Ashford Borough Council - Report of Head of Development Management and Strategic Sites Planning Committee 17 April 2019 ___________________________________________________________________ Application Number 18/01803/AS Location Studio at, Beale Lands Farm House, Shawlands Lane, High Halden, Kent, TN26 3JA Grid Reference 89238/37593 Parish Council High Halden Ward Weald Central Application Extension to, and conversion of, former studio to holiday Description let with associated parking and amenity curtilage Applicant Dr A Bird, Beale Lands Farm House, Shawlands Lane, High Halden, Kent, TN26 3JA Agent Mrs H N Whitehead, Price Whitehead, Estate Office, Forstal Farm, Leigh Green, Tenterden, Kent, TN30 7DF Site Area 0.03 ha (a) 3/1R; 1+ (b) R (c) KCC Ecology + Introduction 1. This application is reported to the Planning Committee at the request of one of the Ward Members, Councillor Pickering. Site and Surroundings 2. The site forms part of the garden of Beale Lands Farm House, a semi- detached property abutting Shawlands Lane to the north of the village of High Halden. There is sporadic residential development to the north, south and east of the site with open countryside beyond and to the west. 3. The site is in the Biddenden and High Halden Farmlands Landscape Character Area where the overall guideline is to conserve and improve. 4. A five bar gate provides access off Shawlands Lane with a mature high hedge along the boundary with the road. A gravel parking and turning area serves the main dwelling of Beale Lands Farm House with the studio building (the subject of this application) located adjacent. A 1.8m high close boarded fence Ashford Borough Council - Report of Head of Development Management and Strategic Sites Planning Committee 17 April 2019 ___________________________________________________________________ adjacent to the studio and parking area defines the boundary with the rear garden of the neighbouring dwelling Ely Place. 5. The studio currently consists of a block work structure with timber weatherboarding with a shallow pitched metal sheet roof and a sloping roof timber lean-to storage area at the northern end (see figure 1). It is unclear when the building was constructed as there is no planning history relating to it. However, the information submitted with the application states the building is of solid construction with insulation and has been previously been used as a private home recording studio. Figure 1 - Existing outbuilding Ashford Borough Council - Report of Head of Development Management and Strategic Sites Planning Committee 17 April 2019 ___________________________________________________________________ Figure 2 - Site Location Plan Proposal 6. Full planning permission is sought for the conversion of the existing outbuilding to form a holiday let. The existing main structure is constructed of blockwork with external timber weatherboarding and a timber lean-to. 7. Replacement of the lean-to extension is proposed, integrating this element within the main body of the existing building. The new extension would match the blockwork and timber weatherboard clad walls and profiled sheet steel roof to match the existing building. There would be a small increase in the depth of the extension to match that of the main part of the building but the overall height and length of the building would remain unchanged. 8. The building is set within the residential curtilage of Beale Lands Farm House adjacent to the existing parking and turning area. Ashford Borough Council - Report of Head of Development Management and Strategic Sites Planning Committee 17 April 2019 ___________________________________________________________________ Figure 3 - Existing and Proposed site Layout Plan 9. The holiday let would be comprised of an open plan bedroom/kitchen and dining / living area with a separate shower room. An existing double timber door and a window would be replaced with a new double glazed door and two windows on the rear (west) elevation facing the garden. A new door and three windows would be inserted on the currently blank front (east) elevation fronting the parking area. No doors or windows are proposed on either of the side elevations. Ashford Borough Council - Report of Head of Development Management and Strategic Sites Planning Committee 17 April 2019 ___________________________________________________________________ Figure 4 - Proposed Site Plan Ashford Borough Council - Report of Head of Development Management and Strategic Sites Planning Committee 17 April 2019 ___________________________________________________________________ Figure 5 - Existing floor plans Ashford Borough Council - Report of Head of Development Management and Strategic Sites Planning Committee 17 April 2019 ___________________________________________________________________ Figure 6 Existing Elevations Ashford Borough Council - Report of Head of Development Management and Strategic Sites Planning Committee 17 April 2019 ___________________________________________________________________ Figure 7 Proposed Elevations Ashford Borough Council - Report of Head of Development Management and Strategic Sites Planning Committee 17 April 2019 ___________________________________________________________________ Figure 8 Proposed Floor Plan Planning History 18/01549/AS - New detached, four bedroom dwelling, with garage, amenity curtilage and access, (within existing residential amenity garden land) – Approved but not yet implemented. 05/00562/AS - New access to property and erection of wooden gates (retrospective) – Permitted Development Consultations Ward Members: One of the Ward Members, Cllr Pickering has requested that the application is decided at Planning Committee. No comments have been received from the other Ward Member Cllr Mrs Bell High Halden Parish Council - object as it is an overdevelopment of the site as the studio was formerly a double garage KCC Biodiversity – raise no objection subject to condition Neighbours: 3 neighbours consulted; 2 representations received. Ashford Borough Council - Report of Head of Development Management and Strategic Sites Planning Committee 17 April 2019 ___________________________________________________________________ 1 objection raising the following: • Structure was originally a car port and converted to a studio without planning permission. • Roof covering recently changed from felt to metal sheets. • Noise and traffic will be intolerable in conjunction with the approved new dwelling. 1 General comment received raising the following: • Structure used to be a double garage that was converted to a studio by previous owners. • The original vehicular access bricked up at the same time and a new access made 50 yards further along, much closed to the entrance to Four Acres, perhaps without permission [HoDMSS comment: relocation of access and new gates considered permitted development under 05/00562/AS]. • Neither support nor object to the current proposal but consider the current structure is an eyesore. Planning Policy 10. The Development Plan comprises the Ashford Local Plan 2030 (adopted February 2019), the Chilmington Green AAP (2013), the Wye Neighbourhood Plan (2016), the Pluckley Neighbourhood Plan (2017) and the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan (2016). 11. For clarification, the Local Plan 2030 supersedes the saved policies in the Ashford Local Plan (2000), Ashford Core Strategy (2008), Ashford Town Centre Action Area Plan (2010), the Tenterden & Rural Sites DPD (2010) and the Urban Sites and Infrastructure DPD (2012). 12. The relevant policies from the Development Plan relating to this application are as follows:- Ashford Local Plan to 2030 SP1 – Strategic Objectives SP6 – Promoting High Quality Design Ashford Borough Council - Report of Head of Development Management and Strategic Sites Planning Committee 17 April 2019 ___________________________________________________________________ TRA3a - Parking Standards for Residential Development ENV1 – Biodiversity ENV3a – Landscape Character and Design ENV4 – Dark Skies ENV9 – Sustainable Drainage EMP11 – Tourism HOU15 – Private External Space Supplementary Planning Guidance/Documents Landscape Character SPD Residential Parking SPD Sustainable drainage (SuDs) SPD Dark Skies SPD Residential Space SPD Government Advice National Planning Policy Framework (NPFF) 2018 13. Members should note that the determination must be made in accordance with the Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. A significant material consideration is the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The NPPF says that less weight should be given to the policies above if they are in conflict with the NPPF. 14. Section 6 relates to building a strong, competitive economy. In this instance, paragraph 83, which relates to rural areas outlines that planning decisions should seek to support sustainable growth of all types of business in the rural area which include tourism provided that they respect the character of the countryside. Assessment 15. The main issues for consideration are: Ashford Borough Council - Report of Head of Development Management and Strategic Sites Planning Committee 17 April 2019 ___________________________________________________________________ • The principle of the development • The impact of the development on the character of the countryside and the visual amenity • The impact on the residential amenity of the occupiers of the neighbouring dwellings • Impact on highway safety within the surrounding area • Biodiversity The