Grounds of Appeal Statement Nately Scures House, Scures Hill, Nately Scures, Hook, Hampshire
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Grounds of Appeal Statement Nately Scures House, Scures Hill, Nately Scures, Hook, Hampshire Prepared For Mr Welby NC/KW/7752 March 2017 CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 SITE, SITE CONTEXT AND PROPOSAL 3 SITE AND CHARACTERISTICS 3 PROPOSAL 5 3 PLANNING POLICY 6 NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK (2012) 6 BASINGSTOKE AND DEANE LOCAL PLAN (ADOPTED 2016) 7 4 REASON FOR REFUSAL 1 – PRINCIPLE OF DEVELOPMENT 9 5 REASON FOR REFUSAL 2 – IMPACT ON THE CHARACTER AND VISUAL QUALITY 17 6 REASON FOR REFUSAL 3 – HOUSING MIX 23 7 REASON FOR REFUSAL 4 – PLANNING OBLIGATIONS 26 8 CONCLUSIONS 28 APPENDIX 1 30 APPENDIX 2 37 APPENDIX 3 38 APPENDIX 4 39 APPENDIX 5 40 APPENDIX 6 41 APPENDIX 7 42 Grounds of Appeal Statement Nately Scures House, Scures Hill, Nately Scures, Hook, Hampshire 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This statement is submitted in support of an appeal by Mr Welby against the decision of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to refuse planning permission on 1 December 2016 for the erection of 3 no. four bed dwellings and garages including creation of new access onto the A30, and associated landscaping at Nately Scures House, Scures Hill, Nately Scures, Hook, Hampshire (ref: 16/02187/FUL). 1.2 The development was refused for the following reasons: 1. The proposed development would result in new dwellings in the countryside, outside of any settlement policy boundary, which would be contrary to Policies SS1 and SS6 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029 which aim to direct development to within the identified Settlement Policy Boundaries and specific site allocations. Within the countryside it is the intention of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029 to maintain the existing open nature of the borough’s countryside, prevent the coalescence of settlements and resist the encroachment of development into rural areas. 2. The proposal would fail to be sympathetic to the rural character and visual quality of the area or recognise the intrinsic character of the countryside. The proposal would result in an encroachment of the built form into the countryside and have a suburbanising impact. In addition it is considered that the design of the proposed dwellings would not respect the local vernacular of the area and such a design and use of materials would be alien. As such it is considered that the proposal would have an adverse impact on the rural character and visual amenities of the area and be contrary to Policies EM1 and EM10 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029, the National Planning Policy Framework and Appendix 14 – “Countryside Design Guidance” of the Design and Sustainability Supplementary Planning Document. 3. The proposal is for three no. four bedroom detached homes. The Council’s strategic Housing Market Assessment states that future projections show that smaller units of two and three units are preferred in the borough with less need identified for four bedroom units. The proposal is seeking larger units in an area where predominantly larger units exist. As such it is considered that the proposal fails to comply with Policy CN3 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011-2029 in that it would not provide a mix of market Grounds of Appeal Statement 1 Nately Scures House, Scures Hill, Nately Scures, Hook, Hampshire housing which would include a range of house types and sizes and insufficient evidence has been submitted, to justify the mix of housing proposed. 4. In the absence of any suitable legal agreement, or justification for the absence of a legal agreement, the proposed development does not make adequate provision for contributions towards open space to adequately off-set the impact of the development. The proposed development is therefore contrary to the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010, Policies CN6 and EM5 of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011- 2029 and the guidance contained within the Planning Obligations and Community Infrastructure Interim Guidance Document and the Adopted Green Space Standards (April 2016), the National Planning Policy Framework (Mark 2012) and the National Planning Practice Guidance. 1.3 In this statement we make regular reference to the “Officer Report”. This is the delegated report issued by the Council at the time of the Decision and sets out the reasoning/justification for the proposal. The main case in support of the application was submitted in the Planning Statement produced by Bell Cornwell LLP. This remains the main policy justification for the proposal. This statement seeks to respond specifically to the reasons for refusal and the concerns raised in the Officer Report. Grounds of Appeal Statement 2 Nately Scures House, Scures Hill, Nately Scures, Hook, Hampshire 2 SITE, SITE CONTEXT AND PROPOSAL SITE AND CHARACTERISTICS 2.1 The application site is located within Nately Scures, a small linear settlement that is generally characterised by large plots set back from the A30. The site is outside of any defined settlement boundary and therefore within the countryside. Both sides of the A30 are built up. Nately Scures village lacks a rural feel due to the impact caused by the A30 and its associated street furniture that runs through it. The A30 links Hook with Basingstoke. 