17/02698/Ful (Full Planning Application)
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DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 29 May 2018 Case No: 17/02698/FUL (FULL PLANNING APPLICATION) Proposal: EXTENSION TO CHURCH, REPAIRS AND ASSOCIATED WORKS Location: ST NICHOLAS CHURCH HIGH STREET HAIL WESTON Applicant: ST NICHOLAS HAIL WESTON PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL Grid Ref: 516522 262078 Date of Registration: 04.01.2018 Parish: HAIL WESTON RECOMMENDATION - REFUSE This application has been referred to Development Management Committee as Hail Weston Parish Council’s recommendation of approval is contrary to the officer recommendation to refuse the application. 1. DESCRIPTION OF SITE AND APPLICATION 1.1 The Church of St. Nicholas, High Street, is a Grade II* Listed Building but under The Ecclesiastical Exemption (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) England Order 2010 internal and external alterations to it are exempt from requiring Listed Building Consent. In other words, the proposal only requires planning permission. 1.2 Planning permission is sought for alterations to the exterior of the building including the removal and relocation of the existing South Porch from the south side of the Church to the North doorway of the Church; the building of a new South Porch at the South doorway, and the blocking up of the existing doorway into the Tower. 1.3 The application has been submitted on behalf of the St Nicolas Hail Weston Parochial Church Council and follows two years of consultation with both the local community and the St Nicolas Church Restoration Group prior to submission of the application to the Local Planning Authority (the LPA). 1.4 Prior to this submission an architect had devised a scheme (as identified in the Statement of Significance, and received by the LPA 5.1.18) that was somewhat different from the current proposal: Option 1 – toilet & servery (kitchen) in pods at rear of church. Relocate pews accordingly. Option 2 – as Option 1 above but in addition relocate the font Option 3 – remove pews on North side only, construct porch and locate lobby and WC. Servery (kitchen) in a pod at rear of the church. Option 4 – as option 3 but in addition removing all pews at back and relocating the font. 1.5 However after consultation with the current Quinquennial Architect (now the appointed Architect) an alternative scheme was produced and proposed for discussion and it is this scheme that is the subject of this application and assessment. 1.6 In response to the comments received 5.3.18 from Historic England the applicant has not made any amendments to the scheme. 1.7 A summary of Historic England’s comments are available in the ‘Consultations’ section below. The applicant did not consider the advice given by Historic England to be feasible. It is apparent the applicant did not wish to make amendments to the proposal in line with this. 2. NATIONAL GUIDANCE AND LEGISLATION 2.1 Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 2.2 The National Planning Policy Framework (2012) sets out the three dimensions to sustainable development - an economic role, a social role and an environmental role - and outlines the presumption in favour of sustainable development. Under the heading of Delivering Sustainable Development, the Framework sets out the Government's planning policies for : building a strong, competitive economy; ensuring the vitality of town centres; supporting a prosperous rural economy; promoting sustainable transport; supporting high quality communications infrastructure; delivering a wide choice of high quality homes; requiring good design; promoting healthy communities; protecting Green Belt land; meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change; conserving and enhancing the natural environment; conserving and enhancing the historic environment; and facilitating the sustainable use of minerals. 2.3 Planning Practice Guidance For full details visit the government website https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-communities- and-local-government 3. PLANNING POLICIES 3.1 Saved policies from the Huntingdonshire Local Plan (1995) • En2: Character and setting of Listed Buildings • En25: General Design Criteria • En22: Nature and Wildlife Conservation 3.2 Saved policies from the Huntingdonshire Local Plan Alterations (2002) • None relevant. 3.3 Adopted Huntingdonshire Local Development Framework Core Strategy (2009) • CS1: Sustainable development in Huntingdonshire 3.4 Huntingdonshire's Local Plan to 2036: Proposed Submission 2017 • LP12: Design Context • LP13: Design Implementation • LP15: Amenity • LP32: Biodiversity and Geodiversity • LP36: Heritage Assets and their Settings 3.5 The LPA considers the Local Plan to 2036 to be a sound plan and it was submitted for examination on the 29th March 2018. The plan has therefore reached an advanced stage and is consistent with the policies set out within the NPPF. 3.6 Huntingdonshire Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document (2017): • Place Making Principles - Part 3.7 Building Form Local policies are viewable at https://www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk 4. PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 No history of relevant on record. 