Issue - meetings

REFUSED

Description of application – Demolition of existing dwellinghouse and stables (29 stables), removal of mobile home, other buildings/structures, hard surfacing and trees. Erection of replacement dwellinghouse, stable block (10 stables) and enlargement of field (in place of existing hard surfacing) with comprehensive landscaping scheme.

The Development Management Area Team Leader (East) reported that revised plans had been received on 21^st November 2022, which mainly related to the height of the new building. An addendum report summarising the changes, and copy of the revised plans, had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting.

Oral representations in support of the application were received at the meeting. The agent gave the following responses to Members’ questions:

·  If permission were to be granted, the applicants would accept a condition that the concrete and stables be removed before the construction of the house commenced. They would also consider accepting the removal of Permitted Development (PD) rights relating to anything that constrained the openness of the greenbelt.

·  The footprint of the building was to increase by 28 sqm. This remained the same in the revised plans, however the height of the building had been lowered.

Oral representations from visiting Ward Member Councillor Alexa Michael were also received at the meeting. In response to questions, the Development Management Area Team Leader (East) advised that:

·  The height of the dwelling house had been reduced by 0.5m.

·  The floorspace of the dwelling house would remain as set out in the officer’s report.

Councillor Michael stated that she was not keen on built development situated in the greenbelt – if this proposal was for an entirely new house, rather than the demolition of an existing dwelling and construction of a replacement, she would be urging Members to refuse the application. However this was not as straight forward. The proposed dwelling house was much larger, with floorspace increasing from 190 sqm to 440 sqm – but set against this, the application also proposed a significant reduction in the built development across the site. There would be a reduction in the built coverage from 600 sqm to 173 sqm and the 1,305 sqm of land covered by hardstanding would be returned to greenfield – green grass should be seen on greenbelt land.

Councillor Michael noted that the openness of the greenbelt was also affected and measured by the height of built development, however there had been an application for a hay store permitted on the site in 1998. This allowed a one-storey dwelling to be turned into a two-storey dwelling, and therefore the principle of an increased height had been set. The applicants had looked to reduce the eaves height and it was a judgement call for Members to decide if this was sufficient. On a site-wide basis there would be an overall reduced to the built coverage by 177 sqm, however if the stables were assessed separately the dwelling house may be felt to be too tall and therefore detrimental to the openness of the greenbelt. If Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12