Issue - meetings

Application for outline planning permission with all matters reserved apart from access for 8 dwellings.

Members visited the site on 5 December 2017.

Rosanne Mattick (objector), Paul Scarlett (applicant’s agent), Councillor Miller (Horseheath Parish Council) and Councillor Richard Turner (a local Member) addressed the meeting.

It was reported that the Local Highways Authority considered the application to be acceptable.

Following a short debate, the Committee refused the application contrary to the recommendation in the report from the Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development. Members agreed the reason for refusal as being the proposal’s adverse impact on the landscape character of the surrounding area, and therefore a conflict with Policies DP/2, DP/3 and NE/4 of the South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework 2007. The development was also considered to represent unsustainable development as specified in paragraphs 7 and 55 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2012, and Policies DP/1(1b) and DP/7 (1) of the South Cambridgeshire LDF Development Control Policies 2007.

Erection of Five-bedroom Dwelling, Garage, Car Port and Store, including Change of Use of Strip of Land to Residential Curtilage and Landscaping Works

The Committee approved the application subject to the Conditions and Informative set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director, and an additional Condition removing Permitted Development Rights.

Charlotte Burton (applicant’s agent) and Stuart Miller (Horseheath Parish Council) addressed the meeting. The agent maintained that the proposal would not harm local amenity. Mr. Miller’s concerns related to scale and the proposal being out of keeping with the immediate area.

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the applicationsubject to the satisfactory completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing the immediate payment of financial contributions in respect of indoor community facilities and public open space, and the Conditions set out in the report from the Planning and New Communities Director, amended as follows

(i)         Within six months of the date of the decision, full details of soft landscape works shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. These details shall include indications of all existing trees and hedgerows on the land and details of any to be retained, together with measures for their protection in the course of development. The details shall also include specification of all proposed trees, hedges and shrub planting, which shall include details of species, density and size of stock.

(Reason - To ensure the development is satisfactorily assimilated into the area and enhances biodiversity in accordance with Policies DP/2 and NE/6 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007.)

(j)         The soft landscape works shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details. The works shall be carried out within six months of the date of the decision or in accordance with a programme agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority. If within a period of five years from the date of the planting of any tree that tree, or any tree planted in replacement for it, is removed, uprooted or destroyed or dies, another tree of the same species and size as that originally planted shall be planted at the same place, unless the Local Planning Authority gives its written consent to any variation.

(Reason - To ensure the development is satisfactorily assimilated into the area and enhances biodiversity in accordance with Policies DP/2 and NE/6 of the adopted Local Development Framework 2007.)