17 February 2015 Report Item 1 Application No
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Planning Development Control Committee - 17 February 2015 Report Item 1 Application No: 14/00760/FULL Full Application Site: Inchmery House, Inchmery Lane, Exbury, Southampton, SO45 1AE Proposal: Two storey home office/studio building (demolition of existing orangery and store) Applicant: Lady Grosvenor Case Officer: Clare Ings Parish: EXBURY AND LEPE 1. REASON FOR COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION Contrary to Parish Council view 2. DEVELOPMENT PLAN DESIGNATION No specific designation 3. PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES DP12 Outbuildings DP1 General Development Principles DP6 Design Principles CP2 The Natural Environment CP8 Local Distinctiveness 4. SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING GUIDANCE Design Guide SPD 5. NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK Sec 11 - Conserving and enhancing the natural environment 6. MEMBER COMMENTS None received 7. PARISH COUNCIL COMMENTS Exbury & Lepe Parish Council: Recommend permission. There have been discussions between the applicant and the planning officers raising the issue of potential misuse of the building for residential purposes. We take the view that this can be dealt with making any approval subject to a condition. 1 8. CONSULTEES 8.1 Building Design & Conservation Area Officer: No objection, subject to materials and joinery details. 8.2 Tree Officer: No objection. 8.3 Land Drainage (NFDC): No objection, subject to a condition for details of disposal of surface water. 8.4 Ecologist: No comments received. 9. REPRESENTATIONS 9.1 One representation received in support of the application 10. RELEVANT HISTORY 10.1 Polytunnel (14/00217) approved on 19 May 2014 10.2 Single storey extension; external alterations and creation of new access (Inchmery Lodge) (13/98307) approved on 9 May 2013 10.3 Greenhouse (11/96113) approved on 21 March 2011 11. ASSESSMENT 11.1 Inchmery House is a large dwelling set within extensive grounds which overlook the Western Solent. The house itself is characterful, constructed of Exbury buff brick, and although unlisted, due to its historic and vernacular interest is considered to be an undesignated heritage asset. Within the grounds are a number of other buildings and features, including a two storey garage block with accommodation over, Inchmery Lodge at the entrance to the site, an orangery/store adjoining a formally laid out garden, pool and pool house, and Inchmery Park Cottage, a two storey 1960s house, now in the same ownership as the main dwelling, but currently vacant. 11.2 The proposal is for a contemporary-style two storey outbuilding to replace the orangery/store. It would be sited on a marginally different footprint. In terms of scale, it would be significantly larger than the existing building with a footprint of some 186m² (the existing measures 117m²), with first floor accommodation over one section. The building would be constructed of galvanised steel cladding and vertical timber oak cladding, with one element an intensive green roof. The outbuilding would allow for the occupants of Inchmery House, both of whom have demanding jobs requiring a high degree of space and privacy, to work from home, but separating their work from the main residence to create a better work/life balance. The space would allow meetings (the applicants are patrons of a number charities) 2 and tutorials to take place without the need to travel to London. Part of the space within the building (35m²) would form a boat store. 11.3 The main considerations are the degree to which the proposal would comply with policy DP12 which relates to outbuildings; the design and scale of the proposal; its impact on the main dwelling and its curtilage; and its impact in the wider landscape. 11.4 Policy DP12 is a fairly permissively worded policy which would allow the erection of an outbuilding provided that it would be located within the residential curtilage, would be required for a purpose incidental to the use of the main dwelling; and would not provide any additional habitable accommodation. Despite appearing to meet some of the criteria, there are other policies of the Core Strategy which also have to be met; in this case Policies CP8 and DP1, and specifically there is a concern with the scale, appearance and massing of the building. The outbuilding would have a floorspace of 281m², a height to ridge of just under 8m (marginally less than the adjoining Inchmery Cottage, but significantly greater than the existing orangery which has a height of 5.5m). Whilst this has been reduced from the scheme seen at pre-application stage, this goes well beyond what would normally be considered as an incidental outbuilding envisaged by the policy. In addition, the design coupled with the two-storey element would appear overly domestic and is such that it would not take much for the building to be converted into residential accommodation, notwithstanding that this could be conditioned. 