Parish: Skutterskelfe Committee Date : 10th January 2019 Ward: Hutton Rudby Officer dealing : Mr M. Pearson 11 Target Date: 18th January 2019 18/02052/FUL Change of use of grazing land to paddocks, school yard, post and rail fencing, construction of stable and storage building with 14no. roof lights and associated access road and parking for recreational use At Skutterskelfe House, Skutterskelfe, North Yorkshire For Mrs J. Powell The application has been requested to be determined by the Planning Committee at the request of a Member of the Council. 1.0 PROPOSALS AND SITE DESCRIPTION 1.1 The application site is located to the west of Skutterskelfe House on the south side of the road between Hutton Rudby and Stokesley. Skutterskelfe House was constructed at the end of the twentieth century and comprises a large detached house, together with detached garaging. A number of extensions and alterations have been approved in recent years. The house sits in generous grounds with numerous mature trees that generally screen the house from public views. The vehicular entrance to the house is located to the north and the domestic curtilage of Skutterskelfe House is clearly defined by boundary walls and hedgerows. 1.2 In 2004 an application for the construction of a stable block, alterations to the vehicle access point and formation of riding arena were approved. This stable block is located to the north of Skutterskelfe House in part of the garden area. The Stable is constructed in brick with a shallow pitched roof and is single storey in height. Due to its careful siting and appropriate scale, the existing stable block is also generally well screened from public views. The only public view towards the stable is from the entrance gates to the property on the road between Hutton Rudby and Stokesley. 1.3 The area subject to the application is currently used as grazing land and is defined by metal estate railings to the south and west, a hedge along the eastern boundary and a 2m high brick wall with stone coping along the northern boundary. This wall historically defined the extent of the estate of Skutterskelfe Hall (a Grade II* listed building now known as Rudby Hall) and connects to the gatepiers of the Lodge. The gatepiers and Lodge are Grade II listed and are located to the west of the application site. Whilst the brick boundary wall connects to the listed gatepiers they are not considered to be a curtilage structure. This assessment is on the basis that whilst the Council understands that the wall is historic (constructed before 1948) and has a functional relationship to the gatepiers (to provide enclosure) we have not been able to establish that the section of brick wall was in the same ownership as the gatepiers at the time of listing. Therefore, in this instance the section of brick wall is not considered to be a curtilage listed structure and therefore the proposed works do not require listed building consent. Nevertheless, the section of brick wall is considered to be a non-designated heritage asset and remains of significance in terms of the setting of both the Lodge and the Hall and therefore the impact of the proposal needs to be assessed on this basis. 1.4 Also, within the application boundary is an existing unauthorised school yard, that includes lighting columns and pole mounted CCTV. 1.5 Planning permission is sought to change the use of the land to pony paddocks and to construct a new stable/storage building to store and accommodate the applicant’s horses for private use. The proposed building will be L-shaped in plan and would be 23.5m x 26.25m x 3.1m to eaves and 4.7m high to the ridge. 1.6 The building has 3 principal elements; stabling for up to 7 horses, a hay store and an equipment store. 1.7 The building would be set on brick plinth with horizontal timber shiplap cladding and would have a pitched roof covered with corrugated metal roofing that would include rooflights. 1.8 The proposals also involve the construction of a new vehicle access point through the widening of the existing field gate set within the brick boundary wall on the northern boundary of the application site. This new access point will be gated and would serve a new access road that will lead to the stables located at the southern end of the site. Within the site, a number of ancillary roads are proposed, one of which connects to the existing curtilage of the applicant’s house which sits immediately to the east. 1.9 The proposed development would provide a number of paddock areas defined by timber fencing and would also include a riding school area located close to the proposed stables. 1.10 During the course of the application, the Council requested information regarding why the proposed development could not be accommodated within the existing domestic curtilage along with justification for the proposed new vehicle access point. In addition, a meeting was held with the applicant’s agent to discuss the proposals and possible alternative approaches regarding the siting of stables within the existing domestic curtilage, the need to form a new vehicle access and impact of the proposal upon the setting of the Grade II listed Lodge and gatepiers. On the basis of our original concerns the agent prepared a slightly modified proposal. 