Agenda item

Application for planning permission for conversion of existing farm buildings to form seven family homes with associated parking, amenity areas, landscaping, and associated works.(Amended plans and information received 24 August 2020 as detailed in the accompanying covering letter). (Additional waste vehicle tracking plan received 4 September 2020).

Councillor Jenny Hannaby encountered technical communication problems during the presentation of this item. The councillor was unable to participate in or hear the whole debate and did not vote on this application.

The committee considered application P20/V0526/FUL an application for the conversion of existing farm buildings to form seven family homes with  associated parking, amenity areas, landscaping, and associated works.(Amended plans and information received 24 August 2020 as detailed in the accompanying covering letter). (Additional waste vehicle tracking plan received 4 September 2020) at Westcot Farm, Westcot, Wantage.

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

The planning officer reported that the proposal site was not located within a designated conservation area but was in a rural location. This conversion of redundant farm buildings to dwellings had a number of innovatory design aspects associated with it. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) placed significant weight on innovatory design promoting sustainability. The proposal included making the dwellings sustainable in terms of energy use, with solar panels, heat recovery and electric vehicle charging points.

The planning officer reported that paragraph 79 of the NPPF also supported homes in the countryside if the development would re-use redundant or disused buildings and enhance its immediate setting. The planning officer also reported that under Policy DP7 in Local Plan Part 2 (LPP2),’’Development in open countryside will not be appropriate unless specifically supported by other relevant policies as set out in the Development Plan or national policy’’. This proposal complied with that policy.

The planning officer advised the committee that the conservation officer considered that there was scope to convert the existing barns, which would enhance the setting of the grade II listed barn and the non-designated assets on the site. In conclusion the planning officer reported that in the view of officers, the proposal represented a good use of a brownfield site which was not harmful to neighbours’ visual amenity and was not out of character with the area. There are no outstanding technical objections to the proposal, notably no highways objection. Officers therefore recommended that the application be approved, subject to the conditions listed in the report.

Councillor Tim Comyn, Chairman of Sparsholt Parish Council, spoke objecting to the application.

Mr. Tom Tuke-Hastings, a local resident, spoke objecting to the application.

Mr. Tom Pryor, a local resident, spoke objecting to the application.

Mr. David Burson, the agent, spoke in support of the application.

Councillor Paul Barrow, the local ward councillor, spoke objecting to the application.

In response to a question, relating to paragraph 5.29 of the report, the planning officer reported that the intention of a grampian condition was to ensure that off-site works were completed prior to the commencement of the main development. The committee noted that an aspiration of the development was to install electric vehicle charging points in the residents’ parking bays and also the visitors’ parking spaces. Minimal gas boilers would be subject of future discussions at the next design stage.  It was noted that louvres would be added to give an additional screening to prevent overlooking.

In respect of Barn G, the committee was concerned about the preservation of a tall leylandii hedge along the north and west boundaries of the site and considered that the proposed 2 metres height was not adequate for screening purposes. Therefore, an additional condition would be required, in the event of permission being granted, to preserve its height to a minimum of 3 metres and to ensure that replanting took place in the event of its removal or dying.

The planning officer reported, in response to question from the committee regarding potential light pollution, that external lighting on buildings would be controlled by condition, whereas internal light emanating from windows was not included.

2 extra conditions

Planning Permission is granted subject to the following conditions:

1.         Commencement three years - Full Planning Permission

2.         Approved plans

Pre-commencement

3.         Off site highway improvements to passing places

4.         Bat licence submission

5.         Biodiversity mitigation and enhancement strategy submission

6.         Surface water drainage scheme submission

7.         Foul water drainage scheme submission

8.         Landscaping and boundary scheme submission

Pre-occupation

9.         Access, turning, parking in accordance with plans

10.       Contamination remediation and validation report completed

11.       External lighting scheme submission

12.       Electric charging points in accordance with plans

13.       Bicycle storage in accordance with plans

14.       Removal of buildings in accordance with plans

15.       Materials in accordance with plans/information

Compliance

16.       Landscaping scheme implementation

17.       Retention of hedges

18.       Permitted development removal for alterations and outbuildings

19.       Permitted development removal for boundary changes