Land Adjacent to 14 Wharfe View, Kirkby Overblow, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG3 1HN
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Case No. 18/02964/RG3 Item No. 02 Location: Land Adjacent To 14 Wharfe View, Kirkby Overblow, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG3 1HN Proposal: Demolition of existing garages and erection of two dwellings and associated parking. Applicant: Harrogate Borough Council Access to the case file on Public Access can be found here:- view file Reason for report: This application is to be presented to the Planning Committee because it is an application for new dwellings by Harrogate Borough Council. SUMMARY There would be public benefit through the provision of affordable housing in Kirkby Overblow. The redevelopment of this previously developed land would not cause substantial harm to the openness of the Green Belt, nor detrimentally affect the character and appearance of the area. Existing levels of residential amenity will be safeguarded and additional car-parking is proposed to compensate for the loss of the garages. The proposal accords with the three overarching objectives of sustainability, set out in the National Planning Policy Framework, along with the Core Strategy policies in the Harrogate District Local Plan Development Framework (adopted 2009) and the saved policies in the Harrogate District Local Plan (2001, as altered 2009). There are no other material considerations in this instance that warrant setting aside local planning policies. RECOMMENDATION: Approve subject to conditions 18/02964/RG3 1 18/02964/RG3 2 18/02964/RG3 3 1.0 SITE DESCRIPTION 1.1 Wharfe View comprises semi-detached houses and bungalows, located on the edge of Kirkby Overblow, within the statutory Green Belt. The application site comprises a row of six, flat roofed garages with an area of tarmac, located adjacent to 14 Wharfe View. The site is bounded by open fields to the north, a group of trees to the immediate east and recreational open space to the south. 2.0 PROPOSAL 2.1 The proposal is to demolish the existing row of six garage and construct a pair of semi-detached dwellings with parking spaces. The new properties would become part of Harrogate Borough Council’s housing portfolio and be subsequently managed by the Council. 2.2 Following concerns raised by the parish council and local residents at the loss of parking, the submitted scheme has been amended to incorporate the provision of a layby capable of accommodating five cars, on land opposite no.9 and 10 Wharfe View. This revised proposal has been re-advertised by the posting of further site notices, and the parish council has been re- consulted. 3.0 APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING INFORMATION Design and Access Statement. Contaminated Land Assessment. Biodiversity Checklist and Ecological Study. Housing waiting list for Lower Wharfedale Area. 4.0 RELEVANT HISTORY 4.1 No recent or relevant site history. 5.0 NATIONAL & LOCAL POLICY 18/02964/RG3 4 5.1 National Planning Policy National Planning Policy Framework, July 2018. 5.2 Core Strategy Policy SG1 Settlement Growth: Housing Distribution Policy SG2 Settlement Growth: Hierarchy and limits Policy SG3 Settlement Growth: Conservation of the countryside, including Green Belt Policy SG4 Settlement Growth: Design and Impact Policy EQ1 Reducing risks to the environment Policy EQ2 The natural and built environment and green belt Policy C1 Inclusive communities 5.3 Harrogate District Local Plan (2001, As Altered 2004) Policy H5 Affordable Housing Policy HD13 Trees and Woodlands Policy HD20 Design of New Development and Redevelopment Policy C2 Landscape Character Policy R11 Rights of Way 5.4 Supplementary Planning Documents House Extensions and Garages Design Guide Residential Design Guide Landscape Character Assessment of Harrogate District Housing waiting list for the Lower Wharfedale Area. 5.5 Other material policy considerations: 5.6 Planning Practice Guidance 6.0 CONSULTATIONS 6.1 NYCC Highways And Transportation - No response has been received 6.2 Estates Manager - No comments received. 18/02964/RG3 5 6.3 Health and Safety Executive - Does not advise, on safety grounds, against the granting of planning permission. 6.4 National Grid Plant Protection (JRC Respond) - Has no objection to the proposal. 6.5 EHO Contaminated Land - Recommends conditions relating to reporting unexpected contamination and provision of an electric vehicle charging point. 6.6 Yorkshire Water - No response has been received. 