AL1 S15/2308 Target Decision Date:8th October 2015 Committee Date:5th April 2016 Applicant Mr & Mrs G Atkinson Folkingham Farms South Lodge Folkingham Road Pickworth Agent Mr Jim Grundy JHG Planning Consultancy Ltd Orchard House Main Road Welbourn Proposal Erection of two storey detached agricultural dwelling and detached garage Location High Park Farm Nr Aslackby Sleaford Lincolnshire Application Type Full Planning Permission Parish(es) Aslackby And Laughton Parish Council Reason for Referral to Cllr. Moseley requested that the application be determined by the Committee DC Committee. Recommendation Refused Key Issues Impat on the rural character of the area Compliance with relevant local and national policies Impact on farming activity on site Technical Documents Submitted with the Application Site Plan Agricultural dwelling justification report Elevation plans Floor plan Enquires about this report to : Abiola Labisi Area Planning Officer 6632 [email protected] 59 60 1.0 Description of site and application 1.1 The site is located at High Park Farm Aslackby, Sleaford, Lincolnshire. The square shaped site is located in the open countryside and accessed via a farm track. The site is within a pipeline buffer zone. 1.2 The proposal relates to the erection of a detached two storey dwelling house and detached garage. The dwelling house would cover an area of approx. 13.7m x 13m and would be approx. 9.2m in height. The construction materials have not been specified. The garage would be approx. 10m x7m in area with an overall height of approx. 6.2m. 2.0 Relevant History Reference Proposal Decision Date S09/2625 Erection of country house with associated Approved 04/05/2010 2 no. 15m wind turbines and landscaping Conditionally 3.0 Policy Considerations 3.1 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Section 6 - Wide choice of high quality homes 3.2 South Kesteven District Council Core Strategy Policy SP1 - Spatial Strategy 4.0 SKDC Corporate Priorities Support good housing for all 5.0 Representations Received Environment Agency No objection. LCC Highways & SuDS Support No objection SKDC Projects Officer (Drainage) No Comment Received. Adviced that there is no functional need for the dwelling. Health & Safety Executive No objection. 6.0 Representations as a Result of Publicity 6.1 One submission was received during the period of public consultation. It is stated in the submission that there is no objection to the proposal provided it is on the site of the previous farmhouse. 7.0 Evaluation 7.1 Principle of the use 7.1.1 The proposal relates to the erection of a two storey detached dwelling and garage which applicant has stated would be for an agricultural worker. In principle, the development is considered unacceptable for policy reasons set out below. 7.1.2 Core Strategy Policy SP1 (Spatial Strategy) sets out a framework to guide the location of development throughout the district. The Policy provides that new development in the district 61 shall be ocussed on Grantham, followed by the market towns of Stamford, Bourne and the Deepings. The policy also allows for some development in the Local Service Centres in order to enable them discharge their roles as Local service Centres. 7.1.3 The site is located outside Aslackby which is not identified as a Local Service Centre under Core Strategy SP2 (Sustainable Communities) and is in an open country location. 7.1.4 With regard to development in the open countryside, Core Strategy Policy SP1 states that: 7.1.5 In all other villages and the countryside development will be restricted. Proposals will only be considered acceptable if they are sites for: A. affordable housing (rural exception or allocated sites) B. agriculture, forestry or equine development C. rural diversification projects D. local services and facilities E. replacement buildings (on a like for like basis); or F. conversions of buildings provided that the existing building(s): contribute to the character and appearance of the local area by virtue of their historic, traditional or vernacular form; are in sound structural condition; and are suitable for conversion without substantial alteration, extension or rebuilding, and that the works to be undertaken do not detract from the character of the building(s) or their setting. 7.1.6 The applicant has stated that the dwelling would be for an agricultural worker and would therefore be in accordance with one of the exemptions set out under Core Strategy Policy SP1. 7.1.7 With regard to rural economy, para 28 of the National Planning Policy Framework provides that planning policies should support economic growth in rural areas in order to create jobs and prosperity by taking a positive approach to sustainable new development. This notwithstanding, the National Planning Policy Framework emphasises a presumption in favour of sustainable development and in this regard, the NPPF requires that the three dimensions of sustainable development viz economic, social and environment should always be considered together as they are mutually dependent. Accordingly, para 8 of the Framework states that: 7.1.8 Therefore, to achieve sustainable development, economic, social and environmental gains should be sought jointly and simultaneously through the planning system. The planning system should play an active role in guiding development to sustainable solutions'. 