Erection of two storey dwellinghouse.

The application was approved in accordance with the case officer’s recommendation.

The Principal 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.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mr Ashton, representing Colwall Parish Council, spoke in objection to the application and Mr Barry, the applicant’s agent, spoke in support.

In accordance with paragraph 4.8.2.2 of the Council’s Constitution, Councillor AW Johnson, the local ward member, commented on a number of issues, including:

·         There were very few objections from local residents.

·         The application had been bourn out as a result of the health needs of the applicant.

·         The proposed screening would address any concerns.

·         There were no windows on the northern elevation of the proposed dwelling.

·         One additional dwelling would not have an adverse impact on traffic in the area.

·         The proposed dwelling was adjacent to the settlement boundary but would have been inside the settlement boundary had it been a straight line.

·         Both local ward members supported the application.

The Committee opened the debate with a Member speaking in support of the application. He did however request that the Committee consider two minor amendments to the recommendation. He was of the opinion that the informative note regarding land drainage consent should be added as a condition and that condition 7 should be amended to require mature planting.

In response to a question regarding the zinc roof, the Principal Planning Officer confirmed that the roof was not corrugated but that it did have seams which added to the aesthetics of the roof. He also confirmed that the roof would initially be a silver grey colour but that it would end up as a more weathered colour. In response to a further question he confirmed that the render would be white or off-white.

Members noted that the proposed dwelling was the second application to meet the ‘Passivhaus’ standard bought before committee in recent months. They welcomed the sustainable nature of the application.

Concerns were expressed in respect of the Council’s lack of a five year housing supply. The Committee felt that this matter needed to be resolved as a matter of urgency to avoid a large number of similar applications being submitted throughout the County. It was noted that Parish Councils were still making their recommendations based on settlement boundaries but that this had changed significantly with the introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework in 2012 and a presumption in favour of sustainable development on sites adjoining the settlement boundary.

In response to a number of issues raised during the debate the Principal Planning Officer confirmed that part of the site had flooded in 2007 but that the proposed dwelling was not due to be sited on this portion of the site. He also confirmed that planning conditions should not deal with matters that were subject to a separate process. Therefore he advised the Committee against making the informative note requiring land drainage consent into a condition. In response to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 137