11.5 The use of the outbuilding has been described as being for home working, and has been designed to meet the particular needs of the applicants which, have been argued, are unique. However, this has led to the requirement for space to hold meetings and other functions associated with charity work and, while these demands are noted, it is this element which has dictated the significant scale of the outbuilding. In addition, it is this use which is considered would go well beyond the acceptance of home working, and sets it outside the parameters of the policy. 11.6 Whilst the outbuilding is some distance from the main dwelling, it lies in very close proximity to Inchmery Cottage with which it would compete visually. It would not have a subservient relationship with this property, and therefore would not be considered incidental. 11.7 There are a number of appeals in the New Forest relating to outbuildings which have been dismissed because of their relation to the main dwelling and their appearance. In one appeal decision in particular at Drifthole Cottage (APP/B9506/A/08/2080259), the Inspector in dismissing the appeal made the following comments: 3 "....the proposed new building would contain accommodation that could readily be used as additional residential accommodation, and the internal layout of the building would also make it eminently suitable for use as a self-contained annexe. The appellants have indicated that it is not their intention that the proposed new building would be used as additional living accommodation....However, changes in their circumstances or in the ownership of the property could lead to a desire to use the accommodation as additional residential accommodation or as a self-contained residential accommodation without any external alterations being required." 11.8 Although the outbuilding would have limited impact in the wider landscape, due to its location within the site, the scale and activity associated with the development would set it well outside the expectations of policy DP12 and paragraph 7.42. The applicants have indicated their willingness to enter into a S106 agreement to secure the use of the outbuilding for ancillary purposes and not to sever the outbuilding from the main dwelling to create a new planning unit, but it is not considered that this would overcome the key concerns relating to the scale of floorspace proposed. The application is therefore recommended for refusal. 12. RECOMMENDATION Refuse Reason(s) 1 The proposed home office/studio, by virtue of its scale, size, form, appearance and intended use, could not be considered incidental or appropriate to the main and secondary dwellings at the site or the curtilage. It would also facilitate the creation of a separate dwelling for which only a minimal amount of internal alteration would subsequently be required. As such it would be contrary to the requirements of Policies DP12, DP1 and DP6 of the New Forest National Park Core Strategy and Development Management Policies (DPD) (December 2010). 4 44 44 36 44 00m 00m 38 40 42 99200m 99200m 90 90 88 88 86 86 84 84 98200m 98200m 44 44 44 36 38 40 42 00m 00m New Forest National Park Authority Ref: 14/00760/FULL Lymington Town Hall, Avenue Road, Lymington, SO41 9ZG Scale: 1:5000 Tel: 01590 646600 Fax: 01590 646666 Date: 29/01/2015 © Crown copyright and database rights 2015 Ordnance Survey 1000114703 5 Planning Development Control Committee - 17 February 2015 Report Item 2 Application No: 14/00843/FULL Full Application Site: Land At Romsey Road, Ower, Hampshire, SO51 6AH Proposal: Change of use of land to 4 No. Travelling Showpeople plots; hardstanding; new access; gates and fencing Applicant: Mr Graham Case Officer: Deborah Slade Parish: NETLEY MARSH 1. REASON FOR COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION Contrary to Parish Council view (in part) 2. DEVELOPMENT PLAN DESIGNATION No specific designation 3. PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES DP1 General Development Principles CP13 Gypsies, Travellers & Travelling Showpeople CP1 Nature Conservation Sites of International Importance CP19 Access CP2 The Natural Environment CP8 Local Distinctiveness DP6 Design Principles 4. SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING GUIDANCE Development Standards SPD 5. NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK Sec 3 - Supporting a prosperous rural economy Sec 11 - Conserving and enhancing the natural environment Sec 6 - Delivering a wide choice of high quality homes 6. MEMBER COMMENTS None received 6 7. PARISH COUNCIL COMMENTS Netley Marsh Parish Council: Recommend refusal: • The site is at the gateway of the New Forest National Park for a partly residential use but partly for industrial use with storage, maintenance and repair of large vehicles and fairground equipment – the latter use more suited to an industrial estate than a rural site within a National Park. • The Parish Council believes these requirements of Policy CP13 have not been met in this application, that the development would be detrimental to the National Park and local residents, and that it would be contrary to Policies CP8 and DP6. There are concerns about environmental damage to the site, the possible effect on the water table and light pollution if security lighting was required.