Development Management Report
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Committee and date Item North Planning Committee 16 5th March 2013 Public Development Management Report Responsible Officer: Stuart Thomas email: [email protected] Tel: 01743 252665 Fax: 01743 252619 Summary of Application Application Number: 12/05146/FUL Parish : Stanton Upon Hine Heath Proposal : Change of use of agricultural land for the siting of six eco lodges for tourist use with associated car parking and landscaping; alterations to existing vehicular access Site Address : Land East Of Rock Farm Barns Stanton Upon Hine Heath Shropshire Applicant : Mr M O'Keeffe Case Officer : Andrew Gittins email : [email protected] Grid Ref: 357229 - 324055 © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Shropshire Council 100049049. 2011 For reference purposes only. No further copies may be made. North Planning Committee – 5th March 2013 Recommendation:- Grant Permission subject to the conditions set out in Appendix 1. Recommended Reason for Approval The site is closely related to the Local Service Village of Stanton Upon Hine Heath which has some facilities. The location of the site would not place an unacceptable burden on the local road network and the development of six eco-lodges is of a scale appropriate to the location. The site is unobtrusive, well screened by established boundary hedges and a small wooded area and the proposed landscaping is considered to be of a high quality. The scheme proposed adequate sewage and surface water drainage facilities, and is not within a high risk flood area. The applicant has demonstrated through the submission of an economic impact assessment that the development will benefit the local economy and employment opportunities. Accordingly the proposal is considered to comply with: - Saved North Shropshire District Council Policy T10, and - Shropshire Core Strategy Policies CS5, CS6, CS16, CS17 and CS18. In arriving at this decision the Council has used its best endeavours to work with the applicant in a positive and proactive manner to secure an appropriate outcome as required in the National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 187. REPORT 1.0 THE PROPOSAL 1.1 The scheme proposed includes the erection of six holiday lodges on land comprising approximately 4 acres, adjacent to Rock Farm Barns, each being approximately 60 sq metres in size. Access drives within the site are to be formed using a modular lattice pattern pavor through which grass can grow known as grasscrete. 2.0 SITE LOCATION/DESCRIPTION 2.1 The proposed site is located to the east of the village of Stanton Upon Hine Heath and is defined as being in countryside in the North Shropshire Local Plan. Stanton Upon Hine Heath the village nearby is defined as a local service village with only a few facilities available. Stanton is located approximately 2.7 miles from the Main Service Village of Shawbury, 11 miles from the Market Town of Market Drayton and 10 miles from the County Town of Shrewsbury. Whilst the traditional barns adjacent to the site have been converted into dwellings, Rock Farm is an active agricultural unit with more modern buildings located to the south east of the proposed site. The majority of the site is currently agricultural grazing land with a small wooded area to the south. The boundaries to the land are in the main identified by mature hedgerows particularly along the boundary with the adjoining highway. 3.0 REASON FOR COMMITTEE DETERMINATION OF APPLICATION Contact Stuart Thomas on 01743 252665 Rock Farm Barns Stanton upon Hine Heath 12-05146-FUL Page 2 of 19 North Planning Committee – 5th March 2013 3.1 The application is presented to Committee as Stanton Upon Hine Heath Parish Council has a view contrary to Officers recommendation for approval. These contrary views cannot reasonably be overcome by negotiation or the imposition of planning conditions; and the Principal Planning Officer in consultation with the committee chairman Local Member agrees that the Parish Council has raised material planning issues and that the application should be determined by committee. 4.0 Community Representations 4.1 Consultee Comments 4.1.1 Stanton Upon Hine Heath Parish Council: Object on the following grounds: The site is outside the village development boundaries, Stanton being a very rural village in a farming area and such a development would be a total encroachment of the area. - There would be no positive advantage to the village, holiday units have no benefit to the village, would not support the introduction of a village shop, the site has no view and could easily be derelict in a few years. - Would not be in local ownership and it is very difficult to see how sustainable this project will be. If left for long periods will attract break ins and thefts which is not what the village wants. - There is no local infrastructure