For:      Border Oak Design & Construction Ltd 

Ward: Golden Cross with Weobley

The Senior Planning Officer presented the following updates:

A copy of a letter sent via email to all of the Northern Area Councillors from the applicants in support of their application has been received and its comments noted. 

This letter raises no further issues to comment upon other than as covered in the Officer’s report.

A letter has also been received from the applicants commenting on the Officer’s report.  The letter comments about the overall density in that the density is higher than as stated in the report to Committee, as part of the site cannot be used for development. Comment is made that they are unable to provide affordable housing on site, unless they revert to the original scheme refused planning permission.  Comment is also made about overall layout design, mass, scale and external construction materials in that they are specifically in accordance with Officer’s recommendations and previous schemes submitted to the Council for the site.  Notwithstanding this, the letter states that the applicants are prepared to make appropriate revisions to overall layout and elevations design.

Notwithstanding the above, the density is only 15 per hectare and fails to provide the Council’s requirement for affordable housing.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mrs Parsons of Weobley Parish Council and Mrs Tilbury, a supporter, spoke in favour of the application. 

Councillor JHR Goodwin the Local Ward Member was in favour of the application.  He felt that although the proposal did not meet the requirements for affordable housing, there were a number of key factors that needed to be taken into consideration which could meet the requirements of planning policies DR1, H5 and HBA6.  Following the rejection of the original application because its access was through Chapel Orchard, the applicants had gone to considerable lengths to prepare a scheme in keeping with the area and its setting opposite an ancient monument.  The design incorporated a welcome amount of open space and the houses and garages were of a style in keeping with an historic village.  The proposed access road was directly off the highway and thereby overcame the problem of a route through Chapel Orchard.  The proposed dwellings would be comprised of one two-bed; one three-bed and four four-bed properties and reflected the character, appearance, mix and range of properties elsewhere in the village.  He said that the village already had a good provision of affordable housing on other sites and questioned the need for more at this location. 

The Northern Team Leader reiterated why the proposal did not fulfil the Council’s planning policies and said that the scheme needed to be comprised of twelve dwellings which included four affordable ones.  Having considered all the facts about the application however, the Sub-Committee was in support of the views of the Local Ward Councillor that the application should be approved.

RESOLVED:

That   (i) The Northern Area Planning Sub-Committee is minded to approve the application subject to the conditions felt to be necessary by the Development Control Manager in consultation with the Local Ward Member, provided that the Head of Planning Services does not refer the application to the Planning Committee.

(ii)       If the Head of Planning Services does not refer the application to the Planning Committee, Officers named in the Scheme of Delegation to Officers be instructed to approve the application, subject to such conditions 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.]