DECISION RIBBLE VALLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL REPORT TO PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Agenda Item No meeting date: THURSDAY, 12 DECEMBER 2013 title: PLANNING APPLICATIONS submitted by: DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES PLANNING APPLICATIONS UNDER THE TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990: APPLICATION NO: 3/2013/0888/P (GRID REF: SD 368309 431205) PROPOSED CHANGE OF USE OF FOUR AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS AND PART OF A FARMYARD FOR THE STORAGE OF CARAVANS (UP TO 70 CARAVANS IN TOTAL) AT BROADHEAD FARM, RAMSGREAVE PARISH COUNCIL: No representations had been received at the time of report preparation. ENVIRONMENT Originally expressed concerns that the farm access from DIRECTORATE Pleckgate Road is single track with no opportunity for opposing (COUNTY SURVEYOR): vehicles to pass each other along the length of the access track or at the junction of the track with Pleckgate Road. He therefore required that conditions should be imposed requiring the submission for approval and subsequent implementation of the scheme of alterations to the junction of the access track with Pleckgate Road and for the provision of passing places capable of accommodating vehicles towing caravans. Details of such a scheme have been shown on an amended plan (drawing no WOR/024/1635/03A) received by the Local Planning Authority on 18 November 2013. Subject to compliance with that amended plan, the County Surveyor has no objections to this application on highway safety grounds. ADJOINING AUTHORITY: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has made the following comments on the application. 1. The Council considers the visual appearance of the land and the impact of the proposed development upon it to be ‘important and intrinsic’ to the special character of the greenbelt, and would want to ensure the preservation and enhancement of this quality. 2 NPPF supports the reuse of redundant or disused agricultural buildings that would lead to the enhancement of the immediate setting. It is noted that the proposal is within an adjacent group of existing buildings; and such development would therefore be acceptable if it avoided having an impact on the openness of the landscape. 3. Ribble Valley Borough Council should be satisfied that 70 caravans stored on the site would not generate an intrusive 1 level of noise through movement and manoeuvring of vehicles that would be detrimental to the amenities of nearby residents. 4. The potential impact on the surrounding highway network is a concern. The accesses to the site using the track from Whalley New Road near to the car shown room and the narrow turning into the north eastern end of Pleckgate Road close to the Brownhill roundabout are not suitable for use by caravans. The application, however, proposes Pleckgate Road from Ramsgreave Drive (A6119) as the sole access route; and it is considered that the A6119 can accommodate an increase in traffic. 5. In conclusion, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council does not object to the proposal provided that the effects of the development on the openness of the greenbelt and on the local highway network have been properly taken into account. LANCASHIRE Has commented that a lockable barrier (with authorised CONSTABULARY: persons having the means to unlock the barrier) and the installation of external lighting would be beneficial with regards to the matter of crime prevention. ADDITIONAL A petition has been received that is signed by 23 people from REPRESENTATIONS: 18 local addresses. It is stated in its heading that those people are “against” the application, but no detailed reasons are given. Individual letters/emails have been received from 13 local households. The objections and observations made in the letters are summarised as follows: 1. Highway Safety – the farm access track is not wide enough for 2 vehicles towing caravans to pass each other. The local roads leading to the access track are narrow and in a poor state of repair. Residents cars parked on the road where there are no double yellow lines would prevent vehicles towing caravans from either entering or exiting the farm track. There are two routes to the access track but one (from the Brownhills roundabout) can only be used as an access (but not as an exit) as it is one way. Danger to pedestrians including elderly people and children. 2. Nuisance of car headlights shining into local resident’s windows including bedroom windows. 3. Harm to visual amenity by caravans stored outside especially if they spread onto surrounding fields. 2 4. There is an existing touring caravan storage facility in the locality. This additional facility is therefore not needed. 5. Will the storing of caravans inside existing buildings mean that new buildings would have to be built for housing livestock in winter? 6. A permission will set a precedent for further farm diversification including the erection of new buildings to the detriment of rural areas. 7. What security measures are to be put in place? 