Planning Applications for Determination
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PLANNING AND REGULATORY COMMITTEE 8th March 2016 PLANNING APPLICATIONS FOR DETERMINATION Item 1: 07/15/1136/F Location: Brook Farm, Cuffley Hill, Goffs Oak, Herts. EN8 4EX Description: Change of use of land for holding 15 wedding receptions during the months from 1 March and 30 September each year, with camping for a maximum of 50 wedding guests to take place on the same date that a wedding reception takes place. Applicant: J I Thomas & Son Date Received: 26.11.2015 Date of Committee: 08.03.2016 Officer Contact: Gill Forbes Expiry Date: 21.01.2016 Ward Members: Cllr M Mills – Bishop, Cllr P Moule, Cllr J Pearce RECOMMENDED that planning permission be granted for a temporary period of five years subject to the conditions set out at the end of this report. 1. CONSULTATIONS 1.1 Environment Agency - no objection as long as the LPA is satisfied the proposal complies with ‘Flood Risk Standing Advice (FRSA) and subject to an informative in relation to any proposed works within 8 metres of Cuffley Brook. 1.2 Environmental Health – No objection subject to conditions to prevent use of bonfires, fireworks or laser light displays, restriction to noise levels so that they are inaudible at surrounding residential properties, restriction to hours of wedding events, applicant to advise EH in writing of details before each event including numbers of guests, and implementation to be in accordance with details contained within the Planning Statement. 1.3 Hertfordshire Highways – no objections subject to conditions to better define vehicular access to the site and for on-site vehicular areas to be accessible, surfaced and marked to prevent parking of vehicles on the highway. 1.4 Welwyn and Hatfield Council – No comments to date (also have application submitted for camping as site straddles boundary of both Borough’s). A1 2. PUBLICITY 2.1 The application has been advertised by means of a site notice, newspaper advert and letters to occupiers of neighbouring properties: expiry 28 December 2015. 3. REPRESENTATIONS 3.1 Ten letters of support and fifty letters of objection have been received. The concerns raised are summarised as follows: Inappropriate development in the Green Belt; Green Belt land should be maintained as permanent open land without any development; Sets precedent for change of permanent use of Green Belt land; Conflict with character of area; Noise disturbance to local residents; Condition set on temporary permission has not been adhered to and music has been heard from long distance from the venue ; Light pollution from venue; Prevents local residents enjoying the peace and tranquillity of their own gardens through the entire summer months; Detrimental to tranquillity of countryside; Event marquees visible from public footpaths which visually harms area of outstanding beauty; Introduction of camping facility will add to noise and disturbance to local residents; Detrimental to wildlife and no badger or bat surveys carried out; Disturbance extends over several days due to the need to erect and take down structures and equipment; Increased traffic generation along Cuffley Hill; Dangerous position of access to site could lead to highway safety issues; No commercial benefit to local community suppliers etc located as far away as Norwich, Luton and Cambridgeshire; Could lead to more permanent structures on the land, showers etc. for the camping; Proposed camp site is in a hazardous location as close to the lake; Destruction of farming resource; No mention of numbers of staff required on site or limits to number of public attending events, should be limited for safety reasons; Site lies in a natural valley with no barriers to residential dwellings so noise carries; Applicant states that no works or physical changes to the land are required, but there is significant earth moving taking place. Letters of support have been received independently from businesses including a taxi firm, local café providing take away breakfast service, local farm supplying hay bales and the supplier of sound equipment, and local residents in addition to letters submitted by suppliers which were enclosed as support for the application. A2 4. RELEVANT LOCAL PLAN POLICIES 4.1 The following policies of the Borough of Broxbourne Local Plan Second Review 2001-2011 (adopted December 2005) apply: SUS8 Noisy development SUS9 Requirement for a noise impact study SUS16 Flood Risk Assessments GBC2 Development within the metropolitan Green Belt GBC6 Proposals for non-agricultural uses of Green Belt land GBC7 Buildings required in association with predominantly open uses of Green Belt land GBC14 Rural diversification GBC16 Landscape character areas and enhancement T3 Transport and new development T11 Car parking 4.2 Also applicable is the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) March 2012. The chapters of particular relevance for this application are 3 (Supporting a prosperous rural economy), 9 (Protecting Green Belt land) and 11 (Conserving and enhancing the natural environment). 5. LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF SITE 5.1 Brook Farm occupies approximately 182 hectares of land that lies within the Green Belt adjacent to the eastern boundary of the Borough of Broxbourne. The land in this area is strongly undulating with a mixture of open farmland and wooded areas. Cuffley Brook runs north-south along the western boundary of the farmland. Parts of the farm lie within flood zones 2 and 3. Public footpaths situated on higher land provide access to the countryside providing views across Brook Farm. 5.2 The farm is an agricultural holding. Dairy and beef farming previously operated at the site but this use has been replaced by arable farming, together with the provision of facilities for a range of leisure activities, including game and clay pigeon shooting, hiring of land for events, and leasing of farm buildings for storage to several separate companies. The use of farm buildings for leasing for storage were subject to a retrospective planning application and certificate of lawful use which were approved in 2015. 5.3 Cuffley Hill which is a busy B classified road linking Cheshunt and Cuffley bisects Brook Farm. The farm house and a number of large barns lie on the northern side of the highway, and open grassland and fields of crops on the southern side. An unmade track on the southern side of the highway provides access through a gateway into the farm off Cuffley Hill. The track leads south until it terminates at a turning head to the south of a lake which is surrounded by mature trees with a relatively level area of open grassland adjacent. It is this area of land where marquees have been periodically erected and events such as wedding receptions have taken place since 2011. This area of land is subject to the proposed change of use. A3 . 5.4 The event area is approximately 4.6 hectares and comprises grassland, lake, Cuffley Brook, farm track and turning head. The land straddles the boundary between the Borough of Broxbourne and Welwyn and Hatfield District Councils. There is space provided for the erection of temporary marquees, ancillary catering tents and portable toilets, with vehicle parking to the side of the track adjacent to the lake. The site is located within a natural amphitheatre with higher ground consisting of farmland and woodlands surrounding it. 5.5 There are bus services running along Cuffley Hill and Cuffley Railway Station lies to the north-west of Brook Farm. However, the location of the event venue is set a long way back (approximately 0.89km) from the highway down an unlit farm track so it would not be likely that wedding guests would arrive on foot. A4 Administrative boundary between BoB and WHDC Site plan showing proposed wedding event/camping area. A5 Wedding event site. Wedding event with tepees being set up as viewed from public footpath 15th May 2014. Marquees being set up for wedding event 1st May 2014 A6 Section of the farm track forming the route between the entrance to the southern area of Brook Farm, and the lakeside venue. Section of the turning head, with open grassland beyond which is available for guests attending wedding events to camp overnight. A7 Wedding event layout being constructed with the lake on the left and marquee on the right. 6. PROPOSAL 6.1 The proposal is for a change in the use of the land to allow 15 weddings with camping offered for up to 50 guests for weekends between 1 March and 30 September. 6.2 The proposed use of the land for wedding events and related camping would also include land within Welwyn and Hatfield Council where the majority of the land for camping provision would be located. A concurrent application has been submitted to Welwyn and Hatfield Council for the proposed camping although this application has not yet been determined. 6.3 The applicant advises that the 4.6 hectares site lying in the southern area of Brook Farm was offered as a venue for wedding receptions from 2011. At this time permitted development rights were applied which allow the temporary change of use of land for no more than 28 days in any calendar year. The applicant also advises that camping for up to 50 wedding guests was offered on the night of the wedding. 6.4 For the purpose of calculating the 28 day period the time to set up and take down marquees and equipment has been included and the applicant advises that each wedding event involves activity on the site over a 5 day period, for example: Thursday – setting up equipment and temporary structures; Friday – decoration of marquee Saturday – event takes place Sunday – clearance and dismantling of temporary structures begins Monday – site cleared A8 6.5 As part of the consideration of the 2014 application the permitted development ruling in planning for the inclusion of setting up and site clearance periods within the 28 days was checked by the Council with a barrister.