DEV/WS/20/009 Development Control Committee 5 February 2020 Planning Application DC/19/1700/FUL – Caravan Site South, Pigeon Lane, Fornham All Saints Date 20.08.2019 Expiry Date: 19.11.2019 Registered: EOT agreed Case Britta Heidecke Recommendation: Approve subject to Officer: conditions Parish: Fornham All Saints Ward: The Fornhams and Great Barton Proposal: Planning Application - (i) Change of use of part of golf course for the siting of 35no. caravan lodge holiday homes (ii) new access from A1101 (iii) construction of access roads, parking spaces and associated infrastructure (as amended by email on 14.01.2019 to omit 2 caravans) Site: Caravan Site South, Pigeon Lane, Fornham All Saints Applicant: Mr David Harris Synopsis: Application under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and Associated matters. Recommendation: It is recommended that the Committee determine the attached application and associated matters. CONTACT CASE OFFICER: Britta Heidecke Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01638 719456 Background: 1. The application is a re-submission of a recently withdrawn application for Change of Use of two sites on part of the golf course (one in the north and one in the south) for the siting of 70no. caravan lodge holiday homes, with associated works including the creation of a new access for from the A1101 and the B1106. This current application relates to the southern part of the previous application only. 2. The application site and large parts of the golf course fall within the parish of Fornham All Saints. The All Saints Hotel and parts of the golf course fall within the parish of Fornham St. Martin Cum St. Genevieve. Therefore, both Parish Councils have been consulted. 3. The application is before committee because Fornham All Saints Parish Council have made comments in support of the application and Fornham St. Martin Cum St. Genevieve Parish Council object. The ward member asked for the application to be considered by committee due to the number of representations received and the adjoining Tollgate Ward Councillor objects to the proposal. 119 representations have been received, 56 objections from nearby properties and 63 support letters from customers of the existing hotel and golf course. The Officer recommendation is on balance one of approval. Proposal: 4. The application seeks planning permission for the change of use of part of the golf course for the siting of 35 no. holiday lodges and associated new access off the A1101, access road and parking spaces and associated infrastructure including buggy park. In order to maintain the yardage of the golf course a total of 5 holes would also be altered. 5. The application also proposes a private foot/buggy path from the development site to the All Saints Hotel across the other side the golf course and river Lark to provide a link from the proposed caravans to the hotel, also linking into the existing PROW. Application Supporting Material: 6. Application Form Proposed Plans Access Plans Ecology Survey HRA report Golf Course Alteration Report Landscape Impact Assessment Soft Landscaping scheme Flood Risk Assessment Drainage Strategy Gold Course and Footpath Statement (risk mitigation) Ecological Addendum Detailed Soft Landscaping Scheme Planting Schedule and Specifications Site Details: 7. The application site comprises of 2.83 ha of approximately 50.6haof golf course between Fornham All Saints and Bury St Edmunds. At present the application site is accessed only from within the golf course via a bridge over the river. The area proposed to change use is located between the Mildenhall Road Employment Area and Pigeon Lane/ Fornham All Saints, in the countryside in planning policy terms. 8. All Saints Hotel Golf Spa is located on the south side of the B1106 at Fornham All Saints, Bury St Edmunds, some 700 metres north of the application site. It currently provides for various leisure activities, golf, spa and has a hotel and restaurant. The site is bounded by the golf course to the north, the A1101 to the south, industrial development to the east and arable land to the west. 9. The site is outside any settlement boundary and located within the valley meadowlands landscape character typology as defined in the Suffolk Landscape character assessment and has many of the features typical of this landscape character type despite being used, in the main, as a golf course. It contains a large number of trees within the site, is bound by brambles and hedging along the western and southern boundary and a tree line off-site along the eastern boundary with the larger industrial buildings. 