Agenda item

18/07190/FU - DEMOLITION OF FORMER PUMP HOUSE; CONSTRUCTION OF ONE RESIDENTIAL DWELLING (CLASS USE C3) OLD PUMP HOUSE WIKE LANE BARDSEY LS17 9DE

 

The report of the Chief Planning Officer presented an application for the demolition of former pump house; construction of one residential dwelling (Class use C3) at Old Pump House, Wike Lane, Bardsey, LS17 9DE.

 

(Report attached)

Minutes:

The report of the Chief Planning Officer requested Members consideration on an application for the demolition of former Pump House; construction of one residential dwelling (class use C3) at Old Pump House, Wike Lane, Bardsey, LS17 9DE.

 

Members had visited the site earlier in the day, photographs and plans were shown throughout the presentation.

 

Harewood Ward Members had requested that the application be brought to Plans Panel due to local concerns over the impact on the openness of the Green Belt and conflict with the Neighbourhood Plan.

 

Members were advised that it was acknowledged that this dwelling constituted inappropriate development within the Green Belt and causes some limited harm to the openness of the Green Belt. However, it was considered that there were very special circumstances, which were detailed within the submitted report.

 

The Panel were informed of the following points:

·  The site is brownfield comprising of a redundant and dilapidated former Yorkshire Water Pump House building with associated ancillary structures;

·  There is an established access track from Wike Lane to the site;

·  It is proposed that the existing access track will have passing places, there will be some re-alignment of hedges to provide the required visibility and the access will be gated;

·  The proposal is for a two storey dwelling of traditional design;

·  10 letters of objection had been received with concerns set out at point 6.3 of the submitted report;

·  An objection had been received from CPRE;

·  Bardsey Parish Council had submitted two letters of objection set out at point 6.6 of the report and East Keswick Parish Council had also objected as properties located nearest the site fall within East Keswick;

·  8 letters of support had been received with comments set out at 6.5 of the submitted report.

 

Members were advised of a number of typos and corrections to the report as follows:

·  Para. 5.2 and para.10.15: Visibility splay should be 90m not 101m and private driveway width should be 3.3m not 3.0m.

·  Condition 3: Should include Class E instead of F (also referenced at para. 10.8).

·  Additional condition: Submission of details of materials

·  Correction to heights of existing building and proposed dwelling (paras. 2.2 and 10.6)

o  Highest part of existing building is 7.1 (not 5.0m)

o  Eaves height of proposed dwelling is 4.4m (not 3.2m)

o  Ridge height is 5.6m )not4m) and gable is 5.3m (not 3.8m)

·  Typos at para 6.2: Should be 2019

·  Para 8.5 Policy BE1 (high quality design) from NP should be referenced

·  Typo Para. 10.5: penultimate sentence – should be para. 145 of NPPF (not 14g)

 

Members were also advised that two further letters of representation had been received and highlighted the following concerns:

·  Poor positioning of the site notices;

·  There will also be a larger area of landscape lost to the increased road size and to allow for hard landscaping around the dwelling;

·  The way in which the objections are summarised undermines the planning process as it does not do justice to the details submitted by multiple objectors;

·  The applicants have created the current state by removing the previous mature trees and shrubs in Spring 2018;

·  To say that there will be more screening in place than existing, ignores the fact that the applicants themselves removed about 50% of the mature screening in Spring 2018. Furthermore, the building is in the middle of wide open fields and the reference to hedging is misleading as it does nothing at all to screen the site from the East Keswick properties along Moor Lane. Further hedging is also to be removed along Wike Lane to allow for visibility splays, making the aspect even more open.

 

Two parish councillors one from Bardsey and one from East Keswick were in attendance at the meeting. They informed the Panel of the following concerns:

·  Inappropriate development for green belt;

·  This area of green belt separates the villages of Bardsey and East Keswick, to build here would be detrimental to the green belt and the openness;

·  The pump house and track have not been in use for over 50 years;

·  The Neighbourhood Plan for Bardsey recognises the need to build housing but houses that are more manageable and affordable;

·  The proposed materials are out of character with the locality;

·  Both Neighbourhood Plans and both villages are opposed to this development.

 

The applicant and the agent attended the meeting and informed the Panel of the following points:

·  There is a need for homes and this is a brownfield site;

·  The special circumstances of this case were set out at 10.6 of the report;

·  The ridge height had been reduced and would be of negligible impact to either East Keswick or Bardsey;

·  The applicant has lived in Bardsey and their child attends school in East Keswick;

·  Grandparents live in the area.

 

Members discussed at length the following points:

·  The volume size of 134%, which exceeds guidance, concerns were noted that this may set a precedent for other developments in the area;

·  Width of the driveway and proposed materials for it;

·  Visibility splay and the maintenance of hedgerows;

·  Removal of permitted development rights;

·  Proposed materials for the dwelling.

 

It was noted that the energy supply would not be considered until the outcome of the Panel was known.

 

Members were provided with guidance and advice from officers in Planning, Legal and Highways.

 

RESOLVED – To grant planning permission in accordance with the recommendation.

 

Amend condition 3 to remove permitted development rights for outbuildings and structures (Class E) and to delete the reference to permitted development rights for areas of hardstanding (Class F).

 

Additional Conditions:

·  Submission of details of external materials.

·  Submission of details of surfacing materials for driveway / access

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supporting documents: