Appeal Decision
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Appeal Decision Hearing held on 17 September 2013 Site visit made on 17 September 2013 by R Barrett Bsc Msc Dip UD Dip Hist Cons MRTPI IHBC an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Decision date: 20 November 2013 Appeal Ref: APP/Y9507/A/13/2199593 Hill Farm Road, West Tisted, Monkwood SO24 0HG • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 against a refusal to grant planning permission. • The appeal is made by The Hyde Group against the decision of South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA). • The application Ref SDNP/12/03018/FUL, dated 26 November 2012, was refused by notice dated 28 February 2013. • The development proposed is the construction of 8 new affordable houses in a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms. Decision 1. The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for construction of 8 new affordable houses in a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms at Hill Farm Road, West Tisted, Monkwood SO24 0HG, in accordance with the terms of the application Ref SDNP/12/03018/FUL, dated 26 November 2012, subject to the conditions set out in the Schedule attached to this decision. Procedural Matters 2. During the course of the appeal, it was established that it should proceed in the name of The Hyde Group. I have indicated this change above and have determined the appeal on this basis. 3. Since the determination of the appeal application, the South East Plan Regional Spatial Strategy for the South East of England (2009) (SEP) has been partially revoked. It is agreed between the parties that SEP Policies CC1 and C2 are not relevant to this appeal. 4. It was agreed at the Hearing, that Plan 10.055.260 and a letter from ECOSA dated 4 January, which expands on information provided in the Phase 1 Ecological Survey (2012), were before the Authority when it made its decision, although they are not listed on the Authority’s decision notice. I am taking them into account in making my decision. 5. Before the Hearing a draft planning obligation was submitted with the aim that the proposed dwellings would provide affordable housing to meet a local need, together with the provision of a contribution towards transport improvements in the locality. A dated copy was submitted at the Hearing. I have had regard to it in making my decision. 6. It was confirmed at the Hearing that the West Tisted Parish Meeting had not been notified of the Hearing. As its members were consulted throughout the www.planningportal.gov.uk/planninginspectorate Appeal Decision APP/Y9507/A/13/2199593 site selection process and it is documented that it supports the appeal proposal, a matter that is uncontested, I determined to proceed with the Hearing, on the basis that this matter would not prejudice that party’s interests. Main Issues • Whether there are circumstances to justify the development of the proposed dwellings as an exception to national and local policy which generally seeks to restrict new residential development in the countryside; • Whether the proposed residential development would conserve the landscape and scenic beauty of the South Downs National Park (SDNP). Reasons Residential development outside settlement boundaries 7. The appeal site is a field, located outside a settlement policy boundary in open countryside. It is sited near to a row of semi-detached properties on Hill Farm Road, and opposite larger properties, which together form part of Monkwood. It is located within the Parish of West Tisted, which includes a number of similar collections of buildings and the hamlet of West Tisted. 8. Policy GS3 of the East Hampshire District Local Plan (2006) (LP) protects the countryside for its intrinsic character and beauty. Specific policies allow for development within the countryside, outside settlement policy boundaries, such as LP Policy H12. The proposed development falls for consideration under this policy, which states that planning permission for residential development outside settlement policy boundaries will not be permitted unless it would provide affordable housing and satisfy six pre-conditions. I will test each in turn. Pre-condition (a) 9. Given the evidence collected by East Hampshire District Council Housing Services in October 2012 and further research indicating that there are twelve households on the Hampshire Home Choice stating a local connection in the Parish of West Tisted, I have no reason to dispute the need for the appeal proposal. I am therefore satisfied that pre-condition (a) is met. Pre-condition (b) 10. Pre-condition (b) indicates that the need cannot be met within the settlement policy boundary. West Tisted is a dispersed rural parish with no settlement large enough to warrant a settlement policy boundary. Whilst West Tisted Hamlet is a larger collection of properties than Monkwood and includes some local facilities, it does not have a settlement policy boundary. Therefore, I consider that the local need could not be met within a settlement policy boundary within that Parish. I conclude therefore that the proposal would meet pre-condition (b). 