Planning, Heritage and Design and Access Statement
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5 Buttermarket Thame Oxon OX9 3EW m: 07753 5029 e: [email protected] ______________________________________________________ APPLICATION BY MR G COUPLAND FOR FULL PLANNING PERMISSION FOR THE ALTERATION AND CONVERSION OF EXISTING BUILDING TO FORM A ONE-BEDROOM UNIT WITH PARKING AND AMENITY SPACE AT HUCKENDEN FARM, WHEELER END, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. ____________________________________________ PLANNING, HERITAGE AND DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT _________________________________________________ DECEMBER 2020 Huckenden Farm, Wheeler End, Bucks December 2020 _________________________________________________________________________________________________ CONTENTS PAGE Page 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 The Site and Surrounding Area 4 3.0 Planning History 5 4.0 The Proposals 6 5.0 Planning Policy Background 7 6.0 Key Planning Considerations 12 7.0 Conclusions 18 ________________________________________________________________________2 Huckenden Farm, Wheeler End, Bucks December 2020 _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1.0 Introduction 1.1 This Statement accompanies an application submitted to Buckinghamshire Council – Wycombe Area for full planning permission for the alteration and conversion of an existing building at Huckenden Farm, Wheeler End to form a one-bedroom unit with parking and amenity space. 1.2 The Statement is structured as follows; • Section 2 – The Site and Surrounding Area • Section 3 – Planning History • Section 4 – The Proposals • Section 5 – Planning Policy Background • Section 6 – Key Planning Considerations • Section 7 – Conclusions ________________________________________________________________________3 Huckenden Farm, Wheeler End, Bucks December 2020 _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2.0 The Site and Surrounding Area 2.1 Huckenden Farm is located on the western edge of Wheeler End, accessed via a lane that extends westwards off Bolter End Lane to the south of the former Bricklayers Arms Public House. 2.2 The farm, which is no longer in agricultural use, comprises the Grade II Listed Farmhouse that is of brick and flint construction with a pitched, clay tile roof, and separately listed (Grade II) timber barn with pitched roof located to the west thereof. The Farmhouse has been subdivided in to a number of dwellings, with the barn converted and occupied as a single residential unit. To the north of the farmhouse a former workshop building has been converted to a separate dwelling with, to the west of the farmhouse, a former garage building now also occupied as a separate dwelling. A detached single storey car-port style building (the subject building) is located to the south of the farmhouse. 2.3 Huckenden Farm is otherwise surrounded by open countryside, all of which falls within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and Metropolitan Green Belt. Huckenden Farm also falls within the Cadmore End Common Conservation Area, with – as noted - Huckenden Farmhouse and Huckenden Farm Barn both Grade II Listed Buildings. 2.4 The extent of the application site is shown outlined in red on the site location plan. ________________________________________________________________________4 Huckenden Farm, Wheeler End, Bucks December 2020 _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3.0 Planning History 3.1 Whilst the wider site (Huckenden Farm) has an extensive planning history, including recent approvals for the conversion of other buildings to separate residential use (14/06716/FUL and 16/06174/FUL), the most relevant history relating to the subject building is set out below. 3.2 In September 2011 planning permission (11/06124/FUL) was granted for the subdivision of the farmhouse to create three residential units together with the provision of car-port structures and related fencing, including the subject building. An application (18/05138/FUL) was then submitted in January 2018 for an extension to the building to provide a swimming pool. That application was withdrawn, prior to determination, in September last year. ________________________________________________________________________5 Huckenden Farm, Wheeler End, Bucks December 2020 _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4.0 The Proposal 4.1 As set out previously the application seeks planning permission for the alteration and conversion of an existing building to form a one-bedroom unit with parking and amenity space, full details of which are set out in the following plans and documents: • P100 Site Location Plan (1:1250) • 1468-SUR Existing Site Plan (1:250), Existing Floor Plan (1:50) and Existing Elevations and Roof Plan (1:100) • 1468-P5A Proposed Site Plan (1:250), Proposed Floor Plan (1:50) and Proposed Elevations and Roof Plan (1:100) 4.2 As shown in the plans accompanying the application, the proposal involves converting the existing building to provide a one-bedroom dwelling. Externally, the works of conversion would involve blocking up the existing openings in the north elevation (save for a pedestrian access door) with insulated timber framing/panels, the outward appearance of which would match the existing horizontal boarding on the remaining elevations. In addition, it is proposed to replace the existing door opening in the south elevation and introduce new glazed screens either size of the door. 4.3 Internally, new partition walls would be added to create the bedroom area in the western section of the building, lit by the existing opening in this elevation, with a bathroom created in the north-east corner of the building. The remaining section of the building would be open plan and contain a kitchen/living/dining area. Internally the works of conversion would involve adding insulated timber framing to the inside of the existing external walls, set above the existing brick plinth, and with plaster board to the internal elevations. 4.4 Parking for the proposed dwelling would be located adjacent to the eastern flank of the building, accessed via the existing driveway serving the adjoining units and providing two parking spaces. The amenity area would be contained mainly to the south of the building. ________________________________________________________________________6 Huckenden Farm, Wheeler End, Bucks December 2020 _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5.0 Planning Policy Background 5.1 Under the provisions of Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 there is a statutory obligation to determine planning applications in accordance with the Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. This section of the Statement therefore first outlines the National Planning Policy background before going on to consider the relevant Development Plan policies in the context of Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 5.2 The NPPF was first published on 27 March 2012 and, with immediate effect, replaced a raft of advice and guidance contained in various Planning Policy Guidance notes (PPGs), and Planning Policy Statements (PPSs). On 24 July 2018 a revised version of the NPPF was issued, with paragraph 212 stating that ‘the policies in this Framework are material consideration which should be taken into account in dealing with applications from the day of its publication’. Further revisions to the Framework were published in February 2019. 5.3 As with the original (2012) NPPF, sustainable development remains at the heart of the Framework, with three interdependent and overarching objectives – economic, social and environmental – driving the achievement of sustainable development. In order to ensure that sustainable development is pursued in a positive manner, the Framework embodies, in paragraph 11, a presumption in favour of sustainable development. 5.4 For decision-taking – in respect of applications for planning permission – the presumption in favour of sustainable development means (paragraph 11): (c) approving development proposals that accord with an up-to-date development plan without delay; or (d) where there are no development plan policies or the policies which are most important for determining the application are out-of-date, granting planning permission unless: (i) the application of policies in this Framework that protect areas of assets of particular importance provides a clear reason for refusing the development proposed; or ________________________________________________________________________7 Huckenden Farm, Wheeler End, Bucks December 2020 _________________________________________________________________________________________________ (ii) any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in this Framework taken as a whole. Housing 5.5 In terms of housing, paragraph 59 re-affirms that, in order to support the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes, ‘it is important that a sufficient amount and variety of land can come forward where it is needed’. Paragraph 68 recognises the value and contribution that small and medium sized sites can make to meeting housing requirements and states that, through the development plan, land to accommodate at least 10% of housing requirements should be on sites no larger than one hectare. 5.6 To promote sustainable