August 2019 | JB/MMD | P19-0812PL PLANNING, DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT LAND AT CHAPEL GREEN HOUSE, CHAPEL GREEN, WOKINGHAM, RG40 3ER ON BEHALF OF RISELEY HERITAGE HOMES TOWN & COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990 (AS AMENDED) PLANNING AND COMPULSORY PURCHASE ACT 2004 Prepared by: Jim Bailey Pegasus Group Columbia | Station Road| Bracknell | Berkshire | RG12 1LP T 01344 207777 | W www.pegasusgroup.co.uk Birmingham | Bracknell | Bristol | Cambridge | Cirencester | East Midlands | Leeds | Liverpool | London | Manchester ©Copyright Pegasus Planning Group Limited 2011. The contents of this document must not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of Pegasus Planning Group Limited Riseley Heritage Homes Chapel Green House, Chapel Green, Wokingham Planning Design and Access Statement CONTENTS: Page No: 1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. SITE DESCRIPTION 2 3. PROPOSAL 3 4. ASSESSMENT AGAINST RELEVANT PLANNING POLICIES AND MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS 4 5. CONCLUSION 18 August 2019 | JB/MMD | P19-0812PL Riseley Heritage Homes Chapel Green House, Chapel Green, Wokingham Planning Design and Access Statement 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This planning statement has been prepared on behalf of Riseley Heritage Homes in in support of a full planning application for residential development at Land at Chapel Green House, Chapel Green, Wokingham, RG40 3ER. 1.2 The application seeks consent for the demolition of existing buildings with equestrian use and an old barn and erection of 2 x 2 bed bungalows. 1.3 The application site for the proposal is shown edged in red on the Site Location Plan and is approximately 0.36 hectares in size. 1.4 A previous application (173607) was submitted which proposed the erection of 4no dwellings (2 semi-detached bungalows and 2 detached dwellings) and was rejected due to the impact on the character and appearance of the rural area, harm to listed building, sustainability and relationship to South Wokingham SDL. 1.5 This statement will introduce the site location, description and the proposed development and will then consider the proposal in the context of local and national policy, in order to assist the Officers’ consideration of the proposed development. Please note that a Statement of community involvement will not be included with the proposal. August 2019 | JB/MMD | P19-0812 Riseley Heritage Homes Chapel Green House, Chapel Green, Wokingham Planning Design and Access Statement 2. SITE DESCRIPTION 2.1 The site is located towards the end of Chapel Green, which is an access road leading from Luckley Road. The site is on the northern side of Chapel Green. 2.2 The site lies within the South Wokingham Strategic Development Location and is just South of a Major Development location. 2.3 To the east of the proposed site at the end of the road are a pair of two storey semi-detached houses. To the South of the site are a number of other residential properties with associated outbuildings. 2.4 To the South East of the proposed development there are 3 listed buildings which include the Henry Lucas Hospital and attached water pumps, the outbuildings at Lucas hospital and the garden wall at Lucas hospital. 2.5 The site currently consists of a dwelling, its associated outbuildings and gardens, a barn and a number of buildings associated with equestrian use. 2.6 There is a public right of way leading north from the site which provides good access to the nearby Tesco superstore and other means of transport. 2.7 The site lies within walking distance of Luckley Road bus stop which is serviced by Courtney buses, runs every 2 hours and stops at Wokingham. The closest train station is Wokingham Station which is serviced by Great Western Railway and South Western Railway. 2.8 There are various schools within walking distance such as Evendons Primary School, Luckley House School and Ludgrove School. The nearest shop is a Tesco Superstore which is 0.9mile drive August 2019 | JB/MMD | P19-0812 Riseley Heritage Homes Chapel Green House, Chapel Green, Wokingham Planning Design and Access Statement 3. PROPOSAL 3.1 The proposed development will see the demolition of a number of existing buildings which include the barn and stables and erection of 2x2 bed bungalows with associated works. The existing residential dwelling, Chapel Green House, will be retained. 3.2 Both bungalows will be provided with 2 parking spaces. There will be remaining space on the driveway for one unallocated/visitor parking space, resulting in 6 parking spaces overall. 3.3 The proposed bungalows will provide a more pleasing aesthetic compared to the existing single storey equestrian buildings. 3.4 The new bungalows will share the existing access with Chapel Green House. 