HARROGATE BOROUGH COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE – AGENDA ITEM 6: LIST OF PLANS. DATE: 28 September 2010 PLAN: 02 CASE NUMBER: 10/03680/COU GRID REF: EAST 439335 NORTH 450866 APPLICATION NO. 6.135.4.K.COU DATE MADE VALID: 24.08.2010 TARGET DATE: 19.10.2010 CASE OFFICER: Mr R N Watson WARD: Ribston VIEW PLANS AT: http://tinyurl.com/37cl2mr APPLICANT: Councillor W Anthony Alton AGENT: Councillor W Anthony Alton PROPOSAL: Change of use of former pig buildings to form workshops (Use Class B1 - Business). LOCATION: Woodlands Farm Knaresborough Road North Deighton Wetherby North Yorkshire LS22 4EJ REPORT SITE AND PROPOSAL This application is presented to the Harrogate Borough Councils Planning Committee as the applicant is a serving member of the Council. The application site is located at Woodlands Farm, Knaresborough Road, North Deighton. Woodlands Farm occupies a countryside location situated between the villages of North Deighton and Kirk Deighton and is accessed via a single width access drive from the B6164 road. The farm itself occupies a low lying ridge in the local topography. The farmhouse and traditional buildings immediately surrounding it are of stone construction. Beyond this range are low profile former pig buildings and larger agricultural stores. The application is to change the use of two former pig buildings to Class B1 workshops. The buildings are single storey structures of timber construction with profiled sheet roofs. The buildings are in the middle of the farm complex with larger modern buildings to the south and west. These larger buildings have permission to be used for storage and distribution (Class B8) The buildings the subject of the application are not readily visible from outside the site but there will be limited views from the public right of way that passes through the farm in a northerly/south easterly direction. MAIN ISSUES 1 Land use 2 Highway safety 3 Visual impact 4 Amenity RELEVANT SITE HISTORY Various Livestock buildings have been granted consent on this farm between 1975 and 1999 6.135.4. H.COU - Change of Use of 3 agricultural buildings to Use Class B8 (Storage and Distribution) PERMIT 23.11.2004 Renewed 8.12.2009 (6.135.4.J..REP) CONSULTATIONS/NOTIFICATIONS KIRK DEIGHTON PARISH COUNCIL (136) Kirk Deighton Ramblers Association - Steven Wood Reply awaited NYCC Highway Authority Reply awaited Parish Council NORTH DEIGHTON The British Horse Society Reply awaited RELEVANT PLANNING POLICY PPS1 Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development PPS04 Planning Policy Statement 4, Planning for Sustainable Economic Growth PPS07 Planning Policy Statement 7, Sustainable Development in Rural Areas PPG13 Planning Policy Guidance 13, Transport PPG24 Planning Policy Guidance 24, Planning and Noise CSSG3 Core Strategy Policy SG3 Settlement Growth: Conservation of the countryside, including Green Belt CSSG4 Core Strategy Policy SG4 Settlement Growth: Design and Impact CSTRA1 Core Strategy Policy TRA1: Accessibility CSEQ2 Core Strategy Policy EQ2: The natural and built environment and green belt CSJB1 Core Strategy Policy JB1: Supporting the Harrogate District economy LPC16 Harrogate District Local Plan (2001, as altered 2004) Policy C16, The Re-use and Adaptation of Rural Buildings LPE08 Harrogate District Local Plan (2001, as altered 2004) Policy E8, New Industrial and Business Development in the countryside LPHD20 Harrogate District Local Plan (2001, as altered 2004) Policy HD20, Design of New Development and Redevelopment LPC02 Harrogate District Local Plan (2001, as altered 2004) Policy C2, Landscape Character APPLICATION PUBLICITY SITE NOTICE EXPIRY: 24.09.2010 PRESS NOTICE EXPIRY: REPRESENTATIONS NORTH DEIGHTON PARISH COUNCIL Reply awaited KIRK DEIGHTON PARISH COUNCIL Reply awaited OTHER REPRESENTATIONS No representations have been received VOLUNTARY NEIGHBOUR NOTIFICATION None ASSESSMENT OF MAIN ISSUES 1 LAND USE - The site occupies an open countryside location and represents the re-use and adaptation of rural buildings for commercial purposes. Planning Policy Statement 7 : Sustainable; Development in Rural Areas This PPS seeks to balance the need for the protection of the countryside, with the need to make efficient use of existing buildings and also to satisfy the needs of the rural economy. In particular it offers support for the re-use of appropriately located and suitably constructed buildings in the countryside, where this would meet sustainable development objectives with particular support for economic development purposes. The saved Harrogate District Local Plan Policy E8 is considered relevant to the proposal as E8 permits new business development in the countryside where three criteria are met. The criteria identified under the policy requires that the development involves the re-use or adaptation of an existing buildings, which are well related to the classified road network or would not generate significant volumes of traffic and would not have an adverse effect on the character, appearance or general amenity of the area. Saved