Agenda item

The application was for the erection of a replacement dwelling and ancillary buildings comprising a stable and barn and manege area for purposes incidental to the enjoyment of the associated dwelling house following the demolition of existing agricultural workers' dwelling and nursery buildings.

This application would have normally been determined under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation. However, it had been reported to the Planning Applications Committee by Councillor Pat Tedder because of concerns about water displacement and because the proposal was considered to be inappropriate development in the Green Belt, with the site tied to an agriculture tenancy.

Members were advised that Councillor Pat Tedder had subsequently withdrawn her objections prior to the meeting.

Members were advised of the following updates:

“UPDATE 

For clarification

Paragraph 1.2 of the report compares the size of the built form between the existing glasshouses and the proposed stables and storage building. This comparison is also set out elsewhere in the report, to illustrate Officers would like to make it clear that glasshouses are not inappropriate development in the Green Belt, and nor are the proposed stables and storage building considered inappropriate, given that paragraph 149 of the NPPF allows the provision of appropriate facilities for outdoor recreation, and these buildings are considered to be appropriate in size to facilitate the equestrian use of the adjoining fields. As such no very special circumstances are required to justify the equestrian buildings and in this way it is different to applications where residential houses are proposed to replace glasshouses, which generally rely on very special circumstances.

Conditions

Condition 3 - An amendment to the wording is proposed as follows (additional wording in bold):

3. The stables and storage building hereby permitted shall be used for equestrian purposes only as set out in the application, and the equestrian use shall be incidental to the use of the residential property only and shall not involve any commercial use. The buildings shall not be used for any other purpose including residential accommodation, without the prior approval in writing of the Local Planning Authority.

Condition 6 - An additional clause is proposed as below:

6d) Details of landscaping along the front boundary of the site.

An additional condition is proposed as follows:

There shall be no alteration of site levels within any part of the application site and following the proposed demolition, all materials shall be moved off site to an appropriate facility for disposal as soon as practicable and prior to the occupation of the dwelling hereby proposed. Prior to commencement of development, photos of the entire site which clearly show the external ground shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To ensure that demolition materials are properly disposed of and not used to raise the levels of the land which may result in flooding or drainage issues, in accordance with Policy DM10 of the Surrey Heath Core Strategy and Development Management Policies 2012 and the National Planning Policy Framework.”

Some Members were concerned as to the effect of the proposal on flooding and drainage issues in the local area and wished to strengthen the proposed condition 6 of the officer recommendation accordingly. It was agreed to amend the proposed condition to emphasise and specify that all the demolition materials including that derived from the previous hardstanding should be moved-off site and disposed of properly.

Furthermore, with consideration to the stable rooms, which included a kitchen/rest room and WC and shower and made up part of the proposal, Members wished to strengthen condition 3. It was agreed to add the words, ‘or residential occupancy’, in order to reinforce that the buildings should not be used for any other purpose, including to provide any overnight accommodation, without prior approval by the local Planning Authority.

The officer recommendation to grant the application was proposed by Councillor Cliff Betton, seconded by Councillor David Mansfield and put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED that application 20/0777 be granted subject to the conditions in the officer report and updates, and the additional amendments to the conditions

Note 1

It was noted for the record that Councillor Victoria Wheeler declared that she had participated in conversations with neighbours to the site, but it did not have any influence on the decisions which she would make in respect of the application.

Note 2

In accordance with Part 4, Section D, paragraph 18 of the Constitution, the voting in relation to the application was as follows:

Voting in favour of the recommendation to grant the application:

Councillors Graham Alleway, Peter Barnett, Cliff Betton, Stuart Black, Mark Gordon, Edward Hawkins,  David Lewis, David Mansfield, Robin Perry, Graham Tapper, Helen Whitcroft, Valerie White and Victoria  Wheeler.