set out at paragraph 3.1 of the report.  In his view nothing had changed that supported approval of the latest application.

·        The proposal would bring the rights of the farmer to access his livestock shed into conflict with the proposed amenity space.

·        The coach house was immediately adjacent to the livestock shed raising environmental health issues. 

·        The access lane should serve no more than 5 properties and this had already been exceeded.

·        The proposal would have an adverse impact on the amenity of the existing farmyard and any residents who might occupy the property and was contrary to Core Strategy policy SD1 and Bartestree and Lugwardine Neighbourhood Development Plan (BLNDP) policy BL3 and the Parish Council did not support the application. 

In the Committee’s discussion of the application the following principal points were made:

·        Paragraph 7 of the appeal decision appended to the report stated that the development of the coach house was incompatible with the farm use.  It was questioned how this objection was considered to have been overcome.  The DM commented that the proposed amenity area and parking area for that application had been ambiguous.  In the absence of clarity the Inspector had not been prepared to grant permission.  The amenity space had now been restricted to the area immediately in front of the coach house and the parking area was now set back.  The space available to the farmer would be no different to the space currently available to him.

·        The farm use involving livestock and hay storage presented a health and fire risk to a residential property so close to it.  The proposal remained incompatible with the farm use.

·        The proposal was contrary to the NDP and the Parish Council opposed the application.

·        The access to the property was difficult.

The Lead Development Manager commented that it had been thought that the proposal could overcome the grounds that had led to previous refusals.  However, it was clear that Members did not consider this to be the case.  He outlined Core Strategy policies and the provisions in the NDP that could be advanced in support of the refusal of the application. 

The local ward member was given the opportunity to close the debate. He reiterated his opposition to the scheme.

Councillor Baker proposed and Councillor Williams seconded a motion that the application be refused on the grounds that it was contrary to Core Strategy Policies RA3, RA5 and SD1 and Bartestree and Lugwardine Neighbourhood Development Plan policies BL3 and BL6. The motion was carried with 12 votes in favour, none against and 1 abstention.

It was advised that it would accordingly be premature to approve the accompanying application for listed building consent.

RESOLVED:  That planning permission be refused on the grounds that the application was contrary to Core Strategy Policies RA3, RA5 and SD1 and Bartestree and Lugwardine Neighbourhood Development Plan policies BL3 and BL6 and officers named in the Scheme of Delegation to Officers be authorised to detail these reasons together with refusal of listed building consent.