EHDC Part 1 Section 1 Item 4 Land South of Holly Cottage, Item 106
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Item No.: 04 The information, recommendations and advice contained in this report are correct as at the date of preparation, which is more than one week in advance of the Committee meeting. Because of the time constraints some reports may have been prepared in advance of the final date given for consultee responses or neighbour comments. Any changes or necessary updates to the report will be made orally at the Committee meeting. PROPOSAL Outline - residential development of ten x 2 storey dwellings comprising 7 affordable and 3 market price homes, new vehicular access, informal open space, kick about area and landscaping LOCATION: Land South of Holly Cottage, Oakhanger Road, Oakhanger, Bordon REFERENCE : 53588 PARISH: Selborne APPLICANT: c/o Giles Wheeler-Bennettt CONSULTATION 25 June 2014 EXPIRY : APPLICATION EXPIRY : 14 August 2014 COUNCILLORS: Cllr D Ashcroft SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: REFUSAL This application is included on the agenda as it is a departure from the adopted Local Plan and is being considered under the Interim Housing Policy Statement. Site and Development The application site lies on the eastern side of the village, within a countryside location (Oakhanger does not have a settlement policy boundary) and outside the South Downs National Park. The site is agricultural land used for grazing and has an area of 1.19ha and slopes down from the road by 2.3m to the field ditch on the eastern boundary. The site is bounded by residential property to the south and a commercial site to the north. There is residential development to the west and more agricultural land to the east. The site boundaries consist of a Hawthorn hedge on the frontage and stock fencing and scattered trees to the remainder of the boundaries. The proposed development is for 10 x 2 storey houses, made up of 7 affordable homes and 3 market dwellings. The affordable homes would be 2 bedroomed and the detached market housing would be 1 x 3 bedroomed and 2 x 4 bedroomed dwellings. The application is in outline only with access, layout and scale to be considered. The residential development is approximately 0.48ha; the informal open space 0.45ha and kickabout area 0.26ha. In addition, the balance of land within the applicant’s ownership would be dedicated as an ecology zone and would include the pond close to the road and the marshy area to the north of the site. The residential development is to be face the road, with vehicular access limited to two points; one serves eight dwellings and the other is a shared access for 2 houses. The main access would enter the site via the current field access and would serve rear parking and garages. This is backed by an area for structural landscaping, including a triangular orchard area. The second vehicular access would be shared by 2 market price dwellings and would be further to the north. A footpath is shown inside the hedge, providing access to the front of each property. The footpath adjacent the highway is to be retained. Relevant Planning History None Development Plan Policies and Proposals East Hampshire District Local Plan: Joint Core Strategy (2014) CP1 - Presumption in favour of sustainable development CP2 - Spatial Strategy CP10 - Spatial strategy for housing CP11 - Housing tenure, type and mix CP14 - Affordable housing for rural communities CP18 - Provision of open space, sport and recreation and built facilities CP19 - Development in the countryside CP20 - Landscape CP27 - Pollution CP21 - Biodiversity CP24 - Sustainable construction CP25 - Flood Risk CP26 - Water resources/ water quality CP29 - Design CP31 - Transport CP32 - Infrastructure East Hampshire District Local Plan: Second Review (2006) T2 - Public Transport Provision and Improvement T3 - Pedestrians and Cyclists H14 - Other Housing Outside Settlement Policy Boundaries Planning Policy Constraints and Guidance National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Village Design Statement - Selborne Village Design Statement - non statutory planning guidance that has been the subject of public consultation and therefore is a material planning consideration. Consultations and Town/Parish Council comments Crime Prevention Design Advisor - Has made detailed comments about the safety of the site but raises no objection to the proposal. EHDC Drainage - The Environment Agency's Flood Map shows a narrow flood plain (Flood Zone 2/3) associated with the Oakhanger Stream and the remainder of the site in Flood Zone 1 (low risk of flooding). However, the flood mapping on the Council's GIS system shows a large area of the site is susceptible to surface water flooding. A FRA has been submitted, dated 19 March 2014, but this is not supported by a geotechnical site investigation. The final paragraph on page 12 states 'there are no records of the site having been previously affected by surface water or groundwater flooding'. This is incorrect. A previous site investigation carried out in August 2011, found a high water table, at 450 - 600mm