New dwelling.

The application was approved, contrary to the Case Officer’s recommendation.

The Principal 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, Mr J Hinton, the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

In accordance with paragraph 4.8.2.2 of the Council’s Constitution, Councillor JW Millar, the local ward member, spoke on the application.

He commented on a number of issues including:

·         The principal reason for the Planning Officer recommending refusal was his view that the application did not meet the National Planning Policy Framework’s (NPPF’s) definition of sustainable development.

·         The site was well screened had other properties nearby and was within the village.

·         The site was closer to the school than to the centre of the village.  The family’s two children would contribute to the school’s sustainability.

·         The applicant had local connections.

·         The Parish Council supported the application.

·         UDP Policy H6 (housing in smaller settlements) might preclude the development but the New Draft Core Strategy policy RA1 required the growth of villages, including Stoke Prior, and the NPPF said that emerging strategy should be given weight.

In conclusion his view was that the application did represent sustainable development.

The debate opened and the following principal points were made:

·         The application would develop a brownfield site and provide a dwelling of a high quality sustainable design.  The applicant had confirmed that he wished to build a sustainable dwelling to Passsivhaus standards for his family.

·         The NPPF was opposed to isolated dwellings.  The view was expressed that the application site was not isolated.  In reply the Development Manager commented that the site was isolated, divorced from the settlement of Stoke Prior and surrounded by green field sites.  He directed the Committee’s attention to the definition of the characteristics of sustainable development, acknowledging that there was a degree of subjectivity involved.  He added that if a recommendation to grant permission were to be made this should include Passivhaus house conditions to align with the sustainability aspects being considered by Members.

The local ward member was given the opportunity to close the debate.  He reiterated his view that the application site was not isolated and represented sustainable development of a brownfield site.

A proposal that there should be a site visit was lost.

The Committee discussed reasons for granting permission.  The Legal Officer suggested that the grounds for approval could be summarised as a view that the development is in fact sustainable development and that the benefits of the application outweighed any adverse impact.

RESOLVED:  That planning permission be granted on the grounds that the application represents sustainable development in accordance with paragraph 14 Of the National Planning Policy Framework and is of benefit to the community and officers named in the scheme of delegation be authorised to finalise conditions which shall include the Passivhaus conditions.

INFORMATIVE

The Local Planning Authority has acted positively and proactively in determining this application by assessing the proposal against planning policy and any other material considerations. It has subsequently determined to grant planning permission in accordance with the presumption in favour of sustainable development, as set out within the National Planning Policy Framework.