Brecon Beacons National Park Authority PLANNING, ACCESS
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Brecon Beacons National Park Authority PLANNING, ACCESS, AND RIGHTS OF WAY COMMITTEE 1 March 2016 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING ON APPLICATIONS FOR DETERMINATION BY THE PLANNING, ACCESS AND RIGHTS OF WAY COMMITTEE ITEM NUMBER: 3 APPLICATION NUMBER: 15/13044/FUL APPLICANTS NAME(S): Camlea Ltd SITE ADDRESS: Celliwig Court Llanwenarth Abergavenny NP7 7EY GRID REF: E: 327434 N:215700 COMMUNITY: Llanfoist Fawr DATE VALIDATED: 17 December 2015 DECISION DUE DATE: 11 February 2016 CASE OFFICER: Mr Matthew Griffiths PROPOSAL Demolition of existing house and construction of replacement house with associated access and landscaping works. ADDRESS Celliwig Court, Llanwenarth, Abergavenny OFFICER’S REPORT INTRODUCTION The proposal seeks the demolition and replacement of an existing farmhouse at the property known as Celliwig Court (formerly Ty'r ywen Farm). This is a resubmission of an application that was refused planning permission. The application is reported to the Planning Access and Rights of Way Committee due to the objection from Llanfoist Community Council. SITE DESCRIPTION AND DESCRIPTION OF DEVELOPMENT The site of development is located in the open countryside on the Valley side of the River Usk around 1km to the west of Abergavenny. This application seeks full planning permission for the demolition of an existing dwelling and the erection of a new dwelling on a different footprint and associated landscaping and sewage treatment. The application site is a prominently positioned traditional farmstead which is formed around a yard with a range of traditional barns with some more modern buildings. The dwelling is considered to be potentially habitable, although it was apparent during the site visit that it was in need of comprehensive renovation. Outside the existing dwelling to the west and south is an area which has previously formed the garden and curtilage to the property. To the north and east is land in agricultural use with barns and a farm yard. The site of development is located on a relatively flat area which is currently occupied by two small lean to buildings. On site evidence of the boundary to the curtilage is limited. During the consideration of the previously determined application third parties identified works undertaken around the property prior to the application being submitted which have changed the appearance of the area to the west of the dwelling. The applicant states that the site is around 0.26 hectares. It is accessed via a stone track which leads off an adopted road: the A40 trunk road which is some 550m to the South East. This is a private drive which serves four dwellings before the site and a further property which is accessed from the track after it passes through the farm yard. Works have been undertaken to this private drive, these have not been submitted as part of this planning application and are being considered as a separate enforcement matter. It is noted that the drive is a public right of way, which continues past the site to the south. The site sits on the southern outward facing scarp slopes of the Sugar Loaf with long panoramic views across Abergavenny and towards the Blorenge to the south. At the site these are screened by woodland to the sites south. The landscape is characterised by large open expanses of permanent pasture interspersed with occasional fields of arable crops on the lower valley sides interspersed with remnant treelines and mature field trees. The area is characterised by scattered farmsteads, and houses are located on slopes affording long views across the valley below. There are numerous trees within the landscape. The application proposes the erection of a substantial dwelling using a different footprint to the existing farm house which will be demolished. From the submitted plans the ground level to the front of the proposed dwelling ranges between 105m AOD to 106m AOD. The new dwelling sits on a relatively level area partially occupied by the existing monopitch buildings. It is noted that third parties have previously contended that the area around this building has already been excavated. The proposed dwelling is a substantial two storey building. The applicant indicates it has a volume of around 1166.3 cubic metres (the applicant states that the existing dwelling is 903 cubic metres), this has been verified using a survey drawing submitted at pre-application. This represents a 29% increase in volume. The design incorporates a front cross gables which will rise to approximately 5.4m at eaves height and 8.9m to ridge. The dwelling frontage is approximately 18.2m with a maximum depth of around 12.2m. The elevations are broken up through the use of gables and setting down and back of parts of the dwelling. The palette of materials to be used includes: a stone plinth and chimneys; lime coloured render to the walls; a natural slate roof; and timber windows, doors, fascias and soffits and black metal rainwater goods. The application is supported by a considerable amount of additional information covering the following: o Design and access statement; o Construction and renovation constraints (emails regarding the problems of obtaining insurance; estimates for underpinning the building; geological report and covering letter; estimate to renovate; further piling and underpinning estimate); o Heritage and curtilage (Historic building and structural stability assessment and supporting photographs; phasing of the development of the property; curtilage report from heritage consultant; further correspondence in relation to heritage; May 2014 heritage assessment); o Estimates of proposed and existing house volume from surveyors; o Structural engineers reports (three reports - October 2013, January 2015 and March 2015); o Ecological appraisal and protected species survey of the site; o Landscape and visual impact assessment; and o Details of foul water treatment plant. PLANNING HISTORY An application (ref: 14/11333/FUL) has previously been refused for the proposed demolition of existing house and construction of replacement house with associated access and landscaping works on the 11 September 2015. The refusal was for the following reason: "That the proposed development by virtue of its design, mass, height, scale, siting and its curtilage, will result in a prominent and incongruous feature, unsympathetic to its setting and forming a visually intrusive development in the countryside. As such, the development which is outside any settlement boundary, fails to maintain or enhance the quality and character of the National Park landscape and is contrary to policies SP1, CYD LP1, 1, 26 of the Local Development Plan (adopted 2013); Supplementary Planning Guidance "Policy CYD LP1: Enabling Appropriate Development in the Countryside" adopted May 2015; Planning Policy Wales (2014); and Technical Advice Note 12: Design (2014)." PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT The development plan for the area is the Brecon Beacons National Park Local Development Plan 2007-2022 (LDP) which was adopted by resolution of the National Park Authority on the 17th December 2013. The proposal is located in an area of open countryside as defined by the LDP Proposals Map. The LDP defines countryside locations as areas unsuitable to accommodate future development in accordance with the Environmental Capacity of the National Park. In these areas there is a presumption against development with the exception given to those development forms where there is a defined essential need for a countryside location. Strategy policy CYD LP1 sets out the forms of development that are considered acceptable within these parameters. Criteria 1 of this policy enables proposals that capitalise on improving the existing building stock and/or utilises previously developed land and/or re- uses redundant buildings including (c) proposals for the appropriate demolition and replacement of buildings where this action i) would result in a net increase of no more than 30% of the original dwelling size ii) would result in a replacement building with a lower environmental impact iii) would result in no loss of community services and/or commercial activity within the settlement; and iv) The replacement building is intended to serve the identified housing need within the community. This strategic position is implemented via policy 26 which requires that applications to demolish and replace an existing habitable dwelling will only be permitted where i) the existing dwelling is of no particular architectural and/or historic and/or visual merit, for which to should be conserved; and ii) the design, size, and siting of the proposed replacement dwelling is sympathetic to the setting. Further to this, the Authority has supplementary planning guidance in relation to this policy position, "Policy CYD LP1: Enabling Appropriate Development in the Countryside" adopted May 2015. This guidance sets out the principal considerations in assessing applications for demolition and replacement of dwellings and states:- "4.3.4 The Authority will expect any replacement dwelling to be located on the site of the existing dwelling. A re-siting would only be considered acceptable by the Authority where there would be resulting environmental or road safety benefits. In such cases the applicant would be required to demonstrate that there would be no increase in overall visual impact of the building in the landscape." The following are considered to be relevant National Planning Policy to the decision: Planning Policy Wales (Edition 8, January 2016) TAN 5: Nature