Agenda item

Report of the Planning and Development Manager recommending that conditional approval be granted in respect of an application for a proposed development at the above address, attached.

The Panel considered the report of the Planning and Development Manager recommending conditional approval be granted in respect of an application for a proposed development at the above address.

Erection of a single storey rear extension to create one x studio flat with associated bin and cycle storage.

Mrs Barratt, Mrs Gara and Mrs Barter (Local Residents/objecting) were present and the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

The presenting officer reported at the commencement of the meeting that :-

  (i)  an amended elevation plan (ref.63WA/15/004 REV.C) was received on the 10^th September 2015.  This plan was included in the panel presentation;

  (ii)  paragraph 6.2.2 of the report was incorrect.  This stated that the proposal would establish two additional dwellings on site resulting in a site density of 172 dph.  This was incorrect as the proposal would establish one additional dwelling on site resulting in a site density of 128 dph; and

  (iii)  condition 8 relating to landscaping had been amended to take out a reference to car parking as this was not relevant to the scheme.  The condition is detailed below.

Amended Condition

8 APPROVAL CONDITION - Landscaping [pre-commencement condition]

Prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved, a landscaping scheme any implementation timetable shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority in writing. The scheme shall include details of the planting; details of trees to be retained and details of the boundary treatment to the garden area of the flat hereby approved. The approved hard and soft landscaping scheme for the whole site shall be carried out prior to occupation of the building or during the first planting season following the full completion of building works, whichever is sooner. The approved scheme implemented shall be maintained for a minimum period of 5 years following its complete provision.

Any trees, shrubs, seeded or turfed areas which die, fail to establish, are removed or become damaged or diseased, within a period of five years from the date of planting shall be replaced by the Developer in the next planting season with other of a similar size and species unless the   Local Planning Authority gives written consent to any variation. The Developer shall be responsible for any replacements for a period of five years from the date of planting.

Reason:

To improve the appearance of the site and enhance the character of the development in the interests of visual amenity, to ensure that the development makes a positive contribution to the   local environment and, in accordance with the duty required of the Local Planning Authority by Section 197 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

The officer recommendation to conditionally approve planning permission was not carried.

RESOLVED that planning permission be refused for the reasons set out below.

Reasons for Refusal

REASON FOR REFUSAL: Overdevelopment

The subdivision of the plot to establish an additional dwelling within the rear garden is considered to represent an over-intensive use of the site which would fail to establish an attractive or acceptable residential environment for existing and future occupiers. Specifically, this is by virtue of: a) the provision of a cramped residential environment given the limited size of the proposed studio unit; and b) the provision of an insufficient amount of usable amenity space for occupiers of both the proposed studio unit and the existing units on site. As such this proposal is contrary to policies SDP1 (i), (as supported by paragraphs 2.2.1, 2.3.12, 2.3.13, 2.3.14, 4.4.1, 4.4.2, 4.4.3 and 4.4.4 of the adopted Residential Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document (September 2006)), SDP7 (iv), (v) and SDP9 (i), (v) of the adopted Amended Local Plan Review (March 2015) and Policy CS13 of the adopted Core Strategy Partial Review (March 2015).

REASON FOR REFUSAL: Residential Amenity

The proposed site layout would, due to its cramped and contrived arrangement, be harmful to the level of privacy currently enjoyed by the residential occupiers of the existing ground floor flat. Specifically, this is by virtue of the impact of additional pedestrian movements immediately adjacent to habitable room windows serving the bedroom and living room of the existing ground floor unit. This would set a harmful precedent for similar residential intensification which is likely to be detrimental to the residential amenities of the occupiers of existing properties.

This proposal is therefore, contrary to saved policy SDP1(i) of the adopted Amended Local Plan Review (March 2015); policy CS13 of the adopted Core Strategy Partial Review (March 2015); and paragraph 2.2.1 of the adopted Residential Design Guide SPD (September 2006).