Proposed change of use of residential dwelling to office accommodation.

The application was approved in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation, with additional conditions.

(Proposed change of use of residential dwelling to office accommodation.)

(Councillor Williams having declared an interest left the meeting for the consideration of this application.  Councillor Holton left the meeting during part of the debate and accordingly had no vote on this application.)

The Senior Planning Officer gave a presentation on the application, and updates/additional representations received following the publication of the agenda were provided in the update sheet, as appended to these Minutes.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mr H Bryant of Callow and Haywood Group Parish Council spoke in opposition to the Scheme.  Ms J Hardy, a local resident, spoke in objection.  Mr P Lewis, the applicant’s agent, spoke in support.

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

He made the following principal comments:

·        He had redirected the application because of the level of concern expressed by local residents, mostly living along Grafton lane.  The road was narrow and at peak hours was a rat-run to the A49.  During consideration of the Southern link road there had been discussions as to whether the road should be closed off as a through road and as part of the national cycleway.

·        The proposal would increase traffic and those traffic movements would take place during peak hours.

·        There was a Christmas tree business on the site but he was not aware from the highways team that this caused any major issues.

·        The Parish Council had raised the point that there had not been a design and access statement making it difficult for them to consider the application.

·        There was a view that it was not the right place to start a commercial enterprise.

·        Whilst there had been rumours about what might happen on the site he recognised that the Committee was determining the application before it.

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

·        Rural businesses could have difficulty finding sites.  The site was suitable for its proposed use.

·        The concerns of local residents that the use of a site could change was acknowledged.  However, the proposed conditions clearly restricted the use of the site to an administrative function.

·        The Parish Council’s objection was noted.

·        Additional conditions were suggested relating to the hedgerow, traffic, working hours and bat welfare and an informative requested making clear that the permission was solely for a facility for the administration of the business due to traffic concerns.

The Lead Development Manager commented that the conditions could be included.  He added that the Transportation Manager had informed him that whilst the proposal was acceptable there would be concerns if there were to be any expansion of the facility.  However, that would need to be the subject of another application.

The local ward member was given the opportunity to close the debate.  He commented on the importance of the proposed conditions to ensure that there were restrictions to prevent traffic going to and from the site at all hours.

Councillor Phillips proposed and Councillor Edwards seconded a motion that the application be approved in accordance with the printed recommendation with additional conditions relating to the hedgerow, traffic, working hours and bat welfare and an informative making clear that the permission was solely for a facility for the administration of the business due to traffic concerns.  The motion was carried with 10 votes in favour, none against and no abstentions.

RESOLVED: That planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions and any other conditions considered necessary by officers named in the scheme of delegation to officers:

INFORMATIVES: