PLANNING STATEMENT GRANGE FARM, ALMODINGTON LANE, EARNLEY, WEST SUSSEX, PO20 7JS PLANNING STATEMENT GRANGE FARM, ALMODINGTON LANE, EARNLEY, WEST SUSSEX, PO20 7JS Reconfiguration of existing access and reposition private driveway with associated works. Site, Surroundings & Proposals This Statement accompanies a full planning application for the reconfiguration of the existing access arrangements and the repositioning of the private driveway at Grange Farm, Almodington Lane, Earnley. Grange Farm lies within the rural area, along a private road which connects several farmsteads to Almodington Lane. It is one of a small cluster of former farm buildings, all of which have been converted to residential properties. The application site is open to the surrounding countryside, which is all relatively flat and unobstructed. The shared access driveway (which runs west to east), a large part of the built form, the courtyard, some garden land, along with the application site’s western boundary all lie within flood zone 3. No other site-specific constraints to development exist for the application site. Grange Farm is a substantial two-storey detached period property set in approximately 4 acres. It has an adjoining triple bay open garage with store. Its extensive gardens lie predominantly to the south and also accommodates a large pond and a modern seven bay, open steel barn. Grange Farm is not listed nor is it situated within a Conservation Area. North Grange Barn and South Grange Barn lie immediately to the east of Grange Farm. Other than these, the only other surrounding development is that of Thorney Farm House, another private dwelling which lies some distance away, at the southern end of the site. All the aforementioned properties are currently accessed from the north, via a shared point which leads off of the private road. At a point where the road forks in the north-west corner of the site, a relatively short access track runs west to east and serves North Grange Barn and South Grange Barn. A significantly longer access track runs through the grounds of Grange Farm from north to south until it reaches Thorney Farm House. Both access tracks are located within the grounds of Grange Farm with shared Smith Simmons & Partners 15 West Pallant, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1TB 01243 850411 | [email protected] | www.ss-p.co.uk PLANNING STATEMENT GRANGE FARM, ALMODINGTON LANE, EARNLEY, WEST SUSSEX, PO20 7JS access afforded to the neighbouring properties via associated private residential driveways finished in gravel surfacing. The current proposals seek planning permission for the reconfiguration of existing access arrangements and repositioning of the private driveway which serves Grange Farm and the immediate neighbours at North Grange Farm and South Grange Farm, as well as Thorney Farm House to the south. The remainder of this statement will explain the need for the development, describe its design and layout and consider it against relevant planning policy. Need for the Development Essentially, the proposed scheme aims to improve the site’s vehicular access arrangements and in doing so, intends to provide occupiers and visitors of all four of the aforementioned residential properties with access arrangements that are fit for purpose and therefore, better serve the established residential properties. The application is accompanied by a Transport Note which sets out the technical highway benefits of the improved access design and layout. In support of the proposals, it is considered important to describe the main issues that the current access arrangements present. Firstly, it should be recognised that the existing tracks were of course, originally constructed for agricultural use and are consequently particularly narrow in width, being less than 3 metres in most places. As neither access track has passing points, users are regularly forced to drive over garden land on either side of the tracks to pass one another. It should also be recognised that both access roads, by virtue of their particularly close proximity to the northern and western elevations of Grange Farm, infringe on both its privacy and security and occupiers of this property are consequently not able to fully enjoy their property as they could reasonably be expected to. It is equally as important to appreciate that current arrangements have the north-south access track which serves Thorney Farmhouse cutting through the middle of Grange Farm’s main rear garden which in turn, presents itself as a significant hazard for residents of this property, particularly children and pets. Smith Simmons & Partners 15 West Pallant, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1TB 01243 850411 | [email protected] | www.ss-p.co.uk PLANNING STATEMENT GRANGE FARM, ALMODINGTON LANE, EARNLEY, WEST SUSSEX, PO20 7JS Design of the Development The proposals will essentially include for the following works: (i) the widening of the access track where it forks in the north-west corner of the application site, (ii) the minor enlargement of Grange Farm’s private driveway, (iii) the reconfiguration of the shared access track