Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on an application for partial demolition and alterations to Ledston Hall to form 10 dwellings, erection of energy centre and store with associated works including new access, together with related Listed Building application for the above works together with balancing ponds and parking

(report attached)

  Plans, photographs and graphics were displayed at the meeting.  A Members site visit had taken place earlier in the day

  Officers presented the report which sought planning approval and Listed Building consent for works to the Grade I Listed Ledston Hall, as outlined in the report before Panel

  Members were informed that the building was on the buildings at risk register; that the proposals would provide residential accommodation as well as enabling some public use of the building, although due to the limited size of the rooms, these could not cater for large functions. 

As part of the proposals, a later inserted brick wall would be removed and replaced by a glazed link across two floors

  The proposed energy centre would be sited behind hedging to obscure views of this and would feed into an historic pipework tunnel

  The main issues were summarised as relating to:

·  highways – concerns about how the public car park would function; that the development was not in a sustainable location and so would be a car borne development and would give rise to the ten residential dwellings taking access from a private drive – in excess of the guidance.  Officers considered that in this particular case, the number of dwellings taking access from a private drive would not be detrimental to highway safety or have a detrimental impact on the access or the site

·  Green Belt – the works to the Hall were acceptable but the works within the grounds constituted inappropriate development and the new build would cause some slight harm.  However Officers were of the view that there were very special circumstances which outweighed the harm, through inappropriateness, in that the proposals would bring back into viable use a Grade I Listed Building

·  the Listed Building – that minimal works were proposed to this and that the applicant had worked with English Heritage in drawing up the scheme

Members discussed the applications and commented on the following

matters:

·  the costs associated with the proposals; the importance of ensuring the Listed Building was dealt with at an early stage to prevent further deterioration and the need for further details on the use of the public space and how the residential accommodation would sit alongside that public use

·  car parking; concerns that would not be formally laid out and the need for construction traffic to be catered for.  Members were informed that there was sufficient car parking for the residential accommodation and that 45 spaces had been indicated on the plans for public car parking

·  the importance of the 17^th Century building and the need to ensure its retention

The Chair invited a representative of the applicants to address the

Panel and provide factual information on issues which had been raised.  Members were informed that there was a charitable trust which had assets and resources to fund the works; that English Heritage were pushing for particular works to be undertaken and that applications had been submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund.  In terms of educational use, which was proposed, contacts had been made with the local Universities and that construction training and estate management were being considered through the Council’s Employment and Skills initiative.  The education facilities would also be tailored for primary school children and space would be available for hire, although this use would be limited by the relatively small sized rooms, with the majority of the income being generated from letting the residential accommodation

  The Panel considered how to proceed

  RESOLVED - i)  That the applications be granted subject to the conditions set out in the submitted report

    ii)  That Officers be asked to provide help and guidance to the applicants to secure additional funding for works to preserve the Listed Building