8. Noise disturbance due to increased vehicles – exacerbated by the poor condition of the road surfaces in the locality. Proposal Full planning permission is sought for the change of use of four buildings and a yard area from agricultural use to use for the storage of touring caravans. In the submitted Planning Statement, it is estimated that about 50 caravans would be stored within the buildings with approximately a further 20 to be stored in the former silage clamp and adjoining yard area. The application does not involve any external alterations to the buildings, but the outside storage area would be screened where necessary by 2m high closed board fencing. To address conditions required by the County Highway Authority (and to comply with the details shown on a submitted amended plan) the proposed development also involves alterations to the farm access track that will be used as the access/egress for caravans in the event that this application is approved. These alterations include improvements to the junction of the track with Pleckgate Road and the provision of 2 passing places of appropriate dimensions to allow 2 vehicles each towing caravans to pass each other. Site Location The application site (as defined in red on the submitted plan) comprises a range of former agricultural buildings, part of the farmyard and a farm track at Broadhurst Farm, Ramsgreave. The farm extends to about 35 hectares of land which surrounds the farmstead but which does not form part of the application site. The site is within the green belt just outside the settlement boundary of Wilpshire. The adjoining land within the settlement boundary to the north east of the site is a residential development whilst to the south west the adjoining land is within a mixture of residential and commercial use. There are two existing access tracks to the farmstead. The original track runs from Whalley New Road to the north of a car sales garage and passes over the railway and then crosses a field before entering the farmstead at its north eastern corner. This original track is not included in the defined application site, and will not be used in association with the proposed use of the farmstead. 3 In 2000, Prior Notification Permission was granted for an approximately 250m long agricultural access track that runs from Pleckgate Road and crosses fields before entering the south side of the farmstead (3/2000/024N). This track has been formed and is included within the defined application site. It is therefore this track that will be used in association with the proposed new use of part of the farmstead. Relevant History 3/2000/024N – Prior Notification Permission without conditions for an approximately 250m long agricultural access track. Relevant Policies Ribble Valley Districtwide Local Plan Policy G1 - Development Control. Policy G5 - Settlement Strategy. Policy ENV4 - Green Belt. Policy EMP9 - Conversions for Employment Uses. Policy EMP12 - Agricultural Diversification. Core Strategy Regulation 22 Submission Draft – Post Submission Version (including proposed main changes) Policy DMG1 – General Considerations. Policy DMG2 – Strategic Considerations. Policy DMB1 – Supporting Business Growth and the Local Economy. Policy EN1 – Green Belt. Policy EC1 – Business and Economic Development. National Planning Policy Framework. Environmental, AONB, Human Rights and Other Issues The matters for consideration in relation to this application are the principle of the development and the effects of the proposed touring caravan storage on highway safety, visual amenity, and the amenities of nearby residents. With regards to the principle of the proposal, the relevant saved policies of the Local Plan are G1 (General Development Control Criteria), G5 (Development Outside Main Settlement Boundaries), ENV4 (Green Belt), ENV9 (Conversion of Rural Buildings for Employment Uses) and EMP12 (Agricultural Diversification). The general requirements of Policy G1 relating to highway safety, visual amenity and the amenities of nearby residents will be discussed later in this report. In open countryside locations, Policy G5 allows small-scale developments that are essential to the local economy or the social wellbeing of the area or other small-scale developments appropriate to a rural area and which conforms to other policies in the Plan. I consider this proposal to represent a small-scale development that is therefore acceptable in principle in relation to Policy G5. Compliance or otherwise with other relevant policies will be discussed below. 4 Policy ENV4 states that planning permission will be granted within the Green Belt for use as a land which preserve the openness of the green belt and which do not conflict with the purposes of the designation. Proposals for the change of use of existing buildings are also acceptable subject to compliance with other relevant policies. In this proposal, the majority of the caravans are to be stored within existing buildings. Those that are to be stored outside will be well screened by the existing buildings with further screening to be provided where necessary by 2m high fences.