Ditchling / Ditchling and W
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APPLICATION ITEM SDNP/12/01754/FUL NUMBER: NUMBER: 6 APPLICANTS PARISH / Ditchling / Ditchling and Mr D Gorringe NAME(S): WARD: Westmeston PROPOSAL: Planning Application for Erection of an agricultural dwelling SITE ADDRESS: Land adjacent to Pumping Station, Keymer Road, Ditchling GRID REF: TQ 3115 COMREP (Jan 11) PAC – 17/07/13 1. SITE DESCRIPTION / PROPOSAL 1.1 Court Farm is located to the north side of the B2116 outside any planning boundary between the villages of Ditchling and Keymer. The farm accommodates two steel framed barns and a large hardstanding, set in relatively open pasture land and therefore prominent from the B2116 and a public footpath to the north. To the west of the site is a modern residential housing estate known as Silverdale. 1.2 Planning permission is sought to erect a detached dwelling for occupation by agricultural worker. The proposed dwelling is to be located to the south of the barns, facing east, with a curtilage extending 115 metres from east to west. The dwelling itself is a three bedroom dwelling, with two storeys of accommodation, measuring 11.8m by 9m in footprint with pitched roof above, measuring 8m in height. The dwelling will be constructed of brick at ground floor, with tile hanging at first floor and a plain clay tiled roof. A large garden is proposed to the west and east, with a new access to the south of the site leading to a parking area in front of the dwelling. 1.3 It should be noted that an accompanying application has also been submitted on this site, reference SDNP/12/02668/CND. This application seeks permission to vary a condition controlling use of the western barn on site. This application is also reported on this agenda. 2. RELEVANT POLICIES LDLP: - CT1 – Planning Boundary and Key Countryside LDLP: – ST3 – Design, Form and Setting of Development 3. PLANNING HISTORY SDNP/12/02668/CND - Variation of condition 5 of planning approval LW/09/0609 (Creation of cattle yard comprising of one steel frame building, hardstanding and associated landscaping) to allow cows of all ages to be accommodated in the yard – Pending Consideration LW/11/0980/NP – Erection of three bedroom cottage – Withdrawn LW/09/0609 – Creation of cattle yard comprising of one steel frame building, hardstanding and associated landscaping (resubmission of planning application LW/08/0322) – Approved LW/08/0322 - Erection of two steel framed agricultural buildings for housing cattle and hay/straw barn - Refused LW/05/2278 – Erection of cattle yard - Approved LW/05/1222 – Erection of a cattle yard - Withdrawn 4. REPRESENTATIONS FROM STANDARD CONSULTEES Ditchling Parish Council – It was agreed to object strongly on the following grounds: - The proposed development would result in a cumulative form of development which would further erode the strategic green belt between the villages of Keymer and Ditchling. - It would have a detrimental visual impact on the rural character and appearance of the area within the South Downs National Park. COMREP (Jan 11) PAC – 17/07/13 - It would seriously mar the panoramic view from the footpath to the north of the site contrary to the aims and objectives of Policies ST3, CT1, CT2 and PPS1 and PPS7 of the National Policy Guidelines. - The ‘Agricultural Supporting Statement’ states that the aim is to calve the majority of cows in a central location. A previous application in 2011 gave the number of suckler cows as 288. - Noise from this kind of intensive farming will adversely affect the residential amenities of the residents of Lodge Hill Lane and Silverdale. When permission was granted to build a barn LW/09/0609, condition 5 stated that the yard "should be used to house fully weaned calves only" in the interest of noise and residential amenities and having regard to Policy ST3 of the Lewes Local District Plan. - Additional risk of contamination to the water source from the effluent from a large number of cattle. - Heavy lorries transporting animals, food and manure will generate a large increase in traffic on a rural road frequented by many pedestrians including school children, mothers with prams and the elderly. - Condition 7 of the previous application for the barns has not been carried out in regard to landscaping to reduce the visual impact. - The proposed dwelling is not in keeping with an agricultural worker's cottage, it has a footage of 152sq.m with a large garden. - There are small properties to rent in the vicinity. - The condition regarding type of cattle to be housed in the barns should remain and there would not be a need for a dwelling on the site. Environmental Health - I visited this locality in October to assess if the water pumping station operated by South East Water to the east of the site is audible at the pumping station site boundary. At the time of my visit there was no