COMMITTEE REPORT Application 11/01403/FUL Reference Site Address Moor Hall Farm, Wixford Full planning permission for the erection of a storage/workshop building; external storage of machinery; Proposals associated engineering and landscaping works; provision of car parking and turning facilities; and temporary storage on area to north of existing building Case Officer Tony Horton Presenting Tony Horton Officer Applicant R S Brookhouse Engineering (Evesham) Ltd Howse Ward Member(s) James Pemberton Part Bidford on Avon Parish Councils Part Wixford Reason for Objection from Bidford on Avon Parish Council Referral to Objection from Wixford Parish Council Committee Scale of Proposals Recommendation Grant 1. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSAL Demolition of existing stables and bungalow (separate planning application for relocation and new provision of these in the locality) Erection of new ‘L’ shaped workshop building 7.8m high, 31.5m and 15m lengths, 15m width, floor area 1860sq.m. Profiled sheeting walls and roof with Yorkshire boarding to northern gable. Workshop used for repair and maintenance of pipe laying/bending machinery plant and equipment. Provision of new storage yard by new workshop with surrounding landscaping. Allowance of permanent storage within currently unauthorized storage yard adjacent to existing workshop. Allowance of 3 year temporary storage on land in front of existing workshop. Provision of associated parking and landscaping. Removal of ‘tower’ from existing storage building and restoration of part of outbuilding. Removal of existing unauthorised storage adjacent to Moor Hall. Existing access arrangements to Wixford Road. 2. DESCRIPTION OF SITE AND SURROUNDINGS (INCLUDING RELEVANT PLANNING CONSTRAINTS) The site lies in open countryside within land that has previously been designated as part of the Arden Special Landscape Area. The site lies approximately 700m south of the edge of the village of Wixford and approximately 170m north of the edge of the village of Broom. The edge of the larger ‘Main Rural Centre’ of Bidford on Avon lies around 1.1km to the south. The Grade II* listed building Moor Hall lies to the west with two of the associated outbuildings being Grade II listed buildings in their own right. One of the Grade II listed outbuildings lies immediately adjacent to the western boundary. The second Grade II listed outbuilding is set to the south west of this. Intervening, but linked, outbuildings are all considered to be curtilage listed buildings relating to Moor Hall. To the west and south of the site lies open land and beyond this the River Arrow. The southern part of the site contains the Brookhouse Engineering workshop, storage sheds and associated land. A landscaped bund runs around part of the southern and eastern boundaries of this part of the site. To the east of the bund runs the Heart of England Way public footpath, this stretch of which links Broom and Wixford affording some views of the site. Another public footpath links to this from Broom and lies due south east of the site with clearer views of the site. In the northern portion of the site lies Moor Hall Farm Stables, an associated groom’s bungalow and a storage building. Land to the rear of this is generally agricultural, although a large mound of deposited material has grown up over recent years. A pond lies to the east of the stables. The owner of Brookhouse Engineering occupies a dwelling further to the east of the stables complex. The house, stables, Engineering works and Moor Hall are all accessed via a driveway linking to the B4085 Bidford to Wixford road lying to the east. The driveway bisects the application site and ends at the access to Moor Hall. 3. HISTORY/BACKGROUND The planning history relating to the Brookhouse Engineering site which is considered relevant to this case is set out below. A planning application (S94/0901) for a change of use of a riding school to machinery repair workshop for Brookhouse Engineering was refused 17.2.95. The matter was to taken to appeal (APP/J3720/A/94/251128/P6) and was, following a public inquiry, allowed (25.8.95) for a 5 year period. Planning application 00/01759/FUL for the renewal of planning permission S94/0901 was granted planning permission in March 2006 for permanent use of the workshop and associated buildings and some land for the storage and repair of pipe laying and pipe bending machinery. Planning application 05/00922/FUL for a hardstanding area for the external storage of vehicles, machinery and equipment associated with the pipe laying and pipe bending business along with the constructed bunding was refused in March 2006. Enforcement action was taken in respect of non-compliance with Condition 2 (unauthorised external storage), Condition 7 (non provision