Local Plan Policy C16 seeks, amongst other criteria, that the buildings are capable of the new use without requiring extensive alteration or rebuilding works. In addition to the above C2 seeks to protect existing landscape character and Policy HD20 seeks to ensure that the detail of any scheme is of appropriate design and respects its neighbours and surroundings. Harrogate District Local Development Framework Core Strategy Policy SG3 is permissive towards rural building conversions where the building makes a positive contribution to the landscape character preferably for economic development uses or affordable homes rather than for market housing. Policy SG4 seeks to make the most efficient use of land without harm to the landscape, the amenity of neighbouring properties or the surrounding area. Policy JB1 places particular importance on supporting the rural economy. Policy TRA1 seeks to reduce the need to travel and ensure that new development is well related to bus and rail routes while Policy EQ2 seeks generally to protect landscape character. Whilst the site is considered to occupy a countryside location, the farm is located in close proximity to Kirk Deighton, which is identified as a Group 'C' settlement under Policy SG2 of the Core Strategy. As a group 'C' settlement, Kirk Deighton is considered to represent a village that would support sustainable growth. Planning Policy Statement 7, specifically identifies that in consideration of the re-use of rural buildings for economic purposes that sites closely related to existing villages will be supported. (2) HIGHWAY SAFETY - The advice from the Highway Authority is awaited and Members will be updated at the meeting. The application seeks permission for light industrial workshops and provides for vehicle parking for two cars and two light goods vehicles. It is not considered that such uses would not generate significant traffic movements. Even if deliveries to the site were by larger vehicles it is not considered that this would cause unacceptable planning problems given the previous use of the site as a pig farm and the permission granted last year for storage use. The site itself is located on a key bus route (No.780) and thus as a site in close proximity of a group 'C' settlement is considered to meet the aims of Core Strategy Policy TRA1. (3) VISUAL IMPACT - The buildings provide approximately 170 square metres of workshop space and are located within the context of the wider farmstead. The buildings are very much of an agricultural scale design and appearance. The proposed use will utilise the existing buildings for workshop purposes. Policy SG3 of the Core Strategy supports the conversion of rural buildings where the building makes a positive contribution to the countryside preferably for economic development uses. It is not argued that the buildings make a positive contribution to the countryside but no alterations are proposed and taking into account the buildings are surrounded by other buildings it is concluded that there is no adverse impact on the countryside (4) AMENITY - The buildings are sufficiently distant from residential property to ensure that any noise associated with the use of the buildings would not cause a nuisance for neighbours. By definition light industrial uses can sit beside residential properties without causing amenity issues. However, the access to the site is immediately adjacent to the farmhouse. A restrictive condition regarding operating hours would be appropriate. The hours of operation are as proposed by the applicant. (07.30 to 18.30 Monday to Friday and 07.30 to 13.00 on Saturdays). CONCLUSION This scheme is primarily assessed against Harrogate District Local Plan Policies C16, C2 and HD20. These policies together with Saved Policy E8 remain as saved policies to the local plan. These policies remain material in the consideration of this application. The development would not prejudice highway safety, the re-use and adaptation of the existing buildings would not adversely impact upon the visual amenity of the locality. Broad support is still offered towards the re-use and adaptation of rural buildings for economic purposes and whilst the Core Strategy places greater emphasis on steering new development towards sustainable locations, the site is not considered isolated in the countryside, being situated adjacent to the class C settlement of Kirk Deighton and in close proximity of a key bus route. In the absence of any material considerations to set aside the provisions of the development plan, approval of the application is recommended. CASE OFFICER: Mr R N Watson RECOMMENDATION That the application be APPROVED subject to the following conditions:- 1 The development hereby permitted shall be begun on or before . 2 The use hereby approved shall not be carried out other than between the hours of 07.30-18.30 in any one day Mondays to Fridays and 07.30-13.00 on Saturdays and there shall be no working on Sundays or Bank Holidays. There shall be no vehicle movements or deliveries to or from the site outside the specified hours.