ENCLOSURE 5 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority PLANNING, ACCESS AND RIGHTS OF WAY COMMITTEE 8 June 2010 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT CONTROL ON APPLICATIONS FOR DETERMINATION BY THE PLANNING, ACCESS AND RIGHTS OF WAY COMMITTEE Page 1 of 100 ENCLOSURE 5 INDEX ITEM REFERENCE ADDRESS RECOMMENDATION 1 10/04635/FUL 4 Pendre Courtyard Permit Cathedine Bwlch Brecon Powys 2 10/04668/FUL 4 Cefn Cantref Refuse Cantref Brecon Powys LD3 8LT 3 09/03405/OUT Cwrt Y Gollen Permit subject to Section Crickhowell 106 Agreement Powys NP8 1TF Page 2 of 100 ENCLOSURE 5 ITEM NUMBER: 1 APPLICATION NUMBER: 10/04635/FUL APPLICANTS NAME(S): Mr Steven & Mrs Carol Williams SITE ADDRESS: 4 Pendre Courtyard Cathedine Bwlch Brecon Powys LD3 7SX GRID REF: E: 314446 N:223468 COMMUNITY: Llanfihangel Cwmdu DATE VALIDATED: 30 March 2010 DECISION DUE DATE: 25 May 2010 CASE OFFICER: Ms Helen Lillow PROPOSAL Construction of stable and store ADDRESS 4 Pendre Courtyard, Cathedine, Bwlch Page 3 of 100 ENCLOSURE 5 CONSULTATIONS/COMMENTS Consultee Received Comments Clwyd Powys 22nd Apr 2010 Information held with the Regional Historic Archaeological Trust Environmental Record indicates that, although the development lies close to area of archaeological significance, it appears that no known features will be affected by the intended works. I would not wish, therefore to offer any further comment on this application. Cwmdu And District 26th Apr 2010 The Council supports the application provided is Community Council complies with the relevant policies. Powys County 15th Apr 2010 Does not wish to comment on the application. Council Highways CONTRIBUTORS NEIGHBOUR/THIRD PARTY RESPONSE SUMMARY The application has been advertised by direct neighbour notification and the erection of a site notice. No objections or representations have been received. RELEVANT POLICIES LPH15: “House extensions and ancillary buildings” (Local Plan 1999) G3: “Development in the National Park” (Unitary Development Plan 2007) G6: “Design” (Unitary Development Plan 2007) ES18: “Equestrian Facilities” (Unitary Development Plan 2007) ES27: “House Extensions and Ancillary Buildings” (Unitary Development Plan 2007) LPG3: “Development in the National Park.” (Local Plan 1999) LPG7: “Design and energy conservation.” (Local Plan 1999) PLANNING HISTORY App Ref Description Decision Date P18698 Change of use & conversion of Application 9th May 2003 barns to form 4 No. dwellings Permitted Page 4 of 100 ENCLOSURE 5 OFFICER’S REPORT INTRODUCTION The application seeks full planning permission for the erection of a stable with attached store room within a paddock adjacent to 4 Pendre Courtyard, Cathedine, Bwlch. The site is located on land outside the established residential curtilage of the dwelling and outside the closest settlement development limits of Bwlch as defined by the Brecon Beacons National Park (‘BBNP’ )Unitary Development Plan 2007 (‘the UDP’) and the BBNP Local Plan 1999 (‘the Local Plan’). SITE DESCRIPTION The application site forms part of paddock with an area of 0.5 acre/ 0.23 hectares to the south-west of the existing residential property 4 Pendre Courtyard. The host property forms part of a complex of barn conversions approved by P18698 in 2003. The paddock, within which the proposal would be sited, adjoins the southern and western boundary of the applicant's curtilage. Pendre Courtyard as a whole is accessed via the B4560 road to the east of the site. Access to the paddock is gained by an existing agricultural access within the southern corner of the parking forecourt used by the residential properties. The proposed stable and store room would be positioned on the south-western boundary of the paddock approximately 18m to the south-east of the northern boundary and 50 to the south- west of the residential properties. The paddock is enclosed by post, rail and pig wire fencing with a number a number of mature and semi mature native deciduous trees along the western and southern boundaries. The site is located on the western side of Cefn Moel, as a result the land falls from east to west. The proposed stable would therefore be below the level of the B4560, the residential properties and field access to the east and north-east respectively and would be raised in relation to the agricultural fields to the west. In comparison to the gradient of the field the site of the proposed stable is relatively flat. PROPOSAL The proposal would measure 5.4m wide, 4.9m deep with a maximum height of 2.9m falling to 2.2m at eaves level. The development would be of timber frame construction with shiplap timber boarding to the walls, tongue and groove doors and grey colour box profile sheeted roof. The front elevation would contain one 1.1m wide stable door, one 0.9m wide pedestrian door and a 0.9m wide, 0.7m high window opening. There would be no openings in the other elevations. The front elevation of the proposal would be orientated to face north-east towards the applicant’s