Land Off Relubbus Hill, Relubbus
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Planning Statement Land off Relubbus Hill, Relubbus Permission in Principle for construction of family dwelling A report by Enhance Land & Planning Contents Proposal Summary ........................................................................................................................... 1 Site Location and Description ........................................................................................................... 1 Planning Policy Assessment .............................................................................................................. 1 Cornwall Local Plan....................................................................................................................... 2 Chief Planning Officer Advice Note – Infill/Rounding Off ............................................................. 2 National Planning Policy Framework ............................................................................................ 3 Emerging Policy ............................................................................................................................ 3 Cornwall Council’s Climate Emergency Development Plan Document ........................................ 3 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Report prepared by Enhance Land & Planning Address – Office 13, Richmond House, 37 Edward Street, Truro, TR13AJ Tel – 07772940291 Email – [email protected] Web – enhancelp.co.uk Assessment Type Planning Statement Client Nina Hudson Report Number PS 1270 Date 09/04/2021 Status FINAL Assessor/author(s) Gilly Slater MSc MRTPI CEnv MIEnvSc The information, opinion and advice contained in this document has been prepared and provided in accordance with the RTPI’s Code of Professional Conduct. Planning© Enhance Statement Land & Planning Ltd 2018 Page 2 Permission in Principle for Single Dwelling Land off Relubbus Hill, Relubbus Proposal Summary This application seeks ‘Permission in Principle’ for a development of a single dwelling on land adjoining the settlement of Relubbus. The proposal would allow a local family to remain in the area, close to their relatives, whilst enabling them to establish a low-impact smallholding on the land, using existing skills to contribute to the local economy and allow a self-sufficient lifestyle. The proposal is submitted as a rounding off development on the edge of the settlement of Relubbus. The site is bordered by existing development to the north and north east, is contained by a well-established Cornish hedge to the south eastern boundary, with a track and further Cornish hedge containing the site to the south west. The property known as Trewyn lies across Relubbus Hill to the west. Given the site’s proximity to Relubbus and St Hilary, and being within 165m of a bus stop with regular services to Penzance, the site is considered sustainably located and suitable for the provision of a modest single dwelling to facilitate a self-sufficient lifestyle. Site Location and Description The site is located on the south western edge of the settlement of Relubbus, off Relubbus Hill (the B3280). The settlement of St Hilary lies 350m to the south west, and a primary school and church lie within a kilometre of the site. There is a bus stop with regular services to Penzance 165m to the north east. The site is contained by a well-established Cornish hedge to all boundaries, and borders existing development to the north and north east, in the form of the residential driveway, garage and garden land to the north, and the dwelling known as Thatched Cottage to the north east. Relubbus Hill adjoins the site’s north western boundary, and the dwelling known as Trewyn lies across Relubbus Hill to the west. The site is currently overgrown with several trees to the north western boundary. Agricultural land lies to the south west, south and south east. The Tregonning and Gwinear Mining Districts World Heritage Site covers the site and wider area, and the Relubbuis Conservation Area adjoins the site’s north eastern boundary. Thatched Cottage and Southill Cottage to the north east of the site are Grade II Listed. The site is not covered by any ecological or landscape designations, and is not at risk of flooding from fluvial or pluvial sources. Planning Policy Assessment The site lies in the Parish of St Hilary which does not have a Neighbourhood Development Plan. Therefore, the development plan policies for the area are contained within the Cornwall Local Plan. Planning Statement Page 1 Permission in Principle for Single Dwelling Land off Relubbus Hill, Relubbus Cornwall Local Plan Policy 3 – Role and function of places. The policy supports rounding off of settlements and development of previously developed land within or immediately adjoining that settlement of a scale appropriate to its size and role. The supporting text states “Rounding off: This applies to development on land that is substantially enclosed but outside of the urban form of a settlement and where its edge is clearly defined by a physical feature that also acts as a barrier to further growth (such as a road). It should not visually extend building into the open countryside”. Chief Planning Officer Advice Note – Infill/Rounding Off The guidance note is one of a series of notes issued by the Chief Planning Officer to guide greater consistency when making planning decisions in Cornwall. It sets out the considerations under a number of headings, as set out in points below. The introduction states: The Local Plan: Strategic Policies (LP:SP) supports Cornwall’s dispersed settlement pattern. It steers larger scale growth to the main towns as named in Policy 3, Role and function of places, and also supports unplanned ‘organic’ growth in and adjacent to Cornwall’s existing city, towns, villages and hamlets, but not normally in the open countryside. The following headings of the guidance are considerations in the case of this proposal: Establish if a settlement. The LP:SP Policy requires decision makers to first identify if the proposal physically relates to a recognisable settlement. Relubbus is a named settlement, and the site adjoins the south western edge of the settlement. Appropriate scale. The guidance states “the decision-maker should consider the proposal in relation to the role and function of that place (LP:SP Policies 2 and 3). Proposals should be of a scale and nature to be considered ‘organic’ growth appropriate to the character, role and needs of the community”. The proposal is for a single dwelling that would appear in keeping with the scale of neighbouring development and the wider settlement pattern. Rounding off. The site is bordered by development to two boundaries, with further containing features in the form of well-established Cornish hedge providing a barrier to further development to the south east and south western boundaries. The guidance in relation to the impact of development on its surroundings is considered relevant; It states, the presence of definite boundaries, landscape features, the history and nature of the land, whether it is despoiled, degraded, derelict or contaminated, existing development and topography will be important considerations in this respect. Planning Statement Page 2 Permission in Principle for Single Dwelling Land off Relubbus Hill, Relubbus National Planning Policy Framework The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these should be applied. It sets out the three roles of planning to achieve sustainable development, the economic, social and environmental objectives (para. 8). So that sustainable development is pursued in a positive way, there is a presumption in favour of sustainable development at the heart of the framework (para.10). Paragraph 11 confirms that for decision taking this means developments that accord with the development plan should be approved without delay. While no conflict has been identified with any of the framework in this case, the proposals are considered to be in direct compliance with the following paragraphs. 78. To promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities. Planning policies should identify opportunities for villages to grow and thrive, especially where this will support local services. Where there are groups of smaller settlements, development in one village may support services in a village nearby. Under the heading Making effective use of land (section 11), paragraph 117 states Planning policies and decisions should promote an effective use of land in meeting the need for homes and other uses. The proposed development is in accordance with the aims and intentions of the relevant sections of the framework. Emerging Policy Cornwall Council’s Climate Emergency Development Plan Document The emerging Climate Emergency DPD is at consultation stage and is advanced in its preparation. Although not adopted policy, the DPD sets out a clear direction of travel, and indicates the intentions of Cornwall Council for the plan period to 2030. Of particular relevance is the emerging Policy AL1 - Regenerative and Low Impact Development (One Planet Development). This supports low impact residential development, such as the proposed dwelling, as part of a regenerative use of land (which in this case is proposed to be used as a smallholding to allow the family to be self-sufficient).