5. CONSULTATIONS 5.1 Hail Weston Parish Council – All Parish Council adopted ‘planning considerations’ were met. There were no resident objections made to the Parish Council prior to or at the Parish meeting held on 16.01.18. 5.2 Historic England - have concerns regarding the application on heritage grounds and we urge your authority to seek amendments to the application in its current form. We consider that the issues and safeguards outlined in our advice need to be addressed in order for the application to meet the requirements of paragraphs 132 and 134 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) In determining this application you should bear in mind the statutory duty of section 66(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 to have special regard to the desirability of preserving listed buildings or their setting or any features of the special architectural or historic interest which they possess and section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 to determine planning applications in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Your authority should take these representations into account and seek amendments, safeguards or further information as set out in our advice. 5.3 HDC Conservation Team - Recommends refusal on the grounds that the resulting level of harm to the historic building is not considered to be outweighed by the public benefit. 5.4 Cambridgeshire County Council Archaeology Team - We do not object to development from proceeding in this location but consider that the site should be subject to a programme of archaeological investigation secured through the inclusion of a negative condition. 6. REPRESENTATIONS 6.1 Comments were received from 118 people in support of the proposal. Comments came from not only residents of Hail Weston but from other villages including as far afield as: Wareham, Dorset, Stowmarket, Suffolk Bottesford, Nottinghamshire Flamstead, St Albans Hitchin, Hertfordshire Potton and Melchbourne in Bedfordshire as well as more locally from: Huntingdon, Perry, Brampton, Great and Little Staughton, Eaton Socon, Alconbury Weald and Little Paxton. 6.2 Approximately half of the comments of support did not have a specific material reason attached to the comment but supported the proposal, however an almost equivalent amount resoundingly supported the proposal on the grounds of the provision of facilities including toilet facilities, a kitchen and disabled access. 6.3 Other comments were also made explaining that the comments from Historic England are ‘shameful’ and ‘ill-considered’ and should be ignored. It is the duty (under the Town and Country Planning (General Procedures Order) 2015) of the LPA to fully consider comments from statutory consultees. Historic England and our Conservation Team were consulted as the church is a Grade II* listed building. 6.4 It should be noted that some of the letters of support refer to all of the works proposed to be undertaken at the church such as making it warmer and more user friendly in general. This may assist in explaining the consternation of many of the parishioners when they were made aware the recommendation was likely to be for refusal. 6.5 Other works proposed are identified in the Design and Access Statement received 28.12.17 and these include: INTERNAL 1. Strengthen the tower as necessary. 2. Put in a new bell ringing floor. 3. Put in a new staircase for access to the bell ringing floor. 4. Maximise storage opportunities within the refurbished tower. 5. Remove existing central heating system from the church and boiler shed. 6. Put in new electrical lighting/heating system in church. 7. Remove 4 Medieval pews from back of church to the chancel. (leave back pew on each side in place, plus possibly one along north side and one along south side at back of church). An alternative option is to re-site the organ and alter the size of one pew to fit if permitted. 8. Sympathetically reduce (if necessary) the size of the 4 pews in the chancel slightly to make a better fit. 9. All Medieval pews to be sympathetically restored. 10. Fit heaters under 4 medieval pews in chancel and also some form of heating for the priest at the altar. 11. Get comfortable cushions made for pews in church. 12. Improve lighting in chancel area, and make it more accessible for maintenance. 13. Ensure the integrity of the church and preservation of historic periods within the respective church sections. Grouping the Medieval pieces collectively and restoring the church altar. 14. Organ – Explore the possibility of relocating the organ pipes in order that the unique lancet window is visible again and can be appreciated in its historic context. 15. Remove first Victorian pew on RHS of church, just in front of the rood screen, and sell to subsidise restoration. 16. Space out remaining Victorian pews to give more leg room on RHS. 17. Check to see if more leg room can be created in Victorian pew area on LHS too.