dwelling. The application is presented to Committee as the applicant is an employee of the Page 5 of 100 ENCLOSURE 5 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. MATERIAL PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS As identified above the site is located within an area of open countryside within the community of Llanfihangel Cwmdu. The key considerations with regards to the application have been determined as the principle of development, visual impact on the proposal on the character and appearance of the host property and wider area, the residential amenity of those living closest to the site and highway safety implications. PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT Whilst the development plan for the area includes the adopted Local Plan (1999), it has been largely superseded by the more up to date UDP (2007) which stopped short of formal adoption but was adopted for development control purposes. The UDP therefore provides a more up to date and relevant planning framework. This application is considered against policies G3, G6, ES18 and ES27 of the UDP and policies G3, G7 and H15 of the Local Plan. Local Plan policies will only be considered where they differ significantly from their UDP counterparts. Policy G3 specifies that in order to be permitted development should comply with a number of relevant critiera including i) should not have an unacceptable impact on, nor detract from or prevent the enjoyment s of special qualities, natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the National Park, ii) be located within “white areas” of settlements, iii) be of a scale form, design, layout intensity of use and use of materials appropriate to the surroundings, help maintain or enhance the quality and character of the Park’s landscape and v) not have an unacceptable impact on the amenity of the area of adjacent properties or the general public ES18 provides criteria that equestrian proposals should satisfy in order to be approved. The policy stipulates that developments will be permitted where the facility is grouped with an existing complex, or as close as possible to existing buildings, the facility has no unacceptable adverse affect on the landscape and environment in terms of its siting, scale, design, access, surface water drainage, materials and boundary treatments, the facility has no unacceptable adverse impact on the amenity of neighbouring properties and suitable access and parking can be provided. Policy ES27 identifies that new ancillary buildings in the countryside should be grouped with the house APPRAISAL Principle of Development As identified above the application site falls outside of the applicant’s residential curtilage and beyond the closest defined settlement development limits. As such the application is Page 6 of 100 ENCLOSURE 5 contrary to criteria ii of policy G3. However, arguably, the nature and use of such developments is commonly, more appropriate within countryside areas subject to a number of other materials considerations being satisfied. In this instance it is considered that the development of a single stable, on land within the applicant’s ownership in close proximity to their dwelling is acceptable. Character and appearance of the host dwelling and surrounding area The application initially sought consent for the development of the stable within the southern corner of the field. Following a site visit concerns were raised in relation to the isolated and potentially sporadic position of the proposal in relation to the existing complex of buildings. Following negotiation, the position of the proposal has been amended so that the development would be within 18m of the northern boundary of the field and within 50m to the south-west of the properties. The applicant has also advised that they are unable to position the proposal with the north-western corner of the field due to wet and marshy ground conditions. Whilst siting the development within the north-western corner of the plot would help to visually connect the development with the existing buildings, in this instance, it is considered that the size, scale and design of the proposal, the topography of the land and positioning adjacent to semi-mature and mature trees along the existing boundary would help screen the development and prevent it from being so visually incongruous when viewed from the highway to the east of the site or the residential properties to the north-east to warrant refusal of the application on such grounds. Whilst siting the proposal closer to the existing dwelling would help satisfy the requirements of Policy ES27, in this instance it is considered that such an arrangement would require additional engineering works which could add to the visual prominence of the building and could also prove detrimental to the residential amenity of those living closest to the site. Given the relatively small area of the paddock, continued grazing could lead to the site becoming bare of grass and 'poached'.