Nine timber lodges, tourist reception building and covered extension to fitness suite.

Nine timber lodges, tourist reception building and covered extension to fitness suite.

The Planning Officer advised Members that a number of additional representations had been received. She reported the receipt of the following representations:

• Comments from the Traffic Manager who recommended refusal on highway grounds.
• Comments from the Children’s and Young People’s Directorate who supported the application.
• Comments from the Conservation Manager and the Planning Ecologist who had not objections subject to ecological conditions.
• A further letter from the applicant’s agent confirming that the plans were correct.
• Two further letters of support from the applicants in response to objections raised by the local residents.
• 12 further letters of objection from local residents.
• 43 letters of support.
• A letter from Paul Keetch MP supporting the application.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mr. Daniels, representing Walford Parish Council, and Mr. Macrostie, representing the Leys Hill residents, spoke against the application and Mrs. Mitchell, the applicant, spoke in support.

Councillor J.G. Jarvis, the Local Ward Member, noted the concerns raised by Walford Parish Council. He felt that the application was finely balanced, with a number of representations received both in support and against the proposal. He felt that if the application was approved it was important to include a condition restricting the dwellings to short term holiday accommodation. He also noted that the proposed materials selected for the development had been used in areas of outstanding natural beauty successfully in the past. He concluded that if the application was unsuccessful he would be willing to chair a meeting between the applicants and the objectors in order to progress matters.

Councillor Mrs. C.J. Davis supported the Local Ward Member and endorsed his decision to chair a meeting between the parties involved.

The Chairman felt that the applicants had delivered a high quality service for 20 years and had been let down by changes in government policy. He noted that this was an established site and felt that the application should be approved.

Members discussed the application and noted the concerns raised by the Highways Agency. Concerns were raised in respect of the positioning of the log cabins on the site, it was felt that the application would be more acceptable if these cabins were located closer to the main buildings.

A vote to approve the application was lost and the substantive motion, to refuse the application, was then voted on and won.

RESOLVED

That planning permission be refused for the following reasons:

1.      The site is located within the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Having regard to Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan (Revised Deposit Draft) Policies LA1, RST2, RST.12 and RST14, South Herefordshire District Local Plan Policies C5, TM5 and TM6, and Hereford and Worcester County Structure Plan Policies CTC1, TSM2, TSM5 and TSM6 the Local Planning Authority considers the proposal to be unacceptable. The scale of the proposal would result in harm to the landscape character of the area.

2.      The site located in the open countryside taking access from the unclassified U70408 road whose junction with the Class II B4324 has poor visibility. The proposed development would generate additional vehicle movements at this junction that would be likely to result in additional danger on the highway and not therefore be in the interests of highway safety. The proposed development is therefore contrary to the South Herefordshire District Local Plan policy T.3 and Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan (Revised Deposit Draft) policy DR.3.