To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor Graham Andrews.

To receive details of any Member nominated to attend the meeting in place of a Member of the Committee.

Councillor Bowen substituted for Councillor Graham Andrews.

To receive declarations of interests in respect of Schedule 1, Schedule 2 or Other Interests from members of the committee in respect of items on the agenda.

Agenda item 6: 202567 - Land West Of Orcop Village Hall, Orcop

Councillor Rone declared an other declarable interest because he knew the applicant and left the meeting during consideration of this application.

Agenda item 7: 202050 - Land At Wye Valley View, Symonds Yat, Ross-On-Wye

Councillors Hardwick and Watson declared other declarable interests as Council appointees to the Wye Valley AONB Joint Advisory Committee.

(It was noted that many members of the Committee knew the agents for each application as former officers of the Council.)

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 7 April 2021.

RESOLVED:   That the minutes of the meeting held on 7 April 2021 be approved.

To receive any announcements from the Chairperson.

None.

Outline permission for the erection of 1 no. dwelling.

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

(Councillor Rone left the meeting for the duration of this item. Councillor Fagan fulfilled the role of local ward member 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 for virtual meetings, Mr M Hearne, Clerk to Orcop Parish Council had submitted a written submission in opposition to the application.  This was read to the meeting.   Mr D Macrae, a local resident, spoke in opposition to the scheme as a virtual attendee.  Mr J Cooper, the applicant, and Mr M Tompkins, the applicant’s agent spoke in support of the application as virtual attendees.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, the local ward member, Councillor Fagan, spoke on the application.  In summary, she commented that the application had generated some local controversy and that was why she had requested that the Committee consider the matter.  The key question of principle was whether the proposal was development in open countryside and contrary to policy or a potential housing site in a dispersed settlement.  A Neighbourhood Development Plan was being prepared and the site was not within the draft settlement boundary.  There was concern that approving such an application would set a precedent for development in the open countryside.  The Parish Council opposed the application.  In terms of sustainability there were no local services.

The Committee discussed the application.

The local ward member was given the opportunity to close the debate.  She reiterated the key question of principle that she considered needed to be considered which had implications for housing growth in rural areas across the County.

RESOLVED: That planning permission be refused for the following reasons:

1.         The application seeks outline approval for the erection of a single residential dwelling in an open countryside location that is neither within or adjacent to the main built up area of Orcop, the closest named settlement, and as such conflicts with Policy RA2 of the Herefordshire Local Plan – Core Strategy. The proposed development fails to meet any of the exceptions for development outside settlement boundaries, as specified in policy RA3 of the Herefordshire Local Plan – Core Strategy. As a result of the location, away from services and public transport, future occupants of the dwelling would have an undue reliance upon a private motor vehicle to access services and would be more likely to travel further afield, once in private motor vehicles, to access a better range of services and facilities offered beyond the nearby villages. In undertaking the test set out in paragraph 11d)ii of the National Planning Policy Framework, in light of the Council’s current housing land supply position and the very limited social and economic benefits, the identified adverse impact in relation to the direct conflict with the Core Strategy as set out in this reason for refusal, and the following reason, significantly  ...  view the full minutes text for item 113.

Proposed detached dwelling.

The Committee deferred consideration of this application.

The Senior Planning Officer gave a presentation on the application.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking for virtual meetings, Mr R Smith, of Whitchurch and Ganarew Parish Council, had submitted a written submission in opposition to the application.  This was read to the meeting.  Ms R Miller, a local resident, spoke in opposition to the scheme, as a virtual attendee.  Mr R Pryce, the applicant’s agent spoke in support of the application as a virtual attendee.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, the local ward member, Councillor Watson, spoke on the application.  In summary, she questioned the absence of reference in the report to the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Management Plan.  She expressed concerns about three main issues: the carriageway, in terms of its suitability as an access and its ability to accommodate construction traffic without sustaining serious damage; land movement, as the area was prone to landslides which had the potential to require lengthy road closure and cause significant detriment to the local area including in terms of business and tourism; and the house was not needed, the Parish Council had met its housing target and the need was for low cost affordable homes.  The Parish Council objected to the proposal. Regard should be had to the Wye Valley AONB Management Plan, the Neighbourhood Development Plan and local concerns.

The Committee discussed the application.

The local ward member was given the opportunity to close the debate.  She considered the application would have a negative impact on the landscape of the AONB.  She requested that the Committee defer consideration of the application to consider it in the context of the Wye Valley AONB Management Plan citing policies within that Plan she considered relevant and that the Committee also consider the construction management plan and a geo-technical survey.

The Development Manager commented that the fact that the Parish Council had exceeded the housing target for the area was not relevant to consideration of the principle of development. In response to the local ward member’s request he advised that whilst a condition requiring a geo-technical survey to be submitted prior to commencement would be reasonable it would not be appropriate to request this before a determination of the application.

A motion that the application be deferred was carried.

RESOLVED:  That consideration of the application be deferred pending an updated report including an assessment of the application in the context of the Wye Valley AONB Management Plan.

Date of next site inspection – 18 May 2021

Date of next meeting – 19 May 2021

Noted.