Agenda item

The demolition of an existing building and the erection of eight dwellings with associated outbuildings and access.

The officer presented the report and the addendum on application P16/V0637/FUL for the demolition of an existing building and the erection of eight dwellings with associated outbuildings and access at Land adjacent to Church Farm, West Hanney.

Consultations, representations, policy and guidance and the site’s planning history were detailed in the officer’s report and addendum, which formed part of the agenda pack for this meeting.

Chris Surman from West Hanney Parish Council spoke in favour of the application, he considered that it was not out of character with the village

·                A piece of wild flower woodland would be passed to the parish council and used as a wild nature area.

·                The site was not considered suitable for affordable housing and felt that the benefit of a commuted sum of £400K for offsite housing was more suitable.

Katherine Jones from Kemp and Kemp the agents spoke in favour of the application

·           The proposed development would provide much needed housing for the district, plus the 7.5 acres of land to the village and the commuted sum for offsite housing.

Matthew Barber, the ward member, spoke in favour of the application.

Alison Trowel spoke in favour of the application.

The committee asked questions of clarification to officers and received responses:

·           It was acceptable to accept the commuted sum of money in lieu of affordable housing in exceptional circumstances in line with the NPPF.

·           The gift of land to the parish council has not been given weight in this application and the vale has no policy on it, and the NPPF is silent.

·           There is no restriction on where the affordable housing can be placed when the commuted sum is given.

·           The “exceptional circumstances” relate to the character of the area.

·           £400,000 should be equivalent to 3 affordable units.

A motion was proposed and seconded to grant planning permission, contrary to the officers’ recommendation, but with conditions to secure the open land as offered by the developer and the commuted sum of £400,000, as a payment equivalent to affordable housing provision on site. Also to add the following conditions and to delegate to the Head of Planning the s106 agreements which would secure the commuted sum and the land.

This would give added benefit to the community.

The committee debated the motion.

RESOLVED (7 for, 3 against, 0 abstentions)

To support the motion as put: to grant planning permission, subject to the following conditions:

1.         Commencement three years - full planning permission.

2.         Approved plans.

3.         Slab levels to be submitted.

4.         Details of materials, including boundary walls and hard landscaping to be submitted.

5.         Landscaping/planting to be implementation.

6.         Retention of existing hedgerow.

7.         Tree protection to be implemented.

8.         Boundary details to north and west with neighbouring properties to be submitted.

9.         Wildlife protection- recommendations of habitat and bat survey implemented.

10.      Wildlife protection - orchard creation scheme to be submitted.

11.      Archaeology – preparation of written scheme of investigation.

12.      Archaeology – implementation of scheme.

13.      Access, parking, visitor parking, footpath links, turning to be implemented.

14.      Bicycle storage to be implemented.

15.      Construction traffic management plan to be submitted.

16.      Travel information pack to be submitted.

17.      Surface water drainage details to be submitted.

18.      Foul drainage details to submitted.

19.      Garage accommodation to be retained for parking at all times.