10.The conservation area for Fornham All Saints is located opposite Pigeon Lane in close proximity to the site. Planning History: 11.There is extensive planning history associated with the golf club and hotel. Only the most relevant and recent applications are set out below. Reference Proposal Status Decision Date DC/17/1351/FUL Planning Application - Application 26.01.2018 Creation of access off Granted Mildenhall Road into All Saints Golf and Country Club DC/18/1372/FUL Planning Application - New Application 04.07.2019 bedroom wing to existing Granted hotel to create 42 no. additional rooms DC/18/1917/FUL Planning Application - (i) Application change of use of part of Returned golf course for siting of 70no. caravan lodge holiday homes; (ii) new access from A1101 and B1106; (iii) construction of access roads; (iv) parking spaces and (v) associated infrastructure DC/19/0347/FUL Planning Application - (i) Withdrawn 30.08.2019 change of use of part of golf course for siting of 70no. caravan lodge holiday homes; (ii) new access from A1101 and B1106; (iii) construction of access roads; (iv) parking spaces and (v) associated infrastructure Consultations: 12.Fornham All Saints Parish Council: 02.10.2019 ‘As a council, we agreed to "Support", as long as the applicant addressed the two issues of : - the difficult A1101 access, traffic volumes, etc. - the effect of this proposed development on wild-life on the adjoining parts of the golf-course’ 03.01.2020 on amended plans: ‘Regarding the above application: Fornham All Saints supports this application. General comments made by Councillors: Where the proposed path intersects the line of the Lark Valley path, develop the new path in a similar direction and then make a short turn across to the lodges thus maintaining maximum distance between the guests and local residents. Suggest lighting low to the ground on the right side going towards the lodges so Pidgeon Lane would not be affected. Lighting levels should not be excessively bright but just enough to mark out any path's routes. Could lights be on a timer/sensor so they are not permanently on during the night?’ 13.Fornham St. Martin Cum St. Genevieve: 02. 10.2019 Objects to the application for the following summarised reasons: the development will breach the rural green space between the village and Bury St Edmunds not in-keeping with the rural setting and the character of the area protected species and Japanese Knotweed concerns regarding the risks of contamination and flooding river may be affected by pollution and sewerage no plans indicating how Cycleways between the site and Fornham Park, West Stow, & Genevieve Lakes will be linked, nor is there any provision for cycle storage Access and traffic concerns The Battlefield Trust, SCC Archaeological Services & Historic England concerns The amount of holiday lodges within the local area is disproportionate to the need. There are currently 24 Lodges already built at Fornham Park, with 27 further lodges approved and with foundations in progress; there is also a 12 lodges application still pending determination. the RV6 Stennett’s provision which has been allocated, a further possible 100 lodges at Genevieve Lakes all within close proximity of each other, being only 1/6 of a mile apart 10.01.2020 Comments on the amendments: Fornham St Martin cum St. Genevieve Parish Council would like to reiterate its objections and comments submitted on 11th October 2019, we feel that the amendments submitted by the applicant do not answer all our comments and in no way do they lessen the impact the development has upon the rural green space between Fornham All Saints (which is an infill village) and Bury St Edmund's, contravening Vision 2031 and JDMDP Policy DM34 para a.). 14.Ward Councillor: Call in from war member Cllr Rebecca Hopfensperger due to the number of objections. Cllr Hind (Tollgate member which adjoins the Fornhams) objects to the proposals on the grounds of Traffic, Noise, Sustainability, Effect on the environment, Archaeology, Loss of Residential amenity. Environment & Transport – Highways: 15.Do not object to the amended approval and access details subject to conditions. 16.The Highways Authority (HA) ‘accepts that the traffic movements associated with this development will not have an impact on the peak traffic flows of Fornham Road A1101. However, we must caveat our response to state that this applies to the detail of this application only. No further development, intensification or use of this access for any other or additional purpose would be acceptable.’ 17.The HA note that drawing 467 P1 Rev A with the footway as shown on drawing Diagram 467/PH1 is an acceptable layout, and accept that suitable pedestrian access into and through the development, and suitable parking and turning for all vehicles can be achieved. The HA also notes that in order to achieve visibility splays cutting back or removal of vegetation and removal or relocation of infrastructure such as street lighting and a road sign may be necessary. This will require separate consent from the HA. As the access details have been submitted in different documents the HA request a condition for holistic access details to be submitted.