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Committee Report: 04-Oct-2016

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EXMOOR EXMOOR NATIONAL NATIONAL PARK PARK PLANNING AUTHORITY COMMITTEE MEETING Application 6/3/16/112 Grid Ref. 296858 132641 No: Applicant: Mr & Mrs S Coates, The Barn Higher Woolcotts Blagdon Lane Brompton Regis, Dulverton, Somerset Location: The Barn, Higher Woolcotts, Blagdon Lane, Brompton Regis, Dulverton, Somerset Proposal: Proposed erection of a poultry shed (egg laying) and associated works. Building A (497.3m²). As per additional information and amended plans 05.09.16 and 21.09.16. (Full) Introduction: The application site lies in an elevated, open countryside position on the Brendon Hills and adjacent to Blagdon Lane, which leads northwards from Woolcotts to the B3224. The site lies adjacent to an isolated group of farm buildings, which are in two separate ownerships, on Blagdon Hill, and lie approximately 1.2km north of the dwellings at Woolcotts, which is where the applicants live. Blagdon Lane is an unclassified road and public bridleway DU/11 leads along the western side of the Lane and along the eastern boundary of the application site with the Lane. Two planning applications have been submitted relating to the same application site, each application (references 6/3/16/112 and 6/3/16/113) proposes the erection of a poultry shed, for egg production, together with associated works including a feed silo, access and hardstandings. The proposed buildings have been submitted under two separate applications to minimise the planning application fee, taking advantage of the application fee structure. The access, hardstanding and feed silo is the same under each application, but the individual applications each propose poultry sheds, which would be in slightly different positions. Application reference 6/3/16/112 proposes what is referred to as ‘Building A’, and this is proposed to be positioned perpendicular to Blagdon Lane and set back from the road, at its closest point, by approximately 25 metres. Application reference 6/3/16/113 proposes what is referred to as ‘Building B’ and this is proposed to be positioned parallel with Blagdon Lane and set back from the road by approximately 90 metres. The proposed buildings would be arranged to form an ‘L’ shaped plan. The design of the two poultry sheds is identical. The proposed access would be via an existing access to the existing farm buildings that lies to the north east corner of the application site and adjacent Blagdon Lane. A new track and roughly square hardcore service area is proposed to serve both buildings, together with a single feed silo, which would be positioned within the hardcore service area at the corner of the ‘L’ 6/3/16/11204 October 2016 EXMOOR EXMOOR NATIONAL NATIONAL PARK PARK PLANNING AUTHORITY COMMITTEE MEETING plan of the buildings. Each building would have external dimensions of approximately 65.1 metres by 7.64 metres, providing a footprint of approximately 497 square metres. The buildings would have a curved roof, with a maximum height of approximately 3.37 metres, and an eaves height of approximately 1.65 metres. While the plans submitted with the application are annotated to show timber boarding on the elevations, the agent has confirmed that the elevations of the buildings are proposed to be clad with a dark green plastic polyboard and the roof would be finished with dark green reinforced plastic pvc sheets. A single galvanised steel feed bin/silo is proposed to serve the buildings and this would have a height of approximately 4.72 metres, a diameter of approximately 2.7 metres and would hold up to 8 tons of feed. A professionally prepared Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment has been submitted to support the application, and this includes mitigation measures with landscape proposals including that the remnant hedgeback along the western boundary of the site be restored and replanted to provide some screening in views from the west. A new hedgerow is also proposed to be planted along the southern edge of the application site and the poultry sheds to provide some screening from key viewpoints to the south, including Haddon Hill. There would be a gap in this hedgerow, of approximately 10 metres, to allow chickens access to the wider field to the south, and for Building B to be moved through when the site needs to be cleaned. A new hedgerow is also proposed to the east between the application site and Blagdon Lane. BACKGROUND TO BUSINESS The papers submitted explain that the application is submitted to allow Higher Woolcotts Farm to diversify into a more intensive enterprise to add value and income to the farm enterprise, which is currently dependent upon traditional beef and sheep breeding and rearing. The farm extends to approximately 36 hectares (89 acres) of ring fenced land alongside the western side of Blagdon Lane and leading up the hill away from Woolcotts. A further approximately 60 hectares (148 acres) is taken on annual grass keep agreements. Each of the poultry sheds proposed would house 4,000 hens, giving a total of 8,000 chickens on the site at any one time. The papers explain that the chickens require a minimum of 4 hectares (10 acres) available for access and to roam. Defra guidance is that a free range chicken flock must have continuous daytime access to open runs, most of which should be covered with vegetation and that the runs should have a maximum stocking density of 2,500 birds per hectare. The chickens are removed from the buildings on a 13 to 15 month cycle. 6/3/16/11204 October 2016 EXMOOR EXMOOR NATIONAL NATIONAL PARK PARK PLANNING AUTHORITY COMMITTEE MEETING When the chickens are removed, the buildings would be lifted off the site to allow manure to be removed and the site cleaned. Building A would be pulled to the west, but remain within the same field enclosure for the cleaning period, and Building B would be pulled to the south and through what would be a gateway in the newly formed hedge bank proposed as part of the landscape mitigation with the development. The applicant has explained that the manure removed from the buildings would be used as fertiliser and spread on to farm land. Following the cleaning exercise the buildings would be re-positioned back on the site and new birds would be taken in. Consultee Response: SOMERSET COUNTY COUNCIL: No comments WSC ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH: No comments received WEST SOMERSET COUNCIL: No comments received SCC - ENVIRONMENT DIRECTORATE: No observations BROMPTON REGIS PARISH COUNCIL: COMMENTS DATED 9 July 2016 - The Parish Council support these applications. It is considered that the diversification is justifiable; the poultry houses will not have a significant impact on the landscape and will not affect the local community. If the applications are approved the Council would wish to ensure that the conditions include: a) the hoppers must be coloured to match the sheds and b) no residential development will be permitted on the site in support of this project. COMMENTS DATED 8 September 2016 – Further to the amended applications posted to the Council, Brompton Regis Parish Council supports the amendments to these applications and notes that any form of additional screening is always welcome. EXMOOR NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY: COMMENTS DATED 13 July 2016 - Public bridleway DU1/11 passes immediately to the east of the development site (shown in blue on the plan below) and has dual status in that it also appear to be recorded on the SCC Road Record. The proposed development would lead to a small increase in vehicular traffic along the bridleway but not to the extent where it would inconvenience bridleway users. I therefore have no objection to the application. COMMENTS DATED 16 September 2016 – Nothing to add to my previous comments dated 13 July 2016. LANDSCAPE OFFICER - ENPA: Pre application landscape advice has been provided by ENPA on the proposals to establish chicken sheds on the applicant’s land in Brompton Regis. The advice has resulted in a much improved scheme that attempts to address many landscape issues. I am concerned however, that a number of significant issues have not been addressed and I am of the opinion that the submitted proposals are still likely to have an adverse effect on landscape character and on views from Haddon Hill and Blagdon Lane. 6/3/16/11204 October 2016 EXMOOR EXMOOR NATIONAL NATIONAL PARK PARK PLANNING AUTHORITY COMMITTEE MEETING Assessment of the design approach and attempts to mitigate adverse effects on landscape – particularly their effects on landscape character and views from Haddon Hill and Blagdon Lane There are some positive aspects to the choice of site, the design approach and the approach to mitigation, these include the following: •The positioning of the proposed chicken sheds is in close association with the existing cattle sheds at Higher Woolcotts and this helps to ensure that development is nucleated in the landscape rather than dispersed and helps to ensure that landscape character is not unduly eroded. •The proposed development is low and hidden behind the proposed beech hedge. •The use of the hedge will contain and screen the development from view. It will, to some extent, also help to reinforce landscape character. •The site is relatively flat and the development does not require excessive excavations or significant changes to the site – the development could easily be removed and the site reinstated. •The buildings are low and reminiscent of nissen huts in their form - this is of a language that is not unduly at odds with the countryside/ farmstead character. •The proposed materials are largely dark and muted in colour and tone and are likely to be recessive and unlikely to draw attention to themselves. There is some concern over the reflective qualities of PVC.
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