below ground level. Following the recent very wet winter the water table on site has been observed by local residents as at or above ground level. These observations are supported by photographic evidence. The development will increase surface water run-off and the FRA confirms that the site is not suitable for a SUDS system relying on soakage. The alternative option will be discharged to the Oakhanger Stream, with run-off attenuated to the current greenfield rates. This will require a balancing pond and due to the high water table, any pond will need to be very shallow and will require a large area of the site. This system would need to be carefully designed to ensure flood risk is not transferred elsewhere and the pond will require regular maintenance to ensure storage capacity is maintained. On the basis of the current drainage/flooding information it is not clear that the site is suitable for development and will not increase flood risk elsewhere. I must object pending receipt of additional design details, supported by a geotechnical site investigation. EHDC - Forward Planning - The site appears to fall within Policy CP14 of the Joint Core Strategy - Affordable Housing for Rural Communities. I suggest that the proposal will need to fit the criteria addressed in Policy CP14 to be justified. The site falls within close proximity to an SPA and SAC - Internationally Designated Sites (Policy CP22). Following advice from Natural England, the application does not include a Habitats Regulations Assessment. The applicant has submitted an Ecological Report and para 3.3 states that once development proposals are finalised they will fully consider significant effects on these sites. However, this needs to be done through the HRA as part of the planning application submission. Any Appropriate Assessment will need to consider any potential avoidance and mitigation measures regarding significant effects. EHDC - Landscape - I disagree with the statements in the Design, Access and Planning Statement that the development: • would not harm the overall character, quality, tranquillity and appearance of the countryside; • would not harm the intrinsic local character of the landscape, sense of place or local distinctiveness. The proposal is to build houses on an attractive wet meadow on the edge of a village, close to the South Downs National Park and Shortheath Common SSSI, SAC and LNR, which would impact on the character of the landscape and the appearance of the countryside. The second access point would break through the boundary hedge which is a local landscape feature and the character of the public footpath through the meadow would change from rural to suburban. Drainage would be required to create a usable kickabout area on the meadow and this would change its character and biodiversity. Environment Agency - Having screened the documents with regard to the low risk of the development type and location of the proposal, I can confirm that we have no comments to make. All surface water drainage issues are now dealt with by the relevant Local Authority. Environmental Health - Contaminated Land - Adjacent to Site: Quarry Unknown Filled Land. No objection subject to conditions being imposed on any approval County Highway Officer – No objection in principle to development as proposed but, in the absence of a Road safety Audit, has objected to the scheme as it cannot be shown that the accesses are safe. Should a satisfactory Audit be submitted then Highways have no objection subject to conditions and a contribution towards transport measures. Concern was also raised about discharge of water to the ordinary water course to the east, which would require a separate consent from HCC. Hampshire Fire and Rescue - Makes various comments about the scheme in terms of fire safety but raised no objection to the proposal. Natural England - Internationally and nationally designated sites The application site is within or in close proximity to a European designated site (also commonly referred to as Natura 2000 sites), and therefore has the potential to affect its interest features. European sites are afforded protection under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010, as amended (the ‘Habitats Regulations’). The application site is in close proximity to the Wealden Heaths Phase II Special Protection Area (SPA) and to Shortheath Common Special Area of Conservation (SAC) which are European sites. The sites are also notified at a national level as Broxhead and Kingsley Commons and Shortheath Common Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) respectively. Please see the subsequent sections of this letter for our advice relating to SSSI features. In considering the European site interest, Natural England advises that you, as a competent authority under the provisions of the Habitats Regulations, should have regard for any potential impacts that a plan or project may have The Conservation objectives for each European site explain how the site should be restored and/or maintained and may be helpful in assessing what, if any, potential impacts a plan or project may have.