11. It is suggested that in these circumstances that the appellant company’s site search, which was focussed within the Parish of West Tisted, should have been taken wider, in particular into Ropley Parish. Ropley Parish includes the Village of Ropley, which does have a settlement policy boundary. Whilst I recognise that the appeal site is adjacent to the Parish Boundary with Ropley, and any www.planningportal.gov.uk/planninginspectorate 2 Appeal Decision APP/Y9507/A/13/2199593 site within that Parish may meet some of the West Tisted local need, it was confirmed at the Hearing that some of the local need is within West Tisted Hamlet, arising from retiring agricultural workers in tied accommodation; the remainder being Parish wide. As West Tisted Hamlet is some distance from Ropley Village, a site in Ropley would be unlikely to meet the local specific need identified in West Tisted. In addition, it was confirmed at the Hearing that the Parish was the administrative boundary for the allocation of affordable housing within the SDNP and East Hampshire District and therefore any affordable units built within Ropley Parish, which has its own identified affordable housing need, would have to meet that need first, before that of its neighbouring Parish, West Tisted. For these reasons, taking the site search into surrounding parishes would be unlikely to identify sites that would meet the West Tisted need and I have accorded this matter little weight for the above reasons. Pre-condition (c) 12. Pre-condition (c) sets out the requirement for development to be economically viable and sound and provide affordable housing to meet a local need. The SDNPA has not raised concern regarding the viability of the proposal. Whilst I have very limited financial information, it is confirmed that funding has been secured through the Hampshire Alliance of Affordable Rural Housing and its funding partner the Homes and Communities Agency. Initial studies have identified the requirements of the proposal in terms of site stability, drainage, and the surrounding road network. Any archaeological investigation required has been conditioned and would be unlikely to materially affect the viability of the appeal proposal. On this basis, I have no reason to question the SDNPA’s view on this aspect of the appeal proposal. 13. A completed planning obligation was submitted at the Hearing and the SDNPA confirmed that the provisions within it meet LP Policy objectives, in respect of affordable housing. I am satisfied that the terms of the obligation, would ensure that the appeal proposal would provide affordable housing for local people in proven housing need who cannot afford to rent or buy a dwelling locally on the open housing market. It would ensure that priority would be given to those with a strong local connection and would cascade to neighbouring parishes including Ropley. Therefore, it would meet pre-condition (c) and accord with advice set out in the East Hampshire District Council: Implementation of The Policy For Affordable Housing Non Statutory Planning Guidance (2006) (SPD) in this respect. Pre-condition (d) 14. Pre-condition (d) states that the development site is accessible by public transport, walking or cycling to local services and facilities sufficient to support the new residents and provide for their daily needs. Monkwood has very limited local facilities, namely a Church of England Mission Chapel used occasionally and some employment opportunities in the local farms and rural businesses. In addition, the appeal site would not be accessible by public transport, with a limited bus service, a very limited local train service, relatively challenging topography for every day cycling and limited pavements for functional walking. The local car share scheme referred to is restrictive, operating a journey, two days per week to Alton. I conclude therefore, even taking into account the provisions set out in the West Tisted Travel Plan Statement that the proposal would fail to meet this pre-condition. www.planningportal.gov.uk/planninginspectorate 3 Appeal Decision APP/Y9507/A/13/2199593 15. However, I agree with the appellant that as the prospective occupants are most likely to be already resident in the Parish and presumably already reliant on the car for every day facilities and services, the additional journeys resulting from the proposal are likely not to be material. This reduces the environmental impact resulting from the proposed relatively inaccessible location. Pre-condition (e) 16. The layout together with the height and form of the proposed dwellings, would relate satisfactorily to the row of semi-detached houses nearby on the same side of Hill Farm Road. Given the amount of open space, to the front and rear, and the incorporation of design features seen in the locality, and the generally attractive appearance of the proposal, I find that the appeal development would be of a high standard and would sit comfortably as part of the collection of properties known as Monkwood.