Planning Statement (incorporating Design & Access Statement) Full Planning Application for six dwellings with associated works, replacement stables with manege – Former Bankwood Mill, Broadbottom, SK13 5ER for Loxley Property & Developments Ltd EP reference - 17-452 Emery Planning 2-4 South Park Court, Hobson Street Macclesfield, SK11 8BS Tel: 01625 433 881 www.emeryplanning.com Project : 17-452 Site address : Bankwood Mill, Glossop, SK13 5ER Client : Loxley Property & Developments Ltd Date : June 2018 Author : Alexa Burns Approved by : John Coxon This report has been prepared for the client by Emery Planning with all reasonable skill, care and diligence. No part of this document may be reproduced without the prior written approval of Emery Planning. Emery Planning Partnership Limited trading as Emery Planning. Contents: 1. Introduction 1 2. Details of Proposals 2 3. Description of Site 2 4. Pre-application enquiry 3 5. Policy context 3 6. Planning considerations 5 7. Design & Access Statement 15 8. Conclusions and Planning Balance 16 9. Appendices 17 Planning Statement Bankwood Mill, Glossop, SK13 5ER June 2018 1. Introduction 1.1 This application seeks full planning permission for six dwellings with ancillary garaging and other associated works on the former chicken shed site, Long Lane, Charlesworth on behalf of Mr Stephen Dobie. Replacement stable buildings would also be provided as part of the development. 1.2 In addition to this planning statement, the following documents have been submitted in support of this planning application: • Covering letter; • Application form and certificate, duly completed; • Plans and elevations by William McCall Architectural Services; • Design & Access Statement (within Planning Statement) • Landscape Plans by Tyler Grange; • Landscape Statement by Tyler Grange; • Transport Statement by SCP; • Food Risk Assessment and Drainage Management Strategy by Betts Hydro Ltd; and • Preliminary Ecological Assessment by Biora. 1.3 The following report includes: details of the proposed development; a description of the site; the relevant planning history of the site; the planning policy context; and the planning considerations which assess the development proposals against national and local planning policy. 1.4 This report demonstrates that the proposed development accords with the development plan, and planning permission should be granted accordingly. 1 Planning Statement Bankwood Mill, Glossop, SK13 5ER June 2018 2. Details of Proposals 2.1 The application seeks planning permission for the redevelopment of 6 detached, two storey family homes. 2.2 The description of development is: “Full application for the demolition of existing buildings, removal of existing vehicular track and hardstanding and the construction of 6 no. dwellings with access, garaging, car parking, replacement stables and other associated works.” 2.3 The proposed dwellings are to be arranged in a group on part of the former chicken shed site. Apart from the proposed replacement stable buildings, the rest of the site will be entirely cleared of existing buildings, which are very substantial in size, both in terms of their scale and also their massing. 2.4 The proposed development is of high quality bespoke design, with consideration to the countryside context of the site. The proposals take a holistic approach to sustainability and hard / soft landscaping. 2.5 Access to the site is proposed to be taken off Long Lane, which is a private road that already serves the site. 3. Description of Site 3.1 The site is located at the former Bankwood Mill complex, near Charlesworth. It is accessed via a private road off Long Lane. 3.2 Also within the ownership of the applicant and directly adjacent to the application site are the former Bankwood Mill site itself, with an extant and implemented planning permission for two dwellings, through two alternative planning permissions to the west of the site and a former farmhouse to the southeast, where a replacement dwelling is currently in the advanced stages of construction. 3.3 The Bankwood Mill building to the west of the application site has partially been demolished as part of the lawful implementation of one of the extant planning permissions for two dwellings. This also involved the demolition of 2 former chicken sheds, which have been demolished. 3.4 The site itself comprises a total of 5 main existing buildings including 4 very large former chicken sheds now in a mix of different commercial / non-agricultural uses, occupied by short term licenses. The 5th unit is a substantial metal industrial unit, which is also in commercial use. In 2 Planning Statement Bankwood Mill, Glossop, SK13 5ER June 2018 addition to the 5 units, there is also an additional smaller single storey building used as a services unit adjacent to the industrial unit. In addition the site contains a number of historic vehicular tracks and substantial hardstanding occupied by numerous steel storage containers. 