Planning Committee 17.01.2013 Application Reference: 12/00952/FUL Reference: Site: 12/00952/FUL Baker Street Garage Baker Street Orsett Essex RM16 3LJ Ward: Proposal: Orsett Redevelopment of site for residential purposes, comprising 24 dwellings with associated garages and landscaping and new access onto Baker Street (amendments to planning application 10/00675/FUL comprising: Plot 1-4 altered internal layouts; Plots 7 & 8 altered internal layouts; Plots 9-16 altered ground floor layout including windows and doors; Plots 17-21 altered ground floor layout including windows and doors and first floor windows amended; Plot 24 altered ground floor and change to windows and increase in depth of gardens on plats 6 - 17 inclusive) Plan Number(s): Reference Name Received BS01-102 General 22nd October 2012 CE001 General 22nd October 2012 CE011 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-17 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-16 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-15 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-14 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-13 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-12 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-10 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-11 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-09 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-08 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-07 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-06 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-05 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-04 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-03 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-02 General 22nd October 2012 R1346/02 General 22nd October 2012 Planning Committee 17.01.2013 Application Reference: 12/00952/FUL R1565/02 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-100 Location Plan 22nd October 2012 BS01-101 Location Plan 22nd October 2012 BS01-G100 General 22nd October 2012 BS01-6000 General 22nd October 2012 1305/01 General 22nd October 2012 TOPSOIL General Documents 22nd October 2012 ANALYSIS REPORT PLANNING General Documents 22nd October 2012 STATEMENT DESIGN AND General Documents 22nd October 2012 ACCESS ADDITIONAL General Documents 22nd October 2012 SITE INVESTIGATION CIVIL General Documents 22nd October 2012 ENGINEERING APPRAISAL NOISE SURVEY General Documents 22nd October 2012 & ASSESSMENT GROUND General Documents 22nd October 2012 INVESTIGATION REPORT ECOLOGICAL General Documents 22nd October 2012 ASSESSMENT GROUND General Documents 22nd October 2012 REPORT The application is also accompanied by : - Design and Access Statement - Gas Trench mitigation Statement - Ground Investigation Report - Noise Survey and Assessment - Additional Site Investigation Report - Civil Engineering Appraisal Applicant: Validated: Monsel Homes LTD 23 October 2012 Date of expiry: 22 January 2013 Planning Committee 17.01.2013 Application Reference: 12/00952/FUL Case Officer: Jonathan Keen The application is brought before Members due to the nature of the development, which was previously reported to Committee (10/00675/FUL). 1.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSAL 1.1 Following the approval of planning application 10/00675/FUL in 2011, the development, comprising 24 residential units, garages and access, has commenced. Plots 1-5 are complete and a number of other plots are under construction. 1.2 Since the start of construction the developer has identified a number of changes they wish to make to the scheme. Given the number of changes it is appropriate to make a full planning application for the entire development so the changes can be considered in totality. The changes proposed comprise: A) Plot 1-4 altered internal layouts; B) Plots 7 & 8 altered internal layouts; C) Plots 9-16 altered ground floor layout including windows and doors; D) Plots 17-21 altered ground floor layout including windows and doors and first floor windows amended; E) Plot 24 altered ground floor and F) Change to windows and increase in depth of gardens on plots 6 -17 inclusive. 2.0 SITE DESCRIPTION 2.1 The application relates to a site located on the eastern side of Baker Street (B188), at the southern end of a ‘ribbon’ of development along this side of the road. To the south of the site is the elevated A13. To the north there are three bungalows and beyond these an equestrian centre. On the opposite side of the road behind a belt of planting is open land used for grazing. To the rear is open land. 2.2 The site extends to some 0.7 hectares. The front part was previously used for car sales by the ‘Baker Street Garage’. The rear part of the site was previously been used by a vehicle recovery business known as D & G recovery. 3.0 RELEVANT HISTORY 3.1 10/00675/FUL: Redevelopment of site for residential purposes, comprising 24 dwellings with associated garages and landscaping and new access onto Baker Street: Approved 10.02.2011. 