7.1.9 With regard to guiding development to sustainable solutions in relation to development in the open countryside, paragraph 55 of the National Planning Policy Framework states that: 7.2. Local planning authorities should avoid new isolated homes in the countryside unless there are special circumstances such as: (i) the essential need for a rural worker to live permanently at or near their place of work in the countryside; or, (ii) where such development would represent the optimal viable use of a heritage asset or would be appropriate enabling development to secure the future of heritage assets; or, (iii) where the development would re-use redundant or disused buildings and lead to an enhancement to the immediate setting; or, (iv) the exceptional quality or innovative nature of the design of the dwelling. Such a design should: - be truly outstanding or innovative, helping to raise standards of design more generally in rural areas; - reflect the highest standards in architecture; - significantly enhance its immediate setting; and - be sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area. 62 7.2.1 Having regard to the above provision of the NPPF, the proposed development which constitutes an isolated home in the open countryside should only be permitted where there is a demonstrated essential need for the agricultural worker to live permanently at or near the farm. 7.2.2 In this instance, applicant has stated that the dwelling is required in order to provide security for the storage building on site in order to prevent break-ins. Applicant has submitted a map showing land in their ownership and that rented. They have also submitted that the tenancy on the rented land would soon end after which they would only operate from the subject farm and would need a dwelling on site. Applicant has also referred to the activities of poachers which they claim damage their crops. 7.2.3 The applicant has also stated that there was a dwelling on the application site which was demolished many years ago. 7.2.4 The applicant was requested to provide details of any cases of break-ins that had been experienced on site, materials lost and the value of the materials lost. With regard to break-ins, the applicant has stated that there has not been any case of break-in because nothing of value is currently stored on site. It is considered that there has not been a demonstrated existing functional need for the dwelling and accordingly, the proposal would not be acceptable in principle. 7.3. Assessment of essential need 7.3.1 Whilst the NPPF requires that isolated homes in the open countryside should only be allowed where an essential need has been demonstrated, it is in practice silent on how this need should be assessed. Accordingly, local Planning Authorities rely on the cancelled Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas (PPS 7) published by the Government in 2004 as the framework for assessing essential needs with regard to agricultural dwellings. 7.3.2 Paragraph 3 of Annex A of PPS 7 addresses permanent agricultural dwellings and states clearly that: 7.3.3 New permanent dwellings should only be allowed to support existing agricultural activities on well-established agricultural units, providing: 7.3.4 (i) there is a clearly established existing functional need (ii) the need relates to a full-time worker, or one who is primarily employed in agriculture (iii) the unit and the agricultural activity concerned have been established for at least three years, have been profitable for at least one of them, are currently financially sound, and have a clear prospect of remaining so (iv) the functional need could not be fulfilled by another existing dwelling on the unit, or any other existing accommodation in the area which is suitable and available for occupation by the workers concerned; and (v) other planning requirements, e.g. in relation to access, or impact on the countryside, are satisfied. 7.3.5 Furthermore, PPS 7 provides under para 4 of Annex A that: 7.3.6 A functional test is necessary to establish whether it is essential for the proper functioning of the enterprise for one or more workers to be readily available at most times. Such a requirement might arise, for example, if workers are needed to be on hand day and night: (i) in case animals or agricultural processes require essential care at short notice; (ii) to deal quickly with emergencies that could otherwise cause serious loss of crops or products, for example, by frost damage or the failure of automatic systems.