School House, Mill Lane, Wetley Rocks on Behalf of Jcm Estates
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AGENDA ITEM 7 SMD/2015/0288 ALTERATIONS TO EXISTING SCHOOL HOUSE AND CONVERSION OF FORMER SCHOOL TO THREE DWELLINGS (RESUBMISSION OF PLANNING APPLICATION SMD/2014/0334) AT THE SCHOOL HOUSE, MILL LANE, WETLEY ROCKS ON BEHALF OF JCM ESTATES Parish: Cheadle Registration: 29/7/2015 Case Officer: Teresa Critchlow Grid Reference: SJ964 493 Up-dated by A. D. Swithenbank THE APPLICATION This is a second attempt submission which seeks consent for alterations and conversion of the existing school house to provide 3 dwellings. One of the units would provide a one bedroom dwelling with the other two each providing two bedroom units. The existing headmaster’s house which currently provides two bedrooms would also be retained as part of the proposed scheme. This report was first published for the 13th August 2015 meeting but was withdrawn by the applicant. The report had identified (paragraph 12) that an up-date to an earlier protected species (bats) assessment was needed. The applicant had been unable to provide this in time for the meeting. This has since been received and it is possible to determine the application. Access to the development will be provided by a new access leading from Main Road. Whilst not currently constructed the proposed access has recently been approved as part of a separate development serving three pairs of semi-detached affordable housing dwellings located immediately to the north of the application site (SMD/2014/0777). Car parking for the existing headmaster’s dwelling will remain as existing on Mill Lane whilst the new dwellings will be served by their own parking provision which will lie to the north of the school building in front of the affordable housing development. The application is accompanied by a Design and Access including Heritage Statement, Structural Report, Marketing Report and Bat Survey. SITE LOCATION/DESCRIPTION The 0.5ha application site lies outside any designated development boundary within the Green Belt and Landscape Character Area (Ancient Slope & Valley Farmlands). The application building lies adjacent to St. Johns Church which is Grade II Listed. The St. John’s Church site is given the reference WR01 in the Staffordshire Moorlands Visual Open Space Assessment stating “this site is a valuable open space on the western edge of Wetley Rocks having significant amenity value and providing significant external and internal views.” 7.1 AGENDA ITEM 7 PLANNING HISTORY SMD/2011/0193 Six affordable dwellings with new access onto Main Road. Granted Conditionally. SMD/2012/0407 Alterations to existing School House and conversion of former School to three dwellings. Withdrawn. SMD/2013/0095 Alterations to approved access. Withdrawn. SMD/2013/0563 Alterations to approved access including new car park. Withdrawn. SMD/2013/0754 Alterations to approved access including new car park. Withdrawn. SMD/2014/0334 Alterations to existing School House and conversion of former School to three dwellings. Withdrawn. SMD/2014/0335 Alterations to approved access including new car park. Refused. SMD/2014/0777 Variation of condition 4 (amended access road on planning permission 11/00069/FUL. Granted conditionally. CONSULTATIONS Cheddleton Parish Council: No objections. Local Highway Authority: No objections subject to conditions and informatives. Ecology Officer – Bats present in the building mean that development will be subject to the requirement for a licence from Natural England. Measures proposed to maintain bat usage of the building post development are considered suitable and acceptable Conservation Officer – No objections subject to conditions controlling details and materials and boundary treatment. Environmental Health Officer – No objections subject to conditions and informatives. Severn Trent Water: No objections subject to condition controlling disposal of surface water and foul sewage. REPRESENTATIONS Expiry of:- Press Notice – 08th July 2015 Site Notice – 16th July 2015 7.2 AGENDA ITEM 7 A site notice has been displayed and the application advertised in the local press. One letter of representation has been received which objects to the proposed development on highway grounds. POLICIES National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) National Planning Policy Guidance Staffordshire Moorlands Core Strategy Development Plan Document (March 2014) SS1 Development Principles SS1a Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development SS2 Future Provision of Development SS3 Distribution of Development SS6C Other Rural Areas Strategy SD1 Sustainable Use of Resources H1 New Housing Development DC1 Design Considerations DC2 The Historic Environment DC3 Landscape and Settlement Setting C1 Creating Sustainable Communities R1 Rural Diversification R2 Rural Housing T1 Developments and Sustainable Transport Other Material Considerations Landscape & Settlement Character Assessment Staffordshire Moorlands Housing Land Supply Statement (March 2014) OFFICER COMMENT 1. This is a second attempt application which seeks consent for alterations to the existing school house and conversion of the school building to form 3 dwellings. Whilst no objections were raised in principle to the alterations and conversion of the application building the previous scheme SMD/2014/ 0334 was refused due to the proposed access road which was considered to constitute inappropriate development within the Green Belt for which no special circumstances had been demonstrated. This application seeks to overcome those concerns by using an access which has already been approved as part of a S73 (variation of condition application) application which serves the 6 affordable dwellings which will be constructed at the rear of the site (11/00069/FUL). 2. This site lies outside the settlement boundary of Wetley Rocks within the Green Belt and within the Ancient Slope and Valley Farmlands Landscape Character Area. The building is not listed but is considered to be of merit and worthy of safeguarding. The first issue to consider is whether the application is appropriate development in the Green Belt and thus acceptable in principle. 7.3 AGENDA ITEM 7 3. Core Strategy Policy R2 refers to the conversion of non-residential rural buildings for residential use. It confirms that certain criteria must be met for there to be compliance with the policy. The building must be suitable and worthy of conversion, it must be demonstrated that it would not be viable in commercial or agricultural capacity and that the conversion would enable the safeguarding of a building of particular merit. 4. A report summarizing the marketing carried out has been submitted. It concludes that no interest has been shown for the building in a commercial respect. The evidence submitted is not doubted and therefore accepted. A Structural Report (June 2012) concludes that the building is in a fair condition and that the proposal will maintain the building in its current form without any major structural alteration. The building is also considered to be of merit and worthy of safeguarding. For these reasons it is considered that there is no objection to the reuse of the building on policy grounds. 5. The NPPF confirms that generally the re-use of buildings in the Green Belt is not inappropriate development provided that they preserve openness, do not conflict with the purposes of including land within the Green Belt and are of permanent and substantial construction. Impact of the proposed development on the setting of the adjacent Listed building and conversion detail 6. The former school building has a simple linear footprint and is single storey although tall in section and part open to the roof. The proposal makes use of existing openings and involves the insertion of a first floor into the roof space. This new floor however is inset from the windows providing gallery space which allows the upper floor to borrow light from the existing full height windows and at the same time avoids awkward cutting through the windows. The Conservation Officer has carefully considered the application, both in terms of its impact on the setting of the Listed church and the conversion policy. On both counts no objections are raised subject to conditions controlling details including materials and boundary treatment. Residential Amenity 7. The scheme involves the removal of some later brick extensions on the western side of the building which allows space for small gardens to be provided. These garden areas are small and certainly below the guidelines as set out in the “Space About Dwellings” Supplementary Planning Guidance. The lengths vary between 6.0-7.0 metres and the overall garden areas between approximately 35.0 – 45.0 square metres. The garden to the existing Headmaster’s House remains the same size. Members’ attention is also drawn to the location of the garden area to Unit 2 which does not directly relate to the dwelling it adjoins. Officers have taken into account the small size of the units and the unusual nature of the building in raising no objection to the garden sizes and positions. 7.4 AGENDA ITEM 7 8. The relationship with the adjacent property to the west, Church House Farm, has also been considered. It appears that there are principal windows on the eastern elevation of this property which is at its closest 13.0m from the application building. There is an existing window on the western elevation of the school i.e. facing Church House Farm at first floor level; however the first floor is set back from this window creating a void thus minimizing any overlooking/loss of privacy to Church House Farm. There is existing boundary walling and established planting along this boundary to further protect the amenity of Church House Farm. The outlook from the proposed units is limited and to some may appear rather unappealing particularly the eastern windows which face onto the church yard. This is a matter, however of personal choice for prospective purchasers and is not considered to constitute a material planning consideration which would preclude development on this basis. The Environmental Health Officer has raised no objection to the proposal subject to a restriction on working hours during conversion works.