3.5 The site is located within the Green Belt as defined in the adopted High Peak Local Plan. Relevant planning history 3.6 The site has an extensive planning history, with 4 of the 5 main existing buildings being in various commercial uses and one of the former chicken shed being in use as stables. 3.7 In addition, all of the commercial units except the services unit have extant planning permission for change of use to further alternative non-commercial uses, mainly for stables and indoor manège use. The site also has planning permission for 2 outdoor manèges. 3.8 Due to the extensive number of planning permissions relating to the former Bankwood Mill site, a full list is provided separately at Appendix EP1. In addition, the extant alternative use permissions, which are the most relevant to this application are detailed within section 6 of this statement. 4. Pre-application enquiry 4.1 Following the submission of a pre-application enquiry in January 2016 and a site visit in March 2016, we received a written response on 17 May 2016. 4.2 We have addressed the matters raised within the pre-application response in the planning considerations section of this statement. 5. Policy context National planning policy and guidance 5.1 The Framework was adopted in March 2012. It sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. The purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. The policies in paragraphs 18 to 219 of the NPPF, taken as a whole, constitute the Government’s view of what sustainable development in England means in practice for the planning system. 5.2 Paragraph 14 sets out the presumption in favour of sustainable development, which is the golden thread running through both plan-making and decision-taking. 3 Planning Statement Bankwood Mill, Glossop, SK13 5ER June 2018 5.3 Paragraph 87 clarifies that as with previous Green Belt policy, inappropriate development is, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances. 5.4 Paragraph 88 states that when considering any planning application, local planning authorities should ensure that substantial weight is given to any harm to the Green Belt. ‘Very special circumstances’ will not exist unless the potential harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations. 5.5 Paragraph 89 sets out six exceptions to Green Belt Policy, where the development of new buildings can be considered as not inappropriate. Exception 5 allows for: “…the ‘limited infilling or the partial or complete redevelopment of previously developed sites (brownfield land), whether redundant or in continuing use (excluding temporary buildings), which would not have a greater impact on the openness of the Green Belt.” Development plan context 5.6 The development plan comprises the High Peak Local Plan (HPLP) adopted in 2016. The site is located in the Green Belt as shown on the Proposals Map. The relevant saved Local Plan policies are: • EQ 3 – Rural development • EQ 4 – Green Belt development • EQ 2 – Landscape character and design • E4 - Change of Use of Existing Business Land and Premises • S1 & EQ 6 - Character form and design • S3 & H2 - New housing provision • S1 & CF3 Transport implications of new development • CF6 & S1 – Access, parking and design 5.7 These policies will be referred to as appropriate throughout this statement. 4 Planning Statement Bankwood Mill, Glossop, SK13 5ER June 2018 6. Planning considerations Green Belt 6.1 Policy EQ4 states that within Green Belt locations… ‘planning permission will not be granted unless it is in accordance with national planning policy’. The National Planning Policy Framework (The Framework) allows for ‘the partial or complete redevelopment of previously developed sites (brownfield land), whether redundant or in continuing use (excluding temporary buildings)’ as ‘not inappropriate’ development in the Green Belt. 6.2 In principle therefore the proposed development, which comprises the redevelopment of a previously developed site, is acceptable. However, to be appropriate development the proposal must not have a greater impact on the openness of the Green Belt and the purpose of including land within it than the existing development. 6.3 Having regard to the principles established in the case of Turner1, the assessment of openness of the Green Belt takes a two-fold approach, first being the change in the amount of built development (see above analysis) and second being the visual increase or decrease in openness. 6.4 The first ‘amount’ consideration is considered below. 6.5 The proposed buildings would be of less cubic volume and footprint / floorspace of the existing buildings, 4 of which are over 500 sq.m in size and are located on a small portion of the site over which the existing buildings are spread. The existing access track and car parking areas also has an impact on the existing openness of the site.