which serves North Grange Barn and South Grange Barn and, (iv) the reintroduction of a historical track along the site’s eastern boundary and its extension to connect it with Thorney Farm House. To facilitate the reintroduction of the access track on the site’s eastern boundary it will be necessary to remove four trees and partially infill the existing pond. In connection with the proposed reconfiguration of the site’s access arrangements, it is also intended to (i) replace the northern half of the access track which currently serves Thorney Farm House with a reinforced grass track (to continue to provide occupiers of Grange Farm with vehicular access to their barn), (ii) remove the southern half of this access track entirely as it will be surplus to requirement and (iii) introduce low level planting along the new access track. The replacement access track will measure 4.2 metres in width at any given point. Following the repositioning of the private driveway for Grange Farm, the track will follow a line of existing trees which runs very close to and parallel with the site’s eastern boundary at its northern end, before gradually bending round in order to meet with the line of the existing track adjacent to Thorney Farm House. Three passing points will be included – one at the entrance to North and South Grange Barns and a further two along the longest section of the replacement access track. A turning head will also be introduced at the end of the track. This replacement access track will be constructed using materials to match the existing to create a legible extension to the existing access drive and the replacement farm track serving the existing barn will be a reinforced grassed track. The reconfigured access track and repositioned driveway will, like the northern half of the existing access track, which is to be replaced, be finished with reinforced grass to better integrate into the site than the existing gravel tracks and driveways do. The proposed low-level planting will further ensure that the new access arrangements and altered driveway will succeed in integrating into the landscape without detracting from the wider landscape character. An Existing Aerial Image (taken from Google Maps) and the Proposed Site Plan are included to show how the proposed engineering and landscaping works will have a negligible impact on the exiting character of the land and its immediate surroundings. Smith Simmons & Partners 15 West Pallant, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1TB 01243 850411 | [email protected] | www.ss-p.co.uk PLANNING STATEMENT GRANGE FARM, ALMODINGTON LANE, EARNLEY, WEST SUSSEX, PO20 7JS Existing Aerial Image Proposed Site Plan Smith Simmons & Partners 15 West Pallant, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1TB 01243 850411 | [email protected] | www.ss-p.co.uk PLANNING STATEMENT GRANGE FARM, ALMODINGTON LANE, EARNLEY, WEST SUSSEX, PO20 7JS Flood Risk Statement As acknowledged above, part of the application site is located within Flood Zone 3. It is however, important to appreciate that the proposals are concerned only with the reconfiguration and replacement of the existing access and associated access drives. The existing shared access drive is located within flood zone 3 on the northern edge of the property and as such, the proposals to alter the access layout at this location will not increase the risk of flooding at this location. The existing access drive leading to Thorney Farm House is currently located in flood zone 1 although in relative close proximity to the site’s western boundary to Grange Farm. The application involves the repositioning of the access drive to Thorney Farm House to the eastern part of Grange Farm (which also falls outside of flood zones 2 and 3) and as such, would result in an improved access arrangement in relation to flood risk – being that much further from the watercourse. On this basis, it is considered that the proposals are suitable and no further flood risk assessment is required to accompany the application. The image below is taken from the Government’s flood risk mapping website. Extract Environment Agency Flood Map Smith Simmons & Partners 15 West Pallant, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1TB 01243 850411 | [email protected] | www.ss-p.co.uk PLANNING STATEMENT GRANGE FARM, ALMODINGTON LANE, EARNLEY, WEST SUSSEX, PO20 7JS National Planning Policy Framework Paragraph 11 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2019 states that plans and decisions should apply a presumption in favour of sustainable development. For decision-taking this means: approving development proposals that accord with an up-to-date development plan without delay; or where there are no relevant development plan policies, or the policies which are most important for determining the application are out-of-date, granting planning permission unless: - the application of policies in this Framework that protect areas or assets of particular importance provides a clear reason for refusing the development proposed, or - any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in this Framework taken as a whole.