Ward: Hampton Court

The Senior Planning Officer reported the receipt of further letters from the applicant, a letter of support from the NFU, a letter of support from a member of the public and a further letter from the objector.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mr. Phillips (objector) spoke against the application and Mr. Price (applicant) spoke in favour.

Councillor KG Grumbley, the Local Ward Member, said that the applicant required accommodation and facilities to undertake his work as a farrier and to train an apprentice.  The applicant had been using a building on his father’s farm and also had to operate from the back of his van for his work but had found this to be increasingly difficult and no longer practicable.  He needed proper facilities to deal with difficult horses and to locate a forge. He also needed accommodation for himself and his apprentice and Councillor Grumbley felt that the application site was in ideal situation to help the applicant to modestly expand and move forward.  He pointed out that there was a national shortage of farriers and that Holme Lacy College was one of only four within the Country which provided courses for them.  He felt that the proposal was in keeping with national planning legislation and guidance for agricultural diversification and that there was scope within the Council’s planning policies H8, A2D and A35 to support it. He also took the view that it was an established business and that the development would be in line with the Governments white paper on farm diversification.  The equine industry was on the decline in this area and he felt that animal welfare is paramount and that this kind of development would help to maintain jobs and income in the countryside.  He noted that there were some concerns about the prominent location of the proposal but felt that it was a relatively modest development and that there was sufficient scope within the site for the buildings to be carefully orientated to lessen their visual impact.  He pointed out that permission had recently been granted for a stable block within the area which was in a much more prominent location.  He said that this was an outline application and that various aspects could be agreed and conditions established prior to a full application, along with the conditions required by the Head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards and an appropriate requirement that all development was tied to the business.

Councillor BF Ashton had a number of concerns about the application because it constituted development in the open countryside and was contrary to a large number of the Council’s Planning Policies.  He felt that the proposal had great merit in its aims but was in the wrong location.  The Northern Team Leader pointed out that the proposal constituted the erection of residential development and commercial development in the open countryside and not farm diversification. 

Having carefully considered all the merits of the application, the Sub-Committee was minded to approve it because it felt that there were exceptional circumstances involved and there was an essential rural service which being provided within the locality.  It agreed that an appropriate tie could be placed on any permission granted prevented any future buildings being sold separately and that approval be prepared in consultation with the Local Ward Member.

RESOLVED:

That    (i)    The Northern Area Planning Sub-Committee is minded to approve the application subject to any conditions 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:

(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 Development Control Manager advised that he would refer the decision to the Head of Planning Services because of the crucial planning policies involved.]