1.11 The Council also raised a query regarding the existing unauthorised school yard, lighting columns and pole mounted CCTV. Subsequently, the agent clarified that the applicant has confirmed that the works were undertaken in October 2007 and as such they are immune from enforcement action. 1.12 The agent confirmed that applicant had decided to proceed with the application and requested that the application be determined on the basis of revised drawings. The amendments to the proposed drawings comprised the following: • Reduction in height of the stable block • Removal of tree lined avenue • Removal of some fencing to reduce sub-division • Introduction of landscape planting to the west 1.13 Included within the submission was an updated Design & Access Statement that included an expanded justification for the proposed development; The applicant owns 5 horses and 2 ponies. These are a mixture of active and retired animals. The ponies are kept in the existing stable at Skutterskelf House and the horses at commercial stables at Field House in Stokesley where there is pressure for them to be relocated. At present the horses are transported between Stokesley and Skutterskelf for grazing every 14 to 21 days. It takes around two weeks for the animals to graze the present land and the rotation allows the grass to recover. At present all the animals are never on the applicant’s land at the same time to due insufficient grazing and housing. Due to the above, issues of highway safety, sustainability and the security and welfare of the animals the applicant considers that this is a reasonable justification and need for the proposed development to house and graze all of the animals on the development site. The applicant’s daughter is currently undergoing the selection process for the British Dressage Under 12 Squad and a dressage arena complying with national competition standards is necessary. 2.0 RELEVANT PLANNING HISTORY 2.1 Skutterskelfe House and the proposed site have the following relevant planning history: • Replacement Dwelling and domestic garage – 96/50619/P – Approved 1.5.96 • Alterations and single storey extensions to include garden room, swimming pool & formation of dormers – 04/00566/FUL – Approved 7.5.2004 • Construction of stable block, formation of riding arena and alterations to access – 04/01381/FUL – approved – 29.9.2004. • Alterations and extension to existing dwelling 10/01592/FUL – 10/01592/FUL – approved 19.8.2010 3.0 RELEVANT PLANNING POLICIES: 3.1 The relevant policies of the Development Plan are as follows; Core Strategy Policy CP1 - Sustainable development Core Strategy Policy CP2 - Access Core Strategy Policy CP4 - Settlement hierarchy Core Strategy Policy CP16 - Protecting and enhancing natural and man-made assets Core Strategy Policy CP17 - Promoting high quality design Development Policy DP3 - Site accessibility Development Policy DP9 - Development outside Development Limits Development Policy DP28 - Conservation Development Policy DP30 - Protecting the character and appearance of the countryside Development Policies DP32 - General design Development Policies DP33 – Landscaping 4.0 CONSULTATIONS 4.1 Parish Council – Noted highways concerns regarding visibility and set back distance of the new gates. In addition, the Parish Council noted that a “domestic only” condition should be imposed. 4.2 NYCC Highways – no objections subject to a condition regarding the private access/verge crossing. 4.3 HDC Environmental Health Officer – No objection but recommended conditions regarding the storage and spreading of manure and that there shall be no burning of manure on the site. 4.4 Historic England – Declined to comment. 4.5 Northumberland Water – No Comments to make. 4.6 Site notice expired 25th October 2018 – one letter of support for the proposed equestrian use was received from a local resident within Skutterskelfe. 4.7 Neighbour Notifications – The owners of Rudby Hall submitted a detailed letter of objection that noted the following concerns summarised below: • Air Quality/residential amenity • Highways safety • Heritage impacts 5.0 OBSERVATIONS 5.1 The main issues for consideration in the determination of this application relate to: i) the principle of the development; ii) design & landscaping; iii) impact on heritage assets and; iv) highway concerns. Principle 5.2 Paragraph 83 of the NPPF notes that planning policies and decisions should support a prosperous rural economy through the sustainable growth and expansion of all types of business and enterprise in rural areas, both through conversion of existing buildings and well-designed new buildings, and promote the development and diversification of agricultural and other land-based rural businesses.