Agenda item

The application was for the erection of an indoor riding school. (Additional information recv'd 29/9/17 & 18/10/2017) (Amendment to Description - Rec'd 02/11/2017) (Amended info rec'd 06/11/2017) (Amended/Additional Plan and Change of Description - Rec'd 01/12/2017) (Additional information recv'd 05/04/2018) (Additional information recv'd 27/4/18) (Amended & additional plans rec'd 07/06/2018) (Additional information recv'd 24/7/18) (Amended plans rec'd 30/07/2018).

This application would have normally been determined under the Council's Scheme of Delegation, however, it has been called in for determination by the Planning Applications Committee at the request of Cllr Pat Tedder. 

Members were advised of the following updates and the referenced annexes were published with the supplementary agenda papers:

“Updates as 17/0540 above. A list of updated conditions is attached as annex 3 to this update.

For completeness, a copy of the Council’s Equine Adviser’s comments as summarised in the original report is appended at annex 5.”

Members of the Committee raised concerns that the proposed indoor riding school, would be harmful to the openness of the Green Belt and as a result be inappropriate development. Members also felt the level of the applicant’s equestrian credentials and resulting need for the riding school were insufficient to constitute “Very special circumstances”, as set out in paragraph 87 and 88 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

The recommendation to approve the application was proposed by Councillor Mrs Vivienne Chapman and seconded by Councillor Adrian Page. The vote on the recommendation was put to the vote and lost.

The recommendation to refuse the application for reasons below was proposed by Councillor Victoria Wheeler and seconded by Councillor Pat Tedder. The recommendation was put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED that

              I.        application 17/0524 be refused for the reasons following below:

·         Inappropriate and harmful development in the Greenbelt not outweighed by the proposed ‘Very Special Circumstances’.

·         Overbearing effect of the Indoor School building on the bridleway.

            II.        The reasons for refusal be finalised by the Executive Head of Regulatory after consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Planning Applications Committee, and the Planning Case Officer.

Note 1

It was noted for the record that:

                     i.        Cllr Edward Hawkins declared that all members of the Committee had received various pieces of correspondence on the application.

                    ii.        Cllr Victoria Wheeler declared that a near neighbour to the application site had attended one of her surgeries prior to the first hearing of the application by the Planning Applications Committee on 5 April 2018.

                   iii.        Cllr Pat Tedder declared that she had received supplementary representations from interested parties on the application, but she had not replied or made comment on any of them.  

Note 2

As this application had triggered the Council’s Public Speaking Scheme, Mr Martin Collins and David Spragg spoke in objection to the application. Mrs Deborah Burrell, the applicant and Mr D Merriman, the applicant’s drainage engineer, spoke in support of the application.

Note 3

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 Nick Chambers, Mrs Vivienne Chapman, Surinder Gandhum, Edward Hawkins, Jonathan Lytle, Adrian Page and Ian Sams.

Voting against the recommendation to approve the application:

Councillors Colin Dougan, Katia Malcaus-Cooper, David Mansfield, Max Nelson, Robin Perry, Conrad Sturt, Pat Tedder, Victoria Wheeler and Valerie White.

Note 4

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 refuse the application:

Councillors Colin Dougan, Katia Malcaus-Cooper, David Mansfield, Max Nelson, Robin Perry, Conrad Sturt, Pat Tedder, Victoria Wheeler and Valerie White.

Voting against the recommendation to refuse the application:

Councillors Nick Chambers, Mrs Vivienne Chapman, Surinder Gandhum, Edward Hawkins, Jonathan Lytle and Adrian Page.