3.5 The proposed dwellings will feature red brick and dark timber boarding with plain tile roofs and exposed rafter feet. The windows will be casement style with simple glazing bars and dark frames. August 2019 | JB/MMD | P19-0812 Riseley Heritage Homes Chapel Green House, Chapel Green, Wokingham Planning Design and Access Statement 4. ASSESSMENT AGAINST RELEVANT PLANNING POLICIES AND MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS 4.1 The proposal needs to be assessed against relevant policies from the Development Plan for the Borough. The Development Plan consists of Wokingham Borough Council’s Core Strategy (CS) and Managing Development Delivery Local Plan (MDD). The Borough Design Guide (BDG) is a material consideration. Principle of development 4.2 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) contains an underlying presumption in favour of sustainable development, which is carried through to the development plan. Policy CC01 of the MDD states that planning applications that accord with development plan policies will be approved without delay. 4.3 In the recent appeal decision, the inspector found that the site was not a suitable location for development, because the proposal, for 4 dwellings, contravened CS policy CP3 regarding inappropriate layout and character and policy CP11 concerning excessive encroachment away from the original buildings. In this case, as will be explained below, the proposal, now for just 2 bungalows, will comply with CS policies CP3 and CP11, thus ensuring that it is an acceptable development in principle. Sustainability 4.4 The relevant policies for sustainability are CP1 and CP6 of the Core Strategy which require development be sustainable in terms of achieving zero carbon developments with a reduction in the need for travel and the promotion of sustainable transport. Also, policy CP11 which allows development within the countryside where it is sustainable. 4.5 Whilst the site is surrounded on all sides by buildings, it is located just outside of the settlement boundary. It has good access to facilities and services with a short walk via the public right of way to the nearest bus stop, the nearest school being 600m away and Tesco Superstore being 450m away. The appeal inspector stated that: 14. The bus stops at the junction of Finchampstead Road and Luckley Road are within an acceptable walking distance of the appeal site and the services from it August 2019 | JB/MMD | P19-0812 Riseley Heritage Homes Chapel Green House, Chapel Green, Wokingham Planning Design and Access Statement are relatively regular. The private access drive and the part of Luckley Road between that drive and the railway bridge appear to be lightly trafficked. 15. However, the PROW would provide cycling and walking options for occupiers to access the nearby Tesco superstore especially in the hours of daylight and in dry weather conditions. Moreover, there is a regular bus service from the superstore which provides access to the train station and town centre. In addition, the SPD indicates that there would eventually be a number of services and facilities within the SDL including neighbourhood centres, schools and a new primary street with bus services. The existing PROW would link onto that primary street. 4.6 Overall, it is clear that the appeal inspector considered that the site lies in a reasonably accessible and sustainable location, where residents will have travel options and the proposal is considered to be in compliance with CS policies CP1, CP6 and CP11. Location in the countryside 4.7 Policy CP11 of the Core Strategy permits development outside of development limits, provided it does not lead to excessive encroachment or expansion of development away from the original buildings. The appeal inspector found that: 7. The volume, floorspace and footprints of the dwellings would be similar to that of the buildings to be demolished. Moreover, the existing single-storey equestrian buildings do not have high aesthetic quality. Nevertheless, the equestrian buildings are single storey with relatively flat roofs and that part of the site has the character of a horse related use in a rural area. As such these buildings are low key and form of that rural landscape. 4.8 In this context, the new application is for a pair of single-storey bungalows, sited within the existing footprint of the equestrian buildings, which will ensure that the impact of the dwellings on the rural landscape, when compared with what currently occupies the site, will be modest. 4.9 Policy RD 11 of the Borough Design Guide SPD notes that replacement buildings may be appropriate in the countryside where there is no adverse increase in scale, form or footprint and where there are environmental improvements. The footprint of the existing equestrian building on the site is 311 sqm. Plot 1 will be 140 sqm and plot 2 will be 136 sqm. In combination, the 2 bungalows will have a August 2019 | JB/MMD | P19-0812 Riseley Heritage Homes Chapel Green House, Chapel Green, Wokingham Planning Design and Access Statement footprint of 276 sqm, which is 35 sqm (about 11%) less than the existing building. The demolition of the existing barns and buildings and the erection of 2 detached bungalows complies with this policy.