Agenda item

The report before members concerned an application for the demolition of No’s 16 and 18 Prospect Road and the erection of nine new houses and two replacement bungalows with an access road with ancillary car and cycle parking.

Members noted that the application had been called in by Councillors Roger Ramsey and Ron Ower.

Councillor Ramsey had called the application in on the grounds of impact on neighbouring properties and Councillor Ower had called the application in on the grounds of concerns on traffic, the in-fill and its closeness to the Green Belt.

In accordance with the public speaking arrangements, the Committee was addressed by an objector with a response by the applicant.

The objector commented that the development would have an unacceptable effect on the streetscene and was contrary to Planning Policy DC61. The objector also commented that the proposal was not a sustainable development and would lead to a significant loss of privacy for existing neighbouring properties and asked that the Committee reject the proposal.

Speaking in response the applicant confirmed that the streetscene had been carefully considered and that the proposal was a high quality scheme for much needed housing on an underused site. The objector also confirmed that the only objections on the previously submitted scheme were to do with the streetscene which had now been addressed.

With its agreement Councillors Roger Ramsey and Paul Rochford addressed the Committee.

Councillor Ramsey commented that there had been a substantial number of objections to the proposed development from residents in the area and that most of these related to the loss of privacy to existing properties. Councillor Ramsey also mentioned the original refusal reason and commented that he believed the new proposal had not addressed the streetscene issues.

Councillor Rochford commented that the proposal was an artificial construction and was not acceptable both in terms of the streetscene and its effect on neighbouring properties.

During the debate members discussed the cramped nature of the development and its effect on neighbouring properties. Members also sought clarification of access/egress arrangements and the possible impact extra traffic would have on these.

The report recommended that planning permission be granted, however following a motion to refuse which was carried by 8 votes to 0 with 2 abstentions  it was RESOLVED that planning permission be refused on the grounds that:

·         The proposed development would result in the  unbalancing of the of the semi-detached dwellings at no’s 14 and 20 Prospect Road resulting in the remainder of the property appearing as a discordant and incongruous feature in the street scene and harmful to local character contrary to Policy DC61 of the LDF Core Strategy and Development Control Policies Development Plan Document.

·         The access arrangement depends on such an excessively narrow and contrived bungalow indicative of an unacceptably cramped overdevelopment of the site, harmful to local character and amenity.

·         In the absence of a planning obligation to secure the infrastructure contribution in accordance with the Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) that planning permission be refused on the grounds that the proposal does not make adequate arrangements for the provision of the necessary infrastructure costs arising from the development in accordance with the Planning Obligations SPD.

The vote for the resolution to refuse planning permission was carried by 8 votes to 0 with 2 abstentions.

Councillors Tebbutt and McGeary abstained from voting for the resolution to refuse planning permission.