audible sound emanating from the pumping station. In addition I assessed the site in terms of road traffic noise. Given the nature of Keymer Road and the distance of the proposed dwelling from the road, I am of the opinion that glazing systems necessary to comply with Building Regulation requirements will provide sufficient sound attenuation from road traffic noise. Given the remote location I consider there is no necessity to control construction hours at this site. ESCC Highways – The application attracts a recommendation for refusal. This is because the existing access at its junction with Keymer Road [B2116] has substandard visibility, width and layout and existing hazards would be increased by the additional slowing, stopping, turning and reversing traffic which would be created. The Design Manual for Roads and Bridges recommends appropriate visibility splays for an access serving this type of development dependent on traffic speeds on the major road. In this instance the recommended visibility splays are 2.4 m by 215 m in each direction, the major road “y” distance measured to the nearside vehicle path. Keymer Road is a class B road [B2116] and is subject to a 60 mph national speed restriction. The carriageway width at the site frontage is 5.8 m. The footway width across the site frontage to the east of the access is 1 m and 1.5 m wide to the west of the access. There is no footway on the southern side of Keymer Road. I have studied the comments raised by local residents and the Parish Council and confirm I have visited the site in relation to both this and the concurrent application SDNP/12/02668/CND for this site for variation of conditions. The access to the site is an agricultural field access, being only 3.8 metres wide with only 2 metres junction radii. Thus large farm vehicles would have difficulty entering and leaving the site without using the whole of the carriageway, thereby interrupting the flow of fast moving traffic on the B2116 [Keymer Road]. Furthermore, the visibility for vehicular egress is restricted by the existing COMREP (Jan 11) PAC – 17/07/13 hedge along the B2116 and the recommended splay distances of 2.4 metres x 215 metres are not currently achieved. However, my recommendation for refusal would be withdrawn if the applicant can provide an access width of 5 metres for 11 metres into the site together with 6 metres junction radii, gates set back 11 metres from the back of the highway and the appropriate visibility splays. In terms of the visibility splay distances the applicant would need to demonstrate that the speed of passing traffic correlates to the actual available visibility. Southern Gas Networks – Standard gas safety advice. South Downs Society - We appreciate the difficult balance that must be maintained between farming, the environment and the impact on local residents and recognise the important part that farming has to play in maintaining the rural landscape. However, we must also look to the future consequences of development in such a sensitive location. Our concern is that, if this planning application is approved, the impact of the location of these barns within the strategic gap between Keymer and Ditchling will be exacerbated by the addition of an agricultural dwelling designed to a standard which would make it a desirable residence in the country. There are two areas of potential concern that arise. First, it could signal the start of the establishment of a substantial development of farm buildings in this location on the immediate outskirts of Keymer, with consequential traffic issues associated with increasing farming activity. Neither the roads in Keymer nor Ditchling are suitable to take this additional traffic. Second, if the agricultural tie on the dwelling was to be dropped at some time in the future, it will have provided a desirable residence in a wholly inappropriate location within the National Park. Mr Richard Wood (Rural Appraisal Officer) – This application is a resubmission of LW/11/0980/NP which was withdrawn on 18th June 2012. My report in response to this withdrawn application is dated 17th January 2012. (A copy of this response is contained at Appendix 1 of the report). At that time I was guided by the advice and criteria contained in Annex A of PPS7. This advice was cancelled in March with the publication of the NPPF. The only oblique reference to agricultural dwellings is contained in paragraph 55, with the reference to rural dwellings. Local Planning Authorities are advised that isolated houses in the countryside should be avoided unless there are special circumstances such as:- "The essential need for a rural worker to live permanently at or near their place of work in the countryside". Paragraph 28 of the NPPF encourages Local Planning Authorities to support sustainable growth in rural areas and promote the development of agricultural businesses.