JAE JOINT AREA COMMITTEES IN SOUTH SOMERSET Officer Report On Planning Application: 09/01766/FUL Proposal : The erection of a temporary agricultural dwelling for equestrian and agricultural purposes (GR 360644/127291) Site Address: Land OS 8041 Sparkford Road Sparkford Parish: Sparkford CAMELOT Ward (SSDC Mr M. Lewis (Cllr) Member) Division (SCC Member) Mr B Little (Cllr) Recommending Case Nicholas Head Officer: Tel: (01935) 462167 Email: [email protected] Target date : 10th July 2009 Applicant : Mr William G M Turner Agent: Bill Lowe Ltd (no agent if blank) 43 Alexandra Road Frome Somerset BA11 1LX Application Type : Minor Dwellings 1-9 site less than 1ha Background and Reason for Referral to Committee The proposal is referred to the Committee at the request of the Ward Member for reasons of public interest, and in the light of the objection raised by the Parish Council. The request has been agreed by the Vice-chairman, as the Chairman is the Ward Member. Members will recall that this application was previously considered by the Committee on 11 November 2009, and that the matter was deferred in order to allow clarification to be sought on the nature of the business and whether or not the agricultural consultant is supportive of the scheme. Further Information Requested The applicant's agent has supplied the following details setting out the exact nature of the business under consideration in this application, attached as Annex A to this report. Appended to the report as Annex B is a letter from Peter J Williams, of Reading Agricultural Consultants, confirming that it is his assessment of the application that a temporary dwelling for a period of three years is warranted (as measured against the criteria set out in Annex A to PPS7). Meeting: JAE07A 09:10 17 Date 09.12.09 JAE The report as considered by Committee on 11 November 2009: Site Description and Proposal The site is located in open countryside, between South Barrow and Sparkford, on the east side of the Sparkford Road and to the west of the railway line. On the west side of Sparkford Road is a single dwelling, Westacre. Immediately to the east of the site is an agricultural barn, located adjacent to a small stream demarcating the field boundary. To the south of the site are open fields. It is proposed to erect a single-storey temporary timber dwellinghouse, as an agricultural worker's dwelling to support a business being established on the larger holding (53 acres). The application is being considered in parallel to application 09/01773/FUL, which deals with the erection of an additional agricultural/equestrian barn, the change of use of the land to accommodate equestrian use, and the overall site layout. History 04/02175/AGN - The erection of a wooden pole frame, green building for storage of machinery - permitted development Policy Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 repeats the duty imposed under S54A of the Town and Country planning Act 1990 and requires that decisions must be made in accordance with relevant Development Plan Documents Meeting: JAE07A 09:10 18 Date 09.12.09 JAE unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Relevant Development Plan Documents Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for the South West (RPG10) (adopted September 2001): Vis 1 - Expressing the Vision Vis 2 - Principles for Future Development SS19 - Rural Areas SS20 - Rural Land (Including Urban Fringe) Uses EC1 - Economic Development Somerset and Exmoor National Park Joint Structure Plan (adopted April 2000): STR1 - Sustainable Development STR6 - Development Outside Towns, Rural Centres and Villages Policy 5 - Landscape Character Policy 19 - Employment and Community Provision in Rural Areas Policy 49 - Transport requirements of New Development South Somerset Local Plan (adopted April 2006): ST3 - Development Areas ST5 - General Principles of Development ST6 - The Quality of Development EC3 - Landscape Character HG15 - Agricultural and Forestry Dwellings CR7 - Commercial Development involving Horses Policy-related Material Considerations Draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West (Proposed Changes June 2008): SD1 to SD4, Development Policies A,B,C,E,H ENV 1, 2, 3 RTS 1 and RTS 2 PPS's/PPG's PPS1: Delivering Sustainable Development PPS7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas South Somerset Sustainable Community Strategy Goal 5: A competitive High Performing Economy that is Diverse and Adaptable. Goal 9: A balanced housing market Consultations Sparkford Parish Council: Road access and drainage (run-off from the site, ditches, culverts under road, possible flooding of properties across road) should be looked at carefully and suitable conditions applied. Does not look like a temporary dwelling. There is no justification