Agenda item

REFUSED

The application was for the construction of three, 3 bedroom detached dwellings, with associated parking, bin storage and cycle storage facilities with new vehicular and pedestrian access way. The application had been recommended by officers for permission. The Assistant Director, Planning’s representative advised that additional objections had been received. The application included six parking spaces. 

Oral representations in favour and in objection to the meeting were received at the meeting.

Members expressed concern regarding the difficulty that a refuse truck would have in gaining access to the proposed dwellings. 

Ward Councillor Alexa Michael stated that the application was called in by the previous ward members. She had visited the site on the previous Saturday. Cllr Michael stated that she would focus her comments on issues concerning traffic road safety and overlooking. It was clear that Pickhurst Road was a main road where traffic flowed very quickly. In her view the difficulty with vehicular access was a serious issue. She said that there was a tree located between 170 and 172 and this would cause visibility issues for drivers emerging from 170. She felt that there was a case for refusing the application under the Road Safety Act. Cllr Michael said that the Planning Inspector had voiced some concerns with respect to overlooking. It had to be born in mind that the objector had a large bathroom that was not glazed which would be used by their 14 year old daughter. She moved that the application be refused and this was seconded by Cllr Owen who felt that the mitigation measures would still result in the badgers being disturbed.

The Assistant Director, Planning’s representative pointed out that a relevant condition had been drafted to mitigate against disturbing the nearby habitat of badgers. Cllr Lymer was also concerned that not enough was being done to protect the badgers and that the application should be refused. It was decided that the application should be refused on grounds of road safety, overlooking and loss of amenity. 

Members having considered the report, and representations received, resolved that PERMISSION be REFUSED AGAINST OFFICERS’ RECOMMENDATION.

The proposed development by reason of the location of the houses at the rear and introduction of publicly accessible areas to the rear and side of the existing property into predominantly rear garden curtilage in close proximity to neighbouring buildings and rear property boundaries would result in an excessive increase in noise and disturbance from multiple users of the development, increased and detrimental overlooking resulting in a serious and adverse effect on the privacy and amenity enjoyed by the occupiers of adjoining properties that they might reasonably expect to be able continue to enjoy contrary to Policies 3, 4, 8 and 37 of the Bromley Local Plan and Policies 7.4 and 7.6 of the London Plan and the NPPF (2019).

The development at the scale proposed will have an adverse impact on protected species in and adjacent to the site due to the close proximity of the proposed dwellings to habitat. Mitigation measures proposed are not considered sufficient measures to facilitate survival and reduce disturbance to protected species contrary to Policy 72 of the Bromley Local Plan and London Plan Policy G6.

Members of the Committee considered from local knowledge, the proposed development would be detrimental to the safety and free flow of traffic along Pickhurst Lane and the width of the highway access would be inadequate making it difficult to manoeuvre round the site thereby contrary to Policy 32 of the Bromley Local Plan Unitary Development Plan and T2 and T3 of the London Plan.