Harrogate Borough Council Planning Committee – Agenda Item 6: List of Plans

HARROGATE BOROUGH COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE – AGENDA ITEM 6: LIST OF PLANS. DATE: 22 May 2012

PLAN: 04 CASE NUMBER: 12/01112/FUL GRID REF: EAST 441147 NORTH 459858 APPLICATION NO. 6.95.2.M.FUL DATE MADE VALID: 20.03.2012 TARGET DATE: 15.05.2012 CASE OFFICER: Mr Mark Danforth WARD: Ribston

VIEW PLANS AT: http://tinyurl.com/d34elfw

APPLICANT: Mr R Craswell

AGENT: Pearson Planning

PROPOSAL: Siting of a temporary residential caravan.

LOCATION: Keepers Cottage Marton Cum Grafton Knaresborough North Yorkshire HG5 0SD

REPORT

SITE AND PROPOSAL The application site lies to the east of the A168 midway between Allerton and Marton-Cum- Grafton. Access is gained off a concrete track that crosses over a waste disposal site operated by North Yorkshire County Council. The track also leads to 5 other dwellings that were former conversions of agricultural buildings known as Wall Close Farm.

The site in question consists of a few agricultural type sheds a pond and 2 Keepers Cottage's that operate within the Allerton Estate. The site lies within an area of cleared woodland.

The proposal seeks consent for the siting of a residential caravan for a temporary period of 3 years within close proximity to the aforementioned buildings. The caravan is a small tourer that will sit on legs but could be removed at any time.

The caravan would be used on an ad-hoc basis during the deer culling season April-August as sleeping accommodation for one person to undertake his duties. The person who will use the caravan must travel to the site by car in order to transport his firearm which must be kept under lock and key at all times when not in use. MAIN ISSUES 1. Principal/Use 2. Policy 3. Landscape Impact/Residential Amenity

RELEVANT SITE HISTORY Certificate of lawfulness for the existing siting of caravan for residential use REF 08.12.2011

CONSULTATIONS/NOTIFICATIONS

NYCC Highways And Transportation No highway objections

EHO Contaminated Land No objections

Parish Council ALLERTON MAULEVERER WITH HOPPERTON

RELEVANT PLANNING POLICY NPPF National Planning Policy Framework CSSG4 Core Strategy Policy SG4 Settlement Growth: Design and Impact CSEQ1 Core Strategy Policy EQ1: Reducing risks to the environment CSEQ2 Core Strategy Policy EQ2: The natural and built environment and green belt LPHD20 Harrogate District Local Plan (2001, as altered 2004) Policy HD20, Design of New Development and Redevelopment LPC02 Harrogate District Local Plan (2001, as altered 2004) Policy C2, Landscape Character CSSG3 Core Strategy Policy SG3 Settlement Growth: Conservation of the countryside, including Green Belt

APPLICATION PUBLICITY SITE NOTICE EXPIRY: 27.04.2012 PRESS NOTICE EXPIRY:

REPRESENTATIONS ALLERTON MAULEVERER WITH HOPPERTON PARISH COUNCIL -No objections

OTHER REPRESENTATIONS One letter of support stating that the caravan is required to assist the estate in its legal cull of deer. The applicant is not employed by the estate and there is no other accommodation available. The caravan belongs to the deer stalker Mr Craswell who lives in Doncaster it is not practical therefore for him to commute.

VOLUNTARY NEIGHBOUR NOTIFICATION-NONE

ASSESSMENT OF MAIN ISSUES 1. PRINCIPLE/USE - This is an usual situation being for the temporary siting of a touring caravan for a very specific use. The caravan has been is situ for several years already not causing any harm to the residential amenity of the neighbouring properties or the landscape. The Council, through the Legal Division, considered that there was insufficient evidence provided to warrant granting a certificate of lawfulness as evidenced by the refusal in December 2011 noted above. This application now seeks to regularise the position.

The applicant lives approximately 45 miles away and, due to the nature of the job, it is considered impractical to travel back and forth to the estate which covers a very large area to undertake the culling duties. Legislation only allows shooting to take place between 1st August & 30th April and the applicant needs somewhere to rest at night, and that must be somewhere safe. It is a licence requirement that the applicant’s rifle must be locked up, and in his possession at night. A caravan also provides appropriate respite from the weather during the day. The applicant could not take his caravan onto a registered site due to the fact that he has a firearm in his possession.

In principal given the impracticalities of having to travel and that this is the only option to be able to undertake the stalking and culling of the deer, the siting of the caravan is considered to be acceptable.

2. POLICY - Policy SG3 of the Core Strategy states that outside development limits there will be strict control over new development in accordance with national and regional planning policy protecting the countryside and green belt.

Policy SG4 states that all development proposals in the District should comply with the following criteria. The scale, density, layout and design should make the most efficient use of land; and a) be well integrated with, and complementary to, neighbouring buildings and the spatial qualities of the local area; b) be appropriate to the form and character of the settlement and/or landscape character. Visual, residential and general amenity should be protected and where possible enhanced. The environmental impact and design of development should conform with Policies EQ1 and EQ2 of the Core Strategy.

3.LANDSCAPE IMPACT/RESIDENTIAL AMENITY - The caravan would only be partially visible from close quarters - this being from the occupants of the nearby residents of the barn conversions whilst travelling along the access track. There is a public footpath to the east of the site that may provide glimpses of it. Other than that it is considered that there would be minimal harm afforded to the landscape or the amenity of nearby residents.

CONCLUSION

The proposed siting of the caravan would not give rise to any adverse impact on the landscape. The proposal will therefore have a neutral impact on the character and appearance of the area. In addition adequate separation distances exist between the application property and neighbouring houses ensuring that the proposal does not materially harm existing levels of privacy and amenity. The proposal therefore accords with the provisions of the development plan.

CASE OFFICER: Mr Mark Danforth

RECOMMENDATION That the application be APPROVED subject to the following conditions:-

1 The caravan hereby approved shall be wholly removed from the site and the use shall be discontinued and the site restored to its original condition no later than 3 years (unless further consent is granted by the Local Planning Authority prior to the end of that period).

2 The caravan shall only be occupied by Mr Craswell whilst undertaking the deer stalking activities on the Allerton Estate during the months of 30 April to 1st of August in any given year.

Reasons for Conditions:-

1 In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority the caravan is of a temporary nature and does not warrant an unlimited consent.

2 In order to prevent the caravan from being used for any other recreational purpose unconnected to the deer stalking exercise.