Tyler Parkes/Sue Frith - Development Management Team Manager: Planning Committee 18.02.2020 19/00741/FUL Mr J Shaw ACTON TRUSSELL, NON MAJOR BEDNALL & TEDDESLEY HAY Councillor Bates Councillor Ford Fieldfare School Lane Bednall STAFFORD ST17 0SD Proposed replacement dwelling (resubmission of application 19/00458/FUL) 1. SITE DESCRIPTION AND PLANNING HISTORY 1.1 Site Description 1.1.1 The site has an area of approx. 0.13 ha. and lies on the west side of School Lane, to the south of All Saints Primary School in Bednall which is defined as a 'small service village' in the Core Strategy. 1.1.2 It is the 'last' property in this single-track lane as one heads south out of Bednall into open Green Belt countryside, but it lies within the development boundary for the settlement. The site is relatively open to view from the south along School Lane. 1.1.3 The application site relates to an existing, relatively small pitched-roof bungalow with a room in the roofspace. The dwelling is situated towards the western end of the site, close to the boundary with the adjacent dwelling at Oak Tree Cottage and has a generous open garden/amenity area to the east and south. There is a mature hedge along the School Lane frontage, from which vehicular access is obtained; the southern boundary is marked by a post and rail fence. Beyond the residential curtilage, to the south and west, is an extensive paddock. 1.1.4 There are three dwellings in the immediate vicinity: Oak Tree Cottage which is a relatively modern two-storey dwelling which lies next to Fieldfare to the west along an existing private drive; The Cottage, which despite its name is a substantial, more established two-storey house situated opposite the application site with a main elevation facing towards Fieldfare's front garden; and adjacent thereto and opposite Oak Tree Cottage is Tranquil, another substantial, modern two-storey property. 1.2 Relevant Planning History 89/01330: January 1990, approval granted for the removal of an 'agricultural occupancy condition' imposed on the original planning permission for Fieldfare (623/64). 1329/89: January 1990, outline planning permission granted for a single dwelling to replace former cow shed used by Fieldfare for the assembly of pottery kilns. Tyler Parkes/Sue Frith - Development Management Team Manager: Planning Committee 18.02.2020 Reserved matters approval granted in October 1992, 0732/92: this is the property now known as Oak Tree Cottage. 19/00458/FUL: September 2019, detailed planning application for a replacement dwelling refused for two reasons, namely impact on the character and appearance of the location arising from the significant increase in the quantum of development at this site, and upon the residential amenities of the adjacent dwelling. 2. APPLICATION DETAILS 2.1 Proposal 2.1.1 This application is a re-submission of that for which planning permission was refused in September 2019. 2.1.2 The proposal remains broadly similar to the original scheme, with some amendments which are summarised below. Following discussions some amendments were submitted in December 2019 and have been the subject of neighbour re-notification. 2.1.3 The application proposes the demolition of the existing bungalow and the erection of a very substantial 'L-shaped' two-storey, 6-bedroom dwelling in the same approximate position on the site. 2.1.4 The footprint of the existing bungalow and adjacent outbuilding is approx. 140 sq. m., and its height is 5.68 sq. m. 2.1.5 The new dwelling would comprise on the ground floor a dining room, living/dining & kitchen area, playroom, a separate living room, study, reception, wet room/plant and utility rooms and a triple integral garage. This element of the proposal projects forward of the main body of the house at 90 degrees, towards the front of the site. The first floor accommodation comprises a master bedroom & en- suite, together with a balcony enclosed on its west side by 1.7m high obscure glazing stated to be to protect the privacy of the occupiers of Oak Tree Cottage, four other bedrooms, and a music room/annexe and guest bedroom above the triple garage. 2.1.6 The dwelling would have a pitched clay-tiled roof and be finished in facing brickwork with a small stone plinth. It is of a traditional design and appearance. The floor area (gross internal) of the proposed dwelling, is stated to be approx. 504 sq. m., with a footprint of approx. 