Agenda item

Alterations to building to provide a four-storey flat building comprising 12 residential flats (8 x 2 bedroom and 4 x 3 bedroom) together with vehicular access, landscaping, parking for nine vehicles, bin storage, cycle storage and associated works.

Description:

Alterations to building to provide a four-storey flat building comprising 12 residential flats (8 x 2 bedroom and 4 x 3 bedroom) together with vehicular access, landscaping, parking for nine vehicles, bin storage, cycle storage and associated works.

Officer Recommendation:

Refusal.

Officer Presentation:

The Committee received a presentation on the application from the Planning Officer.

Public Speaking:

A Member of the Public spoke in objection to the application.

Decision:

Following consideration, Councillor Watson proposed a motion that the Officer recommendation be agreed.

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Neale.

The Committee resolved (7 for, 1 abstaining, and the Chair not voting) that;

The application be REFUSED for the following reasons;

1.    Harm to The Old Pines

As a result of its overall scale, the proposed development would cause less than substantial harm to the setting of The Old Pines (Grade II Listed Building) and its significance by failing to preserve the low level-built form character of their surroundings and introducing overly domineering built form that would diminish the appreciation and experience of these through adversely altering the character of their setting. The benefits of the development would not sufficiently outweigh the less than substantial harm, and as such the proposal is contrary to Section 66 of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, paragraphs 203 and 208 of the NPPF 2023 and Policy DM8 of the Development Management Policy Document 2015.

2.    Harm to The Church Street Conservation Area

The proposed development would harm the setting of the Church Street Conservation Area by adversely altering the character of the fundamental transition between the Town Centre and the Church Street Conservation Area that would adversely affect the surroundings in which the Church Street Conservation Area is experienced, harming its significance. The benefits of the development would not sufficiently outweigh the less than substantial harm, and as such the proposal is contrary to Section 72 of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, paragraphs 203 and 208 of the NPPF 2023 and Policy DM8 of the Development Management Policy Document 2015.

3.    Harm to The Character of the Area

As a result of its overall scale and height, the proposed development would represent an incongruous addition that would fail to integrate with the prevailing character and appearance of the area, contrary to paragraph 135 of the NPPF 2023 and Policies DM9 and DM10 of the Development Management Policy Document 2015.

4.    Failure to Deliver Affordable Housing

In the absence of a legal agreement securing off site contribution towards affordable housing, the proposal does not contribute towards a mixed and balanced community, contrary to Section 6 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2023 and Policy CS9 of the Core Strategy 2007.

Informatives

1)    Positive and Proactive Discussion

In dealing with the application the Council has implemented the requirement in the National Planning Policy Framework to work with the applicant in a positive and proactive way. We have made available detailed advice in the form or our statutory policies in the Core Strategy, Supplementary Planning Documents, Planning Briefs and other informal written guidance, as well as offering a full pre-application advice service, in order to ensure that the applicant has been given every opportunity to submit an application which is likely to be considered favourably.

2)    Refused Plans

This decision is in relation to the following plans:

Drawing Number 0157-P-005 Rev D

Drawing Number 0157-P-006 Rev D

Drawing Number 0157-P-007 Rev D

Drawing Number 0157-P-009 Rev B