Agenda item

Planning application documents

The planning officer introduced the report as published.

There were three public speakers on this item; the agent on behalf of the applicant, Parish Councillor and Ward Member.

The agent on behalf of the applicant then addressed the committee and made the following points:

-       The proposed development has had two years positive engagement with both planning officers and GCC as the highways authority. Feedback from this engagement has resulted in the number of dwellings being reduced and the removal of any above ground structures.

-       The proposed development will involve the removal of the existing lid of the tank and the erection of the dwelling within the existing concrete structure. The dwelling will not be above the height of the reservoir lid and the existing concrete base will be used for the foundations which will alleviate any need for excavation. Due to the nature of the underground structure there will be openings needed to allow for natural light and air circulation. However, these will be limited primarily to the east and west elevations and use internal courtyards to assist with this.

-       The redevelopment of previously developed land does not have an impact on the openness of the green belt land and is a form of development that is supported in both national and local planning policy.

-       The underground nature of the scheme ensures that the landscape and scenic beauty of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is unaffected.

-       Despite no requirement for biodiversity net gain at the time of submission of the application, the applicants have sought to do this through native hedgerow planting, wild flower green roof, tree planting and a pond.

-       The scheme has sought to its environmental impact through the use of both heat pumps and solar panels. The majority of the development will be constructed from sustainable timber such as the framework, partitions and roof structures.

-       The highways authority have raised no objection to the application. Official accident data through the Crashmap website identified that there had been only four minor accidents within the vicinity of the junction of Leckhampton Hill and Old Bath Road this with none recorded in the las 8 years. The site access points achieves the required visibility distances and that the additional car journeys from change of use from storage to residential use would not be severe.

-       This is a high quality scheme which incorporates renewable technology that makes good use of a brownfield site within a sustainable location and has been designed to minimise any potential impact on the greenbelt and AONB.

The Parish Councillor was then asked to address the committee and made the following points:

-       Leckhampton and Warden Hill parish council planning committee discussed this application in April and unanimously rejected it. Submitted an agreed response that the parish council objected to the application and requested that it be called in to committee.

-       The proposed development is on greenbelt AONB and is outside the principle urban area.

-       Concerned about safety of vehicular access and the protection of industrial archelogy of the site along the footpath.

-       Object to the matter of residential development on the site of the disused reservoir as it is outside the principle urban area, it is greenbelt AONB land and the site is highly visible from rising land viewed from public footpaths.

-       Concerned about poor visibility of the highway on Leckhampton Hill. Adding an entrance to driveway to the junction will impact the safety of that junction.

-       The NPPF section 13 government aim of greenbelt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land open, the essential characteristics of greenbelt land is the openness and permanence.

Councillor Horwood as Ward Member was then asked to address the committee and made the following points:

-       It is an exciting design and appreciate the efforts made to adapt to both the setting and landscape of the site.

-       However, serious concerns that windows on the proposed development will impact privacy of number 8 Leckhampton Rise.

-       Main objection relates to road safety as this development and the two neighbouring properties have access onto the steep junction of Leckhampton Hill, Leckhampton Road, Old Bath Road, Undercliff Terrace and Undercliff Avenue. Sports bikes and cars descend the hill very fast and there have been multiple accidents here, even if the County Council are unaware. Severn Trent used banksman to guide their vehicles safely out of this site.

-       Final concern is permission being granted to build on what appears to be a green field within greenbelt AONB and outside of any planned housing location and surrounded by green space on all sides. It is also adjacent to a historically important and wooded public right of way footpath which cars will have to cross should the permission be granted.

-       The officer report acknowledges that this development conflicts with policy SD10 and consider this to be dismissive of policy on greenbelt and AONB. Greenbelt policy SD5 is designed to protect open countryside between urban areas and requires the protection of the openness of the landscape. It is questionable to replace what appears as a field with a house and retain the open character.

-       Policy SD7 states that all development proposals in or within AONB must conserve and enhance its landscape not damage it and then mitigate it. Developments must be consistent with the Cotswold AONB Management Plan which prioritises the natural beauty of the Cotswolds, tranquillity and emphasises the special quality of the escarpment that rises immediately above this site.

-       Policy CE1.2 of the management plan states that proposals that are likely to have an impact on or create change in the landscape should have regard to the scenic quality of the location, its setting and ensure its views including those into and out of the national landscape are conserved and enhanced.

-       Policy CE4.1 states that proposals that are likely to impact on the tranquillity of the landscape should have regard to it by seeking to avoid or where it is not possible should seek to minimise noise pollution and any other oral or visual disturbance. Whilst the development is low lying the sharply rising hillside means that the dwelling, its light, cars, swimming pool, outside dining area and any amplified media or music would all be visible and audible from that hillside. The architect’s panel also shared this concern and withheld their approval.

-       Important to recognise the recommended conditions in the officer report to prevent the development from changing into something else at a later date, once change of use has been agreed. If the committee is minded to approve please emphasise importance of conditions 3, 4, 5, 11 and 12 to the landscape. Would suggest the additional of conditions relating to sound and light in order to act in accordance with the AONB management plan.

-       Would also draw attention to the informatives of public rights of way designed to protect the public footpath which marks the line of the original Leckhampton tramway and is popular route.

The matter then went to Member questions and the responses were as follows:

-       The footpath is a formally adopted right of way and the development itself will not affect it. The only impact will be by vehicles and pedestrians crossing it as access to the site.

-       The finish of the external wall be the same as the existing as there is no proposal to finish it in any other material.

-       The policy context is the same as when the committee approved two houses on the same site. The NPPF has been updated although minor and wouldn’t affect this application.

-       There is already a condition on lighting.

-       The access is already there and serves the reservoir by Severn Trent vehicles. There is no proposal to change the access as the suitability of it has already been approved. The increased use of the access by another property is a consideration.

-       Additional signage on the road is not something controlled by planning and the highways authority have not required any extra signage in their response to the application.

-       There is a condition attached to require further details regarding the green roof to ensure it is kept and maintained.

-       A general landscaping and layout proposal received and a condition has been attached to require the submission of a full set of details in order to understand the planting and species of plants. This is then reviewed by planning officers along with tree officers and if the scheme is not acceptable it would negotiated as part of the discharge condition application process.

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

-       A Member felt that this was a superb scheme and commended the officers and applicant for the work on the scheme as it is a sensitive site. Considered it a good use of a previously developed site as it would retain the concrete infrastructure that is there already. Environmentally and sustainably would struggle to see how the scheme could be improved.

-       Several Members were fully supportive of the officer recommendation to permit given the permission previously granted for two properties at the location and that no objection was received from the highways authority.

-       It is a good use of a brownfield site. However, when looking at the site from the north it is quite an ugly structure at the moment.

The matter then went to the vote on the officer recommendation to permit:

For: Unanimous