of 10 parking spaces), Condition 11 (non availability of turning area) of planning permission 00/01759/FUL through the issuing of an Enforcement Notice in May 2008. Two Enforcement Notices were also served in July 2009 relating to (1) unauthorised storage on land adjacent and to the south of Moor Hall and (2) unauthorised storage within and around the stables complex. The appeal against Notice (1) was eventually withdrawn and the land cleared. The appeal against Notice (2) was dismissed on 9.6.10 and the unauthorized storage subsequently removed. A Breach of Condition Notice relating to condition 2 (unauthorized external storage) of planning permission 00/01759/FUL was issued in August 2009 and subsequently heard at Magistrates Court on 6.8.09 whereat Brookhouse Engineering pleaded guilty to the Breach and were subsequently fined. Around this time Brookhouse Engineering appointed a planning agent to approach the Council with suggestions for sorting out the storage and operational problems of the business by expanding the workshop operations and storage areas, relocating the stables complex and amongst other things aiming to secure improvements to landscaping and the setting of the listed buildings. A series of meetings involving Officers, Bidford and Wixford Parish Councils and Ward Members ensued to try and find an agreed way forward for the business whilst taking account of the constraints of the site. The discussions initially lead to the submission of planning application 10/01961/FUL which was withdrawn due to flooding issues raised at the time and in the context of negative consultation responses from various sources. A further round of discussions and pre-application consultation took place and the scheme was altered to take account of general comments being raised. Further Enforcement action has been taken relating to non-compliance with Condition 2 (unauthorised external storage). The matter was deferred from the Magistrates Court to enable the parties to try and resolve matters via the submission of planning applications. The current application seeks to resolve issues at the site relating to storage and operational requirements for the business. The next Magistrates Court appearance is set for 30 November 2011. Reference Proposal Decision and date Number 11/01401/OUT Outline planning application for the Pending (elsewhere on this relocation of the existing bungalow agenda) and stables required in connection with proposed development on existing site by R S Brookhouse Engineering 11/00122/VARY Variation of Condition 2 and Withdrawn 15.6.11 Condition 5 of planning permission 00/01759/FUL to allow additional external storage of plant and machinery in the area shown on Plan PF8578/02 10/01961/FUL Hybrid application seeking: (1) Full Withdrawn 23.12.10 planning permission for the erection of a storage/workshop building; external storage of machinery; associated engineering and landscaping works. (2) Outline planning permission for the relocation of the existing bungalow and stables, with all matters except access reserved 05/00922/FUL Construction of hardstanding area Refused 7.3.06 for external storage of pipelaying and pipebending vehicles, machinery and equipment and ancillary pipelaying and pipebending items. Construction of re-graded landscaped mounding. 00/01759/FUL Extension of planning permission Granted 13.3.06 for S94/0901 - Change of use from riding school to machinery repair workshop. 98/01672/FUL Engineering works to form Refused 7.3.06 hardstanding 94/00901/FUL Change of use from riding school Refused 17.2.95 to machinery repair workshop Appeal Allowed 25.8.95 4. RELEVANT POLICY CONTEXT The Development Plan Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) QE1 – Conserving and Enhancing the Environment QE6 – The conservation, enhancement and restoration of the Region’s landscape Warwickshire Structure Plan 1996 - 2011 (Saved Policies) I.2 – Industrial Land Provision Stratford-on-Avon District Local Plan Review 1996-2011 (saved policies) STR.1 – Settlement Hierarchy STR.3 – New Industrial Provision STR.4 – Previously Developed Land PR.1 – Landscape and settlement character PR.7 – Flood Defence PR.8 – Pollution Control EF.6 – Nature Conservation & Geology EF.7 – Nature Conservation & Geology EF.9 – Trees, woodland and hedges EF.11 – Archaeological Sites EF.14 – Listed Buildings DEV.1 – Layout and design DEV.2 – Landscaping DEV.4 – Access DEV.5 – Car Parking DEV.7 – Drainage DEV.8 – Energy Conservation DEV.9 – Access for people with disabilities DEV.10 – Crime Prevention COM.16 – Existing business uses COM.17 – Rural Employment CTY.1 – Control over development CTY.3 – Re-use of Rural Buildings IMP.1 – Supporting Information IMP.2 – Supplementary Planning Guidance IMP.4 – Infrastructure Provision Other Material