297 sq. m. 2.1.7 This proposal seeks to respond to the refusal reasons by having reduced the ridge height over the right hand third of the property by 1.2m., the applicant stating that this makes the ridge 0.36m. lower than the ridge of the adjacent Oak Tree Cottage. The ridge between the two upper gables of the main part of the house has also been lowered by 0.34m. to seek to reduce the impact of the main ridge line of the property to reduce its massing and form. Tyler Parkes/Sue Frith - Development Management Team Manager: Planning Committee 18.02.2020 2.1.8 The maximum height to gable would be 8.5m., 8.2m. to the intervening ridge, and 7.4m. to the western part of the dwelling; the ridge height of the projecting garage/annexe would be 6.7m. This compares with the stated ridge heights of three adjacent dwellings of 7.57m., 7.66m. and 8.39m. 2.1.9 The applicant notes that the revised scheme is set over 2m from the boundary with Oak Tree Cottage which also has no principle window facing the application site. He submits that these changes to the roof line and design of the right hand third overcome issues with height, form, bulk, scale and design by 'presenting a lower more integrated property which appears as an extended house.' 2.1.10 Further to discussions with the applicant, amended plans were submitted in December 2019. The changes comprised a reduction in the overall size of the property by 20 sq.m. and an increased separation to the boundary with Oak Tree Cottage to over 4m which with a lower eaves on this side the applicant submits will prevent any overbearance on Oak Tree Cottage. The proposed house is not moved any further forward within the site towards School Road. 2.1.11 The application proposes the improvement of the existing vehicular access from School Lane, but no details are provided. However, these could be required by a planning condition. 2.1.12 The application is accompanied by an updated Design & Access Statement (DAS), a streetscene drawing which compares size and ridge heights of the proposal and two nearby houses and a separate Context Image document which includes various photographic montages which show the proposed dwelling in its context and from different viewpoints. 2.1.13 The DAS states, inter alia, that the bungalow could be extended under permitted development rights to provide a footprint of 451 sq. m., which is much larger than the proposed footprint. It also states that the design takes note of the architecture of different properties in the village, and that the increase in size is 'minimal' compared with the surrounding properties and creates a dwelling which is 'more in line' with them. 2.1.14 A Preliminary Bat Roost & Bird Survey is also submitted. The Bat Roost Survey concludes that there is evidence of bats and birds sheltering/roosting in the existing building, confirmed by emergence surveys. The report advises that a Bat Mitigation Class Licence will be required, and recommends that a cavity bat roost can be created in the gable apex of the new building to provide new bat roosting opportunities as required by the National Planning Policy framework and the licensing requirements of Natural England, and that a European Protected Species license will be required from Natural England for the demolition of the property should planning permission be granted. Tyler Parkes/Sue Frith - Development Management Team Manager: Planning Committee 18.02.2020 3. POLICY CONTEXT Adopted Core Strategy (December 2012) Core Policy 1 The Spatial Strategy for South Staffordshire Core Policy 4: Promoting High Quality Design Policy H1: Achieving a Balanced Housing Market Policy H2: Provision of Affordable Housing Policy H4: Delivering Affordable Housing Policy EQ1: Protecting, Enhancing and Expanding Natural Assets Policy EQ4 Protecting and enhancing the character and appearance of the Landscape Policy EQ9 Protecting Residential Amenity Policy EQ11 Wider Design Considerations Appendix 5 Car parking standards Appendix 7 Space about Dwellings National Planning Policy Framework (2019) 5. Delivering a sufficient supply of homes 11. Making effective use of land 12. Achieving well-designed places Supplementary Planning Documents South Staffordshire Design Guide 2018 Sustainable Development SPD 2018 4. CONSULTATION RESPONSES Councillor Bates has called the application to Planning Committee because a similar application for the site was refused on the grounds that it was overpowering (29/01/20202). County Ecologist: No objections, subject to conditions (12/11/2019) County Highways: No objections subject to conditions (01/11/2019) In respect of the application as originally submitted, six expressions of support were received; these can be summarised as follows: -The new build will be attractive and will enhance and be a welcome addition to the village and be a vast improvement to the old bungalow and the lane. -It will sit well within the small development of surrounding properties which all differ in shape, size and materials, and that when proposed hedges have fully grown the development will only be visible from the entrance. -The current field adjacent to the bungalow has seen a recent significant improvement and maintenance.