For:      CNG Developments Ltd per Mr L F Hulse,
19 Friars Gardens, Ludlow, Shropshire  SY8 1RX

Ward: Leominster North

The Principal Planning Officer presented the following updates:

Additional Representations

Three further letters of objection have been received from local residents, but no new issues are raised to those highlighted in the Officer’s report.

Comments have been received from the Ramblers Association who comment about the public footpath and request that it is not affected either during building works or upon completion.

Additional Condition

An additional condition is proposed in respect of surface water drainage and reads as follows:

The development hereby approved shall not be commenced until a scheme for the provision and implementation of a surface water regulation system including the use of Sustainable Urban Drainages Systems has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.  Surface water generated from the site shall be limited to the equivalent Greenfield runoff rate for the site.  The scheme shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details unless otherwise agreed in writing by the local planning authority.

Reason: To prevent the increased risk of flooding by ensuring the provision of a satisfactory means of surface water disposal.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mr Westwood of Leominster Town Council and Mr Hewitt an objector, spoke against the application.

Councillor Brig P Jones CBE, one of the Local Ward Members, shared the concerns of the objectors about the potential flooding issues, notwithstanding the views of the Environment Agency that the site had a 1 in 1000-year probability of flooding.  He was also concerned at the impact of the proposal on a valuable area of open space and wildlife and that there would be an overall adverse effect on the environment and setting.  Councillor J Stone felt that the Environment Agency flood zones needed to be revised in the light of the summer floods and climate change. Councillor WLS Bowen had reservations about building taking place on alluvial land and was also concerned at the safety of pedestrians on a well-used thoroughfare because the scheme did not include a separate footpath in the access road.

The Principal Planning Officer explained that the concerns could be met by appropriate conditions and informatives, and that the application was in accordance with the Council’s Planning Policies.

Notwithstanding the view of the Officers, the Sub-Committee decided that the application should be refused.

RESOLVED:

That   (i)The Northern Area Planning Sub-Committee is minded to refuse the application subject to the reasons for refusal set out below (and any further reasons for refusal felt to be necessary by the Head of Planning Services) provided that the Head of Planning Services does not refer the application to the Planning Committee:

1.      The proposal represented unacceptable over-development of the site.

(ii)         If the Head of Planning Servicesdoes not refer the application to the Planning Committee, Officers named in the Scheme of Delegation to Officers be instructed to refuse the application, subject to the reason for refusal referred to above.

[Note: Following the vote on this application, the Head of Planning Services advised that he would refer the application to the Planning Committee.]