7.0 VIEWS OF THE PARISH COUNCIL 7.1 Kirkby Overblow Parish Council do not object, or support the application but comment: “Whilst the Parish Council fully supports the principle of affordable housing for local community needs there is no information in this application as to how this could work. The Design and Access Statement simply says ‘the new properties would become part of HBC housing portfolio and subsequently managed by HBC. The Parish Council would like to see some more detail as to how this proposal might benefit local people to get on the ladder/starter homes. The existing garages occupy an elevated position with views to the front over the Wharfe valley and to the back towards Hambleton hills. Any development on this site could have an impact on the openness of the Green Belt. The proposal is for a pair of two storey semi-detached dwellings, whilst the closest Council properties at Wharfe View are bungalows. It is considered this would not have a uniform affect although bungalow alternatives would presumably need a larger footprint and it is doubted whether this is possible on this site. The proposal would cause a loss of existing car parking spaces for Wharfe View residents and council tenants. The large tarmac area to the front of the garages is extensively used for parking. This would be lost. There is no alternative car parking provision at this stage.” 18/02964/RG3 6 8.0 OTHER REPRESENTATIONS 8.1 Four objections have been received from local residents, raising the following issues: Loss of car parking and turning facilities and the ability for existing residents to park their cars. Provision should be made for the loss of parking and considered in the plans. There is a right of way from the public footpath behind the houses on Wharfe View which passes down the side of no.14. This right of way has been in use for more than 12 years and would be blocked by the proposed plans. 9.0 ASSESSMENT 9.1 The main issues for consideration under this application are as follows: i. Housing Land Supply ii. Green Belt. iii. Character and Appearance. iv. Amenity-impact on existing and proposed residents. v. Highways. vi. Land contamination. 9.2 Sustainability 9.3 The National Planning Policy Framework, July 2018, sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these should be applied. At the heart of the Framework is a presumption in favour of sustainable development. Achieving sustainable development means that the planning system has three overarching objectives, which are interdependent and need to be pursued in mutually supportive ways. The three sustainable objectives are economic, social and environmental. 9.4 SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY 18/02964/RG3 7 9.5 Housing Land Supply 9.6 The application is for the erection of two affordable housing units, one 2 bedroom unit and one 3 bedroomed property. The Housing Department has advised that there are currently 95 applicants on the waiting list for 2 bedroomed properties for the Lower Wharfedale sub area, and 60 applicants on the waiting list for 3 bedroomed houses. 9.7 The Council’s Housing and Economic Development needs assessment (HEDNA) provides information on objectively assessed housing need. This document concludes that there is a requirement for 669 dwellings per annum to meet the needs of the district. 9.8 The Framework requires local planning authorities to identify and update annually a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide a minimum of five years’ worth of housing against their housing requirement with appropriate buffer. Where an authority cannot demonstrate a five year supply of housing land, policies relating to the supply of housing land are rendered out of date (Paragraph 11d, footnote 7). Instead, housing application should be assessed under paragraph 11 of the Framework and the presumption in favour of sustainable development with permission granted unless policies in the Framework provide a clear reason for refusing the development proposed or any adverse impacts would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits. 9.9 The July 2018 Housing Land Supply Update has been completed (the full review can be viewed on the Council website). This shows that the council has a 5.02 year supply, meaning that paragraph 11 of the Framework, and the presumption in favour of sustainable development, is not automatically triggered. However, the supply position is marginal and it will be important to take steps to maintain it. Moreover, only limited weight can be attached to Core Strategy Policies SG1, SG2 and SG3 as these policies were based on a housing target that is now out of date. 9.10 The proposal would provide much needed affordable housing within Kirkby Overblow, the Housing Department have provided details of the waiting lists 18/02964/RG3 8 for Council property within the Lower Wharfedale sub area, which identify a clear need for the accommodated proposed. The housing officer has also advised that the properties will be for rent and that priority can be given through the points based allocations systems to those with a local connection to Kirkby Overblow and its sub area (parish and adjoining area). The construction of social housing will provide public benefit and conform with the social role of sustainability. 9.11 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY 9.12 Green Belt 9.13 The site lies within the statutory Green Belt, where there is a general presumption against inappropriate development. The Framework advises, in paragraph 143, inappropriate development is, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances.