Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on an application for alterations and extension to Aberford Village Hall to form mixed use development (use classes A1, A3, B1 and D2) and erect 5 detached housed with associated car parking and landscaping.

A report classed as exempt under Schedule 12a Local Government Act 1972 and Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4(3) and containing financial information relating to viability, is included for Members

(report attached)

  Plans and photographs were displayed at the meeting

  The Panel considered a report setting out details of an application for the alterations and extensions to Aberford Village Hall, supported by enabling development of 5 detached houses with parking and landscaping on part brownfield, part greenfield site, which was sited in the Green Belt.  Appended to the report was financial information which was classed as exempt under Schedule 12A Local Government Act 1972 and Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4(3)

  Officers presented the report and stated that the current proposals were a reduction on a previously refused scheme for 14 dwellings and that now, 5 substantial dwellings were proposed as enabling development to help fund works on the Village Hall

  Members were informed that following negotiations with the applicant to secure works to the Village Hall, these as a stand-alone application would be acceptable apart from the car parking proposals and being sited in the Green Belt.  However, the remainder of the scheme was inappropriate development causing harm to the Green Belt and although the scheme had attracted objections and support, Officers considered that no very special circumstances – the test for inappropriate development in the Green Belt – had been demonstrated to outweigh the harm to the Green Belt.  It was also felt that the proposals were premature

  The Panel heard a representative of the applicant who provided information on the application, which included:

·  the need for Aberford Village Hall to be extended and refurbished to support the life of the village

·  that some level of funding had been obtained to carry out the scheme and that the enabling development would regenerate an unused area of land

·  guidance contained in the NPPF regarding the retention of local facilities

·  that very special circumstances did exist

·  the length of time the scheme was taking to progress

The Panel then heard from two objectors who were speaking on behalf

of Aberford Parish Council and who raised concerns about the proposal, which included:

·  flooding issues

·  the design of the development would detract from the linear form of the Green Belt

·  the housing types being proposed which were not considered to be suitable, particularly as properties for first time buyers were needed in this area

·  the need for affordable housing

·  the viability of the proposed uses for the village hall had not been tested

·  that Aberford Parish Council would be willing to work with the applicant to achieve improvements to the village hall

  At this point, having previously resolved to exclude the public, the Panel went into private session to consider the financial information contained in the exempt papers

  The Panel discussed the information and the approach of the District Valuer in respect of the information which had been provided in this case

  Following this, the public were readmitted to the room

  The Panel discussed the application and whilst there was sympathy for those wishing to improve the village hall facilities, it was felt that very special circumstances had not been demonstrated in the application before Panel

  As a way forward, it was suggested that the Neighbourhood Planning Process could be the route to pursue the proposals

  RESOLVED -  That the application be refused for the following reason:

  The Local Planning Authority considers that the development in the Green Belt of 5 dwellings, associated engineering operations and car park, would constitute inappropriate development which would by definition be harmful.  The proposed development would also be contrary to the fundamental aim of Green Belt policy to keep land permanently open and the purposes of Green Belt policy and particularly to assist in safeguarding the countryside from further encroachment.  Substantial weight should be given to this harm and, notwithstanding the recognised benefits of the financial contribution the development would make to improvements to the village hall and improved highway safety, these consideration are not considered to outweigh this harm.  The necessary very special circumstances have therefore not been demonstrated and the application is therefore contrary to guidance contained within Section 9 Protecting Green Belt land of the NPPF and Saved Policies GP5 and N33 of the Council’s Unitary Development Plan (Review 2006)