2.2 Ribbon development lines either side of the A30. On the southern side of the A30 there are two lines of built development. The character of the area comprises detached properties that are either houses/chalet bungalows or bungalows. Due to the mature trees along the A30 a number of the existing houses are not visible. There is great variation in the design of the existing dwellings in Nately Scures. Typically, the house designs respond to the change in land levels. To demonstrate the wide variation in the design, photos of those that are visible from the public realm are provided within Appendix 1. Figure 1 – Aerial image of Nately Scures – Yellow line is the first tier of development and the green line is the second tier of development. Red circle shows the appeal site, blue circle shows Nately Scures House and the purple oval shows planning permission 15/04234/FUL Grounds of Appeal Statement 3 Nately Scures House, Scures Hill, Nately Scures, Hook, Hampshire 2.3 Over the past few years the construction of a number of detached dwellings have been approved in Nately Scures by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. This is demonstrated by Figure 2 below. There is significant variation in the design of the new dwellings approved. Copies of the approved elevations are provided in Appendix 1. Figure 2 also identifies those applications live as of 18 January 2017. Figure 2 – Applications / planning permissions for new dwellings in past five years in Nately Scures (correct as of 18 January 2017) 2.4 The appeal site is bound to the east and south by mature trees, to the north by Nately Scures House and garden and to the west by an approved new detached dwelling that is yet to be constructed (ref: 15/04234/FUL). Beyond the trees to the east are existing residential dwellings which follow the two tier layout of development. Beyond the new house to the west are existing houses that follow the two tier layout of development. To the south is an agricultural field and areas of woodland. 2.5 The site comprises of residential garden land to the rear of Nately Scures House. The site falls away from the A30 towards the southern boundary. Within the site are mature trees and an old tennis court. Grounds of Appeal Statement 4 Nately Scures House, Scures Hill, Nately Scures, Hook, Hampshire PROPOSAL 2.6 Planning permission is sought for three new residential dwellings each with four bedrooms. The dwellings would be located to the rear of Nately Scures House within the existing second line of built development that is evident to the south of the A30 (Figure 1). 2.7 The proposed dwellings would all be detached houses that respond to the changes in land levels across the site and respect the current outlook from Nately Scures House. The design of the properties would be contemporary. A contemporary flat roofed development has recently been approved to the north of the A30 (ref: 15/04400/FUL) this influenced the design of the proposed dwellings. The garden depths would be consistent with the typical garden depths in the area (between 56 and 40m). 2.8 A new access is proposed off the A30 to serve the three houses and the approved dwelling (ref: 15/04234/FUL). The existing access would be retained for use solely by Nately Scures House. Four car parking spaces per dwelling would be provided and cycle parking would be accommodated within the garages. Grounds of Appeal Statement 5 Nately Scures House, Scures Hill, Nately Scures, Hook, Hampshire 3 PLANNING POLICY 3.1 Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires all applications for planning permission to be determined in accordance with the Development Plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. 3.2 The development plan currently comprises of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2011- 2029 (adopted May 2016), which sets out the Council’s vision and strategy for the area until 2029 and provides the basis for decisions on planning applications. 3.3 The Council have also adopted Supplementary Planning Documents that are a material planning consideration that may be relevant. In October 2016 The Council prepared a guidance note on Policy SS6(e) - New Housing in the Countryside, this was not subject to a formal consultation process and it was not independently assessed by an Inspector. It therefore carries little (if any) weight in the decision making process. NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK (2012) 3.4 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is a material consideration.