for this application. The temporary dwelling will become permanent. Is there a real and demonstrable need (rather than convenience) for a dwelling to be on the land, when the two villages of Sparkford and South Barrow are very close by and Meeting: JAE07A 09:10 19 Date 09.12.09 JAE residential properties are available there? The application states a 2-bedroomed transportable timber lodge; the drawing shows 3 beds. Generator for power as no mains electricity connected - noise from this for Westacre? The literature indicates that labour required for Trackside Farm is 1.21 full time (assuming 100% occupancy of livestock) - Mr/Mrs Anstey intend to live in the temporary accommodation, are they then classed as the farm worker? What will happen to the house they currently occupy? Does this labour requirement take account of the support from staff already working at Sigwells Racing (11 full time at present)? Local Highway Authority: The proposed development site lies outside the Development Boundary Limits for Sparkford or South Brewham and is therefore distant from adequate services and facilities, such as, education, employment, health, retail and leisure. In addition, public transport services are infrequent. As a consequence, occupiers of the new development are likely to be dependant on private vehicles for most of their daily needs. Such fostering of growth in the need to travel would be contrary to government advice given in PPG13 and RPG10, and to the provisions of policies ST3, ST5 and TP5 of the South Somerset District Local Plan, and would normally receive a recommendation of refusal from the Highway Authority as a result. However it is noted that the application is for an agricultural workers dwelling and therefore it must be a matter for the Local Planning Authority to decide whether there is sufficient need or justification for such a development in this location, which outweighs the transport policies that seek to reduce reliance on the private car. I would add that, if you are considering approving this application, an improvement needs to be made to the visibility splay towards the southeast; the land required is contained within the applicants’ control. SSDC Technical services: Surface water disposal via soakaways or water butts. SSDC Landscape Architect: Initial comment on submitted application: Raised a landscape objection, concern expressed at the linear dispersal of development along a field boundary. In response to these concerns, amended plans have been submitted, re- siting the proposed dwelling. Comment on these revised plans: I note the amended plans relating to the farm buildings, and temporary dwelling. I can confirm that I am happy with the revised proposals, which better concentrates the building group toward the road. If minded to approve, please place a landscape condition requiring a fully detailed planting scheme based upon this revised drawing, for implementation in the season immediately following completion of the buildings. SSDC Economic Development/Agricultural Officer: It would be my understanding that the application for a temporary dwelling (09/01766/FUL) on land at Sparkford would only be considered if the application for COU to equestrian and erection of a barn for stabling/livestock were permitted (09/01773/FUL) There has been a complicated justification submitted with this application. Complicated because it would appear that already there is a holding at Sigwells which accommodates a combination of both horses and livestock. The application detail explains the problems of co-sharing a holding with a combination of horses and cattle. Therefore, from a pure logistics issue, I question the viability of creating a separate shared unit some eight miles away from the original. The location of specialist staff at Sigwells will require additional journeys, in itself a reason to be cautious if this authority is to encourage a reduction in travel and CO2 emissions. Meeting: JAE07A 09:10 20 Date 09.12.09 JAE I anticipate that this application will require a significant amount of Officer time and input. Unfortunately, due to other commitments I am unable to be able to dedicate the amount of time that I consider is required to ensure all of the ideas presented have been fully understood. I suggest therefore that an independent specialist consultant be appointed to act on behalf of the planning authority with this application. Specialist Consultant As advised by the Council's Economic Development Officer, a specialist consultant (Reading Agricultural Consultants) was appointed. A full report is available (confidential Appendix to this report) advising that the application meets the tests as set out in PPS7, Annex A, for the establishment of a temporary agricultural worker's dwelling. Representations