Borough Council of Wellingborough Planning Committee Wednesday 2nd November 2011 at 7.00 pm Council Chamber, Swanspool House INDEX Page No. SITE VIEWING GROUP WP/2011/0216/F - 41 and 45 Main Road, Grendon. 1 WP/2011/0344/F - Land east of Easton Way, Grendon. 5 WP/2011/0361/RVC - 94 Farndish Road, Irchester. 12 WP/2011/0363/F - 38 Hardwick Road, Wellingborough. 18 WP/2011/0372/O - Adjacent 204 Priory Road, Wellingborough. 23 DISTRICT WP/2011/0296/F - Newlands Farm, 75 Harrold Road, Bozeat. 28 WP/2011/0366/F - Manor Farm, 7 Dychurch Lane, Bozeat. 43 WP/2011/0440/C - 3 4 (Larner Pallets) Bevan Close, Wellingborough. 53 WP/2011/0442/C - Land to the West of the Village of Isham, A509, Isham. 58 FOR INFORMATION WP/2011/0342/C - Friars School, Friars Close, Wellingborough. 65 WP/2011/0343/C - Rowangate Primary School, Finedon Road, Wellingborough. 67 WP/2011/0373/C - Oakway Infant School, Oakway, Wellingborough. 69 - 1 - BOROUGH COUNCIL OF WELLINGBOROUGH AGENDA ITEM SITE VIEWING (Date of visit Tuesday 1st November 2011 at 11.20 a.m.) Planning Committee 02/11/2011 Report of the Head of Planning and Development APPLICATION REF: WP/2011/0216/F PROPOSAL: Re-modelling of 3 no. cottages to create 2 no. cottages with the creation of a new subservient extension. Amended Plan. Further amended plan. LOCATION: 41 and 45 Main Road, Grendon, Northampton. NN7 1JW APPLICANT: Ms Judith Lynne Smith. This application is referred to the Planning Committee for determination at the request of the Parish Council and as a result of the number of residents’ objections. PROPOSAL AND DESCRIPTION OF SITE: It is proposed to convert and refurbish a terrace of cottages standing at right-angles to Main Road, Grendon on its west side, to form two dwellings. The scheme includes additional development at the west end comprising a conversion of a single-storey outbuilding to two storeys and an additional two-storey garage/bedroom block at the end. The end block partially extends beyond the Council’s Village Policy Line, although additional pre-existent outbuildings already went beyond the line. Architecturally the new elevations created serve to enhance the vernacular appearance of the terrace, and this extends to: • two new porches; • the subtle reduction in size of the existing windows to create a more traditional window-to-wall ratio; • replacement of the existing pebble-dash walls and concrete roofing tiles with limestone and red clay; and • a new chimney. RELEVANT PLANNING HISTORY: None. NATIONAL AND LOCAL PLANNING POLICY: PPS1 PPS7 WP/2011/0216/F Planning & Local © Crown Copyright Development and database right 2011. Scale: Ordnance Survey 100018694. Legend 1:1,266 This map is accurate Cities Revealed Title to the scale specified Aerial Photography copyright: WP/2011/0216/F - 41 & 45 Main Road, Grendon ± when reproduced at A4 GetMapping PLC 1999 - 2 - North Northamptonshire Core Spatial Strategy Policy 13 B/W Local Plan, Policy G6 – VPL and Open Countryside considerations SPG II: Residential Extensions SPD: Sustainable Design SUMMARY OF REPLIES TO CONSULTATIONS/REPRESENTATIONS RECEIVED: 1. NCC Highways – no objections in principle. Adequate driveway width needed to allow two cars to pass at access point. 2. Parish Council – concerned at development’s location partly outside the VPL and issue of adequacy of the integral car parking provision. 3. BCW Planning Policy - the application is acceptable under Policy G6 of the Local Plan, as the extension(s) are replacing existing outbuildings. 4. Third Parties – 6 letters/e-mails of objection have been received, covering the following issues: the end extension is sited outside the Village Policy Line (issue of precedence) and is also out of proportion to the parent building(s); inadequate car parking provision and issues of highway safety at point of access; detrimental impact on views/privacy, the local village scene and amenity (37 Main Road); although the properties were originally designed as 3 cottages, they have been in use as only 2 for some time; reduction in light into garden and overlooking of property and garden area from new windows in the north elevation of the proposed development (53 Main Road). ASSESSMENT: Policy and Architectural Appearance The desire to extend the terrace of cottages northwards to achieve two reasonable- sized family homes is understandable. Also, architecturally, this form of development is well-proportioned, respecting the organic tradition seen elsewhere in this and other conservation villages in the Borough, and the remodelled terrace is thereby a high- quality addition to the village’s historic fabric. Local Plan Policy G6 is designed to constrain substantive new development in the open countryside. However, it explicitly recognizes that a limited number of small-scale adjacent buildings, which the present proposed extension represents, can normally be accommodated acceptably. Additionally, on a wider policy perspective, it is not considered that in visual terms the development will have an adverse impact on the village’s form or character. Finally, any fear of creating an undesirable precedent is unfounded, partly because there do not appear to be any obvious local examples of similar building forms abutting the VPL and also, even if there were any such proposals elsewhere, these would properly be considered by Committee on their own particular merits. Parking Provision The Highway Authority has indicated in its formal comments that in principle a conversion of 3 cottages into 2, albeit with an extension, would not create an increase in potential traffic generation. The fact that the previous owners of the cottages are understood to have had only one car between them is mere happenstance, as this situation could obviously have intensified at any time without the need for planning - 3 - permission. It should perhaps also be noted that the terrace as it now exists could be brought into use as either two or three houses without the necessity for planning permission and that there would thereby be no control over the occupants modifying the curtilage to accommodate additional cars. Nevertheless, in the course of negotiating (and re-consulting) this application, extra parking provision on the west side of the new gable at no. 41 and a widened parking bay intended to take 2 cars at no. 45 have been agreed, and this is shown on the present amended plan for Committee’s consideration. However, as no. 45’s parking area still appears to be too narrow to conveniently accommodate the two cars, a special Condition has been attached to the draft recommendation below requiring its final area to be agreed with the local planning authority. Visual Amenity, Overlooking and Light The re-fenestration of the critical north elevation will create a similar number of windows to that which exists, but each new window will be smaller in size. Provided additional landing and bathroom windows on the first floor are specified as obscure-glazed with opening restrictors, it is not considered that there will be any net detrimental effect on the neighbour at no. 53. An appropriate Condition covering this is attached below. It is accepted that the proposed extension(s) will reduce the light reaching parts of the garden of no. 53. However, it is not considered that this of itself is sufficient in material planning terms to justify a refusal of the application, particularly as outbuildings exist at present on part of the area in question. RECOMMENDATION: Grant full conditional planning permission. 1. The development shall be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this permission. 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (or as amended) no garages, sheds or other buildings shall be erected without express planning permission from the local planning authority, other than those expressly authorised by this permission. 3. The site shall be landscaped and planted with trees and shrubs in accordance with a comprehensive scheme which shall be submitted to and approved by the local planning authority before the development is commenced. The scheme shall be implemented concurrently with the development and shall be completed not later than the first planting season following the substantial completion of the development. Any trees and shrubs removed, dying, being severely damaged or becoming seriously diseased within five years of planting shall be replaced by trees and shrubs of similar size and species to those originally required to be planted or other species as may be agreed. 4. Full details of the following items shall be submitted for the written agreement of the local planning authority prior to the commencement of development: (i) windows and doors (including garage door); (ii) porches; (iii) hard surfaces/landscaping for vehicular access, manoeuvring and parking, to - 4 - include permeable materials; (iv) a scheme for storage and collection arrangements for refuse/recycling bins, including construction of a secured facility. 5. A scheme for screen fencing/walling shall be agreed with the local planning authority before the start of construction. The agreed scheme shall be implemented to the satisfaction of the local planning authority before the houses are occupied. 6. All single-light windows in the upper floor of the north elevation serving, respectively (reading from left to right), the en-suite, landing, WC and bathroom, shall be obscure-glazed and fitted with opening restrictors to a specification to be agreed in writing with the local planning authority prior to the commencement of development. 7. Pedestrian-to-vehicle visibility of 2m x 2m shall be provided and maintained on both sides of the point of access, and the access drive shall be widened to 4.5m for a distance of 10m from the highway boundary. 8. The indicated parking provision for no. 45 is not hereby approved.