Agenda and draft minutes

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25/2614/FUL (Minor) DUNKESWELL & OTTERHEAD

In accordance with the Code of Good Practice for Councillors and Officers dealing with planning matters as set out in the Constitution, Councillors Eileen Wragg, Steve Hunt, Olly Davey and Yehudi Levine advised lobbying on this application.

Non-Committee Member

25/2614/FUL (Minor) DUNKESWELL & OTTERHEAD

In accordance with the Code of Good Practice for Councillors and Officers dealing with planning matters as set out in the Constitution, Councillor Roy Collins advised lobbying on this application.

Information on matters of urgency is available online

There were none.

To agree any items to be dealt with after the public (including press) have been excluded. There are no items that officers recommend should be dealt with in this way.

There were none.

The Grange, London Road, Rockbeare.

Applicant:

Mr N Shorland.

Location:

The Grange, London Road, Rockbeare, EX5 2FP.

Proposal:

Full planning permission for the demolition of an existing storage building and the construction of 21 light industrial units (Use Class E (g) (iii)) with associated access, parking and landscaping.

Members considered that it was difficult to justify approving the application because the report identified numerous policy conflicts and harms that, in their view, pointed towards refusal.  Their key objections were:

·         Conflicts with Planning Policy

·         The site lies outside the settlement boundary.

·         It is located within a designated Green Wedge and due to the visual aspect risks coalescence with the village of Rockbeare.

·         The location and scale of the development would result in harm to the setting of the adjoining Grange Court Hotel.

·         It is not supported by adopted Local Plan or Neighbourhood Plan policies.

·         The site has undergone significant natural regeneration, enabling the existing storage building to become assimilated into the countryside setting.

RESOLVED:

Refused contrary to the officer recommendation for the following reasons:

·         The proposed development is contrary to the Council's Spatial Strategy being located outside of any identified settlement boundary and failing to meet any of the exception tests to justify such development.

As such the development is contrary to Strategy 7 (Development in the Countryside) of the East Devon Local Plan, 2013 to 2031, Policy Rock07 (Development Limits) of the Rockbeare Neighbourhood Plan, 2018 and Policy SP06 (Development beyond Settlement Boundaries) of the emerging East Devon Local Plan, 2020 to 2042 and the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework.

·         The proposed development is located within a Green Wedge and having regard to its location and scale the development would lead to and encourage settlement coalescence with the village of Rockbeare, harming the character and purpose of the area,  contrary to Strategy 8 (Development in Green Wedges) of the East Devon Local Plan, 2013 to 2031, Policy Rock06 (Green Wedge) of the Rockbeare Neighbourhood Plan, 2018 and Policy OL05 (Green Wedges) of the emerging East Devon Local Plan, 2020 to 2042.

·         The proposed development, having regard to its siting, scale, design and use would result in less than substantial harm to the setting of the adjoining Grange Court Hotel (recognised as a Non-Designated Heritage Asset) which is not outweighed by the public benefit of the development.  As such the development is contrary to Policy EN8 (Significance of Heritage Assets and their setting) of the East Devon Local Plan, 2013 to 2031, Policy HE01 (Historic Environment) of the emerging East Devon Local Plan, 2020 to 2042 and the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework in particular paragraphs 212 and 216.

Winslade Park, Clyst St Mary, EX5 1DA.

Applicant:

Mr Mark Edworthy (Winslade Park Ltd).

Location:

Winslade Park, Clyst St Mary, EX5 1DA.

Proposal:

Variation of Condition 3 (Plans) of application 20/1001/MOUT hybrid application to include full planning permission for the demolition of an existing pre-fabricated building, refurbishment of 21,131sqm of commercial (Use Class B1a and D2) floorspace, 2,364sqm of leisure space (Use Class D1/D2 and A3), extension to Brook House providing ancillary B1c and B8 floorspace, site-wide landscaping, engineering works and the provision of associated car parking spaces;

Outline planning permission with all matters reserved except for access for the erection of up to 94 residential units, including affordable housing, replacement cricket pavilion, new toilets/changing facility, reinstatement of associated sports pitches, tennis courts and parkland, to omit land currently within Zone K that is now approved for Solar Farm development (planning application reference 23/2506/MFUL).

RESOLVED:

1.    The Appropriate Assessment be adopted.

2.    Approved with conditions in accordance with officer recommendation subject to the completion of a deed of variation to the original S106 agreement to secure the same planning obligations against the new Section 73 Application.

Land adjacent to Oak Cottage, Behind Hayes, Otterton, EX9 7JQ.

Applicant:

Mr & Mrs M Parkin.

Location:

Land adjacent to Oak Cottage, Behind Hayes, Otterton, EX9 7JQ.

Proposal:

Erection of new four-bedroom detached dwelling with attached garage.

RESOLVED:

Approved with condition in accordance with officer recommendation.

Land to the west of Stockland C of E Primary School, Stockland.

Applicant:

Mr & Mrs Emma & Nigel Parris.

Location:

Land to the west of Stockland C of E Primary School, Stockland.

Proposal:

Proposal to reinstate historic barn with extension to form one dwelling with associated works.

Members considered that the development complies with Paragraphs 83 of the National Planning Policy Framework which supports sustainable growth and development in rural areas.  While Members acknowledged the harms identified in the officer report, including the site’s unsustainable location, they concluded that these harms were outweighed by the benefits of the scheme, namely the delivery of an additional dwelling, its contribution to local housing supply, and the assistance it would provide in addressing the Council’s current lack of a five-year housing land supply. Members considered the previous reasons for refusing a similar scheme had been overcome by design changes and that heritage harms could be further mitigated by landscaping and nutrient neutrality issues overcome by the use of a package treatment plant.

RESOLVED:

Approved contrary to officer recommendation subject to conditions to be agreed with the Chair and Ward Member(s) to include the following:

·         Landscaping scheme which seeks to provide appropriate visual mitigation between the site and the church.

·         No vehicular access except via the new access point on the south-east corner of the site and any existing vehicular access on the northern side boundary to be blocked up in accordance with details to be agreed by the Local Planning Authority.

·         Prior to commencement of development, a copy of the Environmental Permit issued by the Environment Agency for the proposed package treatment plant shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority.  The package treatment plant shall then be installed in accordance with the approved details and retained and maintained as such for the lifetime of the development.

·         No connection to the mains sewer at any time.