4.0 CONSULTATIONS AND REPRESENTATIONS PUBLICITY: 4.1 The application has been advertised by way of individual neighbour letters. A public site notice has been displayed and a notice placed in the local newspaper. Planning Committee 17.01.2013 Application Reference: 12/00952/FUL Three letters have been received from members of the public and the comments made are summarised below: - The level of car parking provision would not be sufficient for the number of units; - Impact of the properties on the privacy and amenity of neighbours; - Additional windows have been added to some of the dwellings that were not on the original plan; - Obscure glazing has not been installed as on the original plan; - Noise and disruption has been, and will be created during building works; HIGHWAYS: 4.2 No objections. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH: 4.3 No objections. 5.0 POLICY CONTEXT PMD1 - Minimising Pollution and Impacts on Amenity PMD2 - Design and Layout PMD6 - Development in the Green Belt PMD8 - Parking Standards PMD9 - Road Network Hierarchy PMD16 - Developer Contributions National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The principal issues to be considered in this case are: 1. Plan designation and principle of development. 2. Proposed changes from approved scheme. 3. Residential impacts. 4. Access and parking. 5. Infrastructure improvements (s.106 contribution) and Affordable Housing. 1. PLAN DESIGNATION AND PRINCIPLE OF DEVELOPMENT 6.2 The site is located in the Metropolitan Green Belt where strict controls exist over development, including the change of use of land. The principle of the redevelopment of the former garage site for 24 residential dwellings has been established by the approval of planning application 10/00675/FUL in 2011. The plans submitted in this application are identical to those previously approved save for the changes identified above and assessed below. 2. PROPOSED CHANGES FROM APPROVED SCHEME 6.3 A) Plot 1-4 (altered internal layouts) Planning Committee 17.01.2013 Application Reference: 12/00952/FUL These plots have been completed and some are already occupied. The changes relate to internal divisions which are not considered to be significant and are acceptable in terms of design and amenity. 6.4 B) Plots 7 & 8 (altered internal layout) These plots are currently under construction. The changes, which relate to the internal layout of the dwellings are not significant and are acceptable in terms of design and amenity. 6.5 C) Plots 9-16 (altered ground floor layout including and windows and doors) Some of these plots are currently under construction. The changes, which relate to minor alterations to the ground floor layout and amended positions of windows and doors, are not considered significant. The changes are considered to be acceptable in terms of design and amenity and would not unduly affect nearby residents. 6.6 D) Plots 17-21 (altered ground floor layout including windows and doors and first floor windows amended) Some of these plots are currently under construction. Plot 20 is closest to existing residential properties and the impacts of these changes upon neighbour amenity are considered below. The changes to the external appearance of the dwellings are considered to be acceptable in terms of design. 6.7 E) Plot 24 (altered ground floor and change to windows) Plot 24 has yet to be constructed. The changes to the windows are not considered to be significant and are acceptable in terms of design and amenity. 6.8 F) Plots 6 -17 inclusive (Increase in depth of gardens) The applicant seeks to enlarge the site beyond the boundaries of the previously developed garage site. The dwellings would remain in the same location as that approved under planning application 10/00675/FUL however the rear gardens would be increased. The extent of the increase of land would be 2.6m along the southern and eastern boundaries. The additional area of land falls outside of the previously developed garage site and would therefore be on land which is part of the Green Belt. 6.9 The extension of domestic gardens into the Green Belt is not normally considered to be acceptable as the increased areas of garden usually lead to further domestication of the Green Belt which is harmful to the principle of including land in the Green Belt and also the character and openness of the Green Belt. Therefore, this element of the proposal represents inappropriate development within the Green Belt. In accordance with the guidance within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Policy PMD6, consideration needs to be given to whether the harm caused by the development is clearly outweighed by other material considerations, so as to amount to Very Special Circumstances necessary justify the development. Planning Committee 17.01.2013 Application Reference: 12/00952/FUL 6.10 The applicant has put forward the following reasons that they consider to be the Very Special Circumstances that would warrant a departure from policy being made. i) The area of land is limited, being 2.5m along the rear of the site, and varying between 2m up to a maximum of 6m along the return to the A13 flyover. No development could take place in this area.