Agenda item

Planning application documents

The planning officer introduced the report. 

There were three speakers on the item, an objector, the applicants agent and one of the Ward Councillors for the area.

The objector made the following points:

·         The proposed properties will cause a lack of privacy.  Where the windows are due to be are contrary to the Cheltenham SPD.

·         Obscured glass in the windows of the first floor do not help with the privacy problem.

·         The proposed pump will be noisy and the sound will travel.

·         The application is over development of the site.

·         The properties with their fronts on Grove Street will not have enough space for parking for two cars.

·         The application shows no respect fpr neighbouring properties.

·         There have been a sparse amount of complaints against the application by the 4 or 5 properties that will be effected due to the occupiers not having English as their first language.

·         There have been no visits to the site except for Cllr. Willingham.

·         The request was that the application be refused as it has not been sufficiently investigated.

The agent on behalf of the applicant spoke and made the following points:

·         The principle of the application was to relocate the business and staff elsewhere including the commercial base. The street will no longer be snarled up with lorry drivers.

·         There will now be less large vehicles and less commercial activity and noise.

·         The applicant has taken into account all the comments that have been made and has worked with them.

·         The application is for town houses which are a simple and authentic design.

·         The residential amenity will be improved by this application.

·         Frosted windows will ensure privacy.

·         The Historical Society has commented on the design saying that it is an excellent design.

·         The revised development will give visual enhancement and enhance the bio diversity of the area.

Councillor Willingham as Ward Councillor for the area spoke and made the following points:

·         He explained the Cllr Atherstone, the other Ward Councillor for this application was unable to attend due to ill  health and that she would have speaking in favour of the application as Cabinet Member for Housing.

·         There is no dispute in the principle of the application.

·         A concern of the residents is that the rear first floor room if used as a living room will cause a loss of privacy to the surrounding properties.

·         The application is in breach of SL1.

·         Planting would be a pertinent thing to do as a condition.

·         Highways have not responded to the request with regard to yellow lines and parking.

·         Privacy is a big issue with the application there has been a public duty assessment but no human rights assessment, everyone has a right to peaceful surroundings.

·         There is a middle ground to be found in this application.

The responses to Member questions were as follows:

·         The chimneys are just a design feature.

·         Solar panels could be included as a condition.  

·         The charging point for the cars is 7kw.

·         Gloucestershire highways are satisfied that there will not be a road safety problem with the spaces in front of the houses.

·         There is a condition in place for a landscaping scene to be retained for 5 years.

·         A 1.8 meter fence wouldn’t normally be encouraged, but would argue in this instance that ii is appropriate with maybe a scope to increase the height.

·         There was confirmation that the report did include landscaping.

The matter then went to Member debate where the following points were raised:

·         Generally the design is nice, however there is concern over parking spaces as existing houses don’t have parking.  Planting is to be supported as a good idea and won’t cause too much over shading.

·         Grove Street used to be more commercial than residential it is a very convenient area with lots of amenities.

·         Chimneys carry the design better.

·         The application is making good use of a brownfield site

·         Pleased that there will be solar panels as working to carbon zero is of premier importance.

·         The bricks that will be used in the application pick up the design of properties on the other side of the road.

·         Air source heat pumps are a bit of a problem, would prefer ground source heat pumps as they are more effective, although it is understood that ground source heat pumps depend on the soil that the property is being built on.  It was suggested that as the property will be a new build and highly insulated could a community heat source be put in.

As a result of the debate confirmation was requested that there would be no fireplaces in the houses and it was confirmed that the floor plan confirms that there are no fireplaces.

With regard to the heating it was requested that an informative be attached asking to investigate ground source heating.

Councillor Barnes declared that he had missed part of the item, the legal officer advised that he should not take part in the vote.

The matter then went to the vote to permit and include conditions re solar panels, landscaping and charging points.

For: UNANIMOUS

PERMIT