Erection of 2 detached dwellings.

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

(Erection of 2 detached dwellings)

(Councillor William Wilding as local ward member)

The Senior Planning Officer gave a presentation on the application.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking Mr J Watkins, a local resident, spoke in objection to the application and Mrs J Joseph, planning agent, spoke in support.

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

He made the following principal points:

·         The application included a number of sustainable features but due to its location it still caused environmental harm.

·         The national planning policy framework encouraged developments to incorporate as many sustainable features as possible. The current application did not include solar panels. Applications and house design should include solar panels.

·         The lane on which the proposed development was located was narrow and was sunken in places with few passing places for cars. It was not ideal for walking.

·         The application proposed excavations to a bank to create an entrance to the property. This would damage the existing bank; if the member had been consulted on the application at an early stage he would have proposed the relocation of the entrance.

·         It was noted that the application would have an impact on local wildlife.

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

·         It was noted that there were no objections from statutory consultees.

·         There was concern that there were no solar panels incorporated in the design but other sustainable measures such as the heat pump were viewed favourably. The application incorporated a high level of sustainability which was a good example of housing seeking to limit carbon impacts. It was queried whether solar panels were viable with a green roof.

·         It was queried why no site visit was undertaken. It was felt that a site visit should have been undertaken. The Chairperson of the committee confirmed that the local ward member had not requested a site visit.

·         The impact of the application on flora and fauna was queried.

·         The importance of new housing in local villages to sustain local communities, their services and facilities was emphasised.

The Lead Development Manager commented that given the proposed green roof solar panels would probably need to be located elsewhere on the application site and an ecology survey had been submitted with the application. The county ecologist had raised no concerns with the application.

The local ward member was given the opportunity to close the debate. He explained he would have requested a site visit if aware of the process but as a new member of the council was unaware. Due to the absence of solar panels in the application it was not felt that the national planning policy framework had been interpreted properly or given proper weight in the application. It was asserted that sustainability measures needed to be incorporated in all new applications.

Councillor Polly Andrews proposed and Councillor David Summers seconded a motion that the application be approved in accordance with the printed recommendation.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26