of public transport to support them which inevitably means more cars on the roads surrounding the village counter to planning policy. - Serious concerns over traffic issues, access would be from a very narrow single track road, extensively used by pedestrians and horse riders, near a dangerous blind bend and road verges are already being eroded by overlarge farm vehicles passing through this area. - There is also concern over helicopters which fly very close to Stanton and directly over this area at very low level on their final approach to RAF Shawbury which is the busiest Military airfield in the UK training all helicopter pilots and crewmen for all 3 services. If these ECO lodges are built RAF Shawbury would not be able to counter the obvious noise complaints that will result from the continued essential flying at the airfield. - If approved would establish a precedent not only in this parish but others in Shropshire. - Not in line with future development outlined in Parish Plan. 4.1.2 Shropshire Council Drainage: Whilst the use of a biodisc system is acceptable, the sizing of the proposed package treatment plant should be submitted for approval using the FDA1 Form. British Water 'Flows and Loads: 3' should be used to determine the number of persons for the proposed development. Design and installation should be in accordance with the Building Regulations H2 paragraphs 1.54 to 1.57.Regarding the surface water drainage, confirmation is required that the existing ponds have the capacity to accommodate flow from the new impermeable Contact Stuart Thomas on 01743 252665 Rock Farm Barns Stanton upon Hine Heath 12-05146-FUL Page 3 of 19 North Planning Committee – 5th March 2013 development and also what type of control will be installed to prevent an increase in flow from the pond to the watercourses, for storm events up to 1 in 100 year + 30%. These details can be conditioned for approval (email 01.02.2013). 4.1.3 Shropshire Council Ecology: There is a confirmed presence of Great Crested Newts (max count 4) and smooth newts (max count 12) in the large pond within 50m of the proposed development site within the Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey and Protected Species Mitigation Report by Darwin Ecology (January 2013 Revision C). The population of Great Crested Newts has been characterised as ‘small’ based on 4 visits rather than the standard 6 but due to the very small scale of the works and the newness of the pond (it was stocked with fish up until 2 years ago) I am satisfied that the conclusions of the survey are adequate. Darwin Ecology (2013) have assessed the permanent habitat loss on the site 17.2m² using the Natural England Rapid Risk Assessment toolkit and the toolkit gives the result Green: Offence highly Unlikely. A slightly larger area will be temporarily impacted by the installation of the pathways etc but these will be formed from a plastic cellular confinement system which will be installed in the hibernation period when newts are very unlikely to be present in the low value grassland or moving across it and which will not form a barrier to newt dispersal in the longer term. The site will have increased value for Great Crested Newts following the works according to Darwin Ecology (2013) from the wildlife meadow, the additional pond, habitat piles and hibernacula created. Darwin Ecology (2013) are satisfied that a Great Crested Newt Mitigation Licence from Natural England is not required and that an offence can be avoided by following the basic precautionary methods of working set out in their 2013 (revision C) report. To ensure the protection of Great Crested Newts and other wildlife a condition should be attached to the decision notice stating that all development, demolition or site clearance procedures on the site to which this consent applies shall be undertaken in line with the Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey and Protected Species Mitigation Report by Darwin Ecology (January 2013 Revision C). An informative should be attached to the decision notice stating that Great Crested Newts are protected under the European Council Directive of 12 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (known as the Habitats Directive 1992), the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 and under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). If a Great Crested Newt is discovered on the site at any time then all work must halt and Natural England should be contacted for advice. There is a single mature oak tree with low bat roost potential on the site according to Darwin Ecology (2012), all other trees present have negligible potential for roosting bats. The mature oak tree should be retained on the site and if tree surgery works or removal becomes necessary in the future then they should be undertaken following the guidance of a licensed, experienced ecologist.