Agenda item

Proposed demolition of 2 no. agricultural cattle barns, the erection of a replacement U-shaped agricultural barn and stables (for private use only), outdoor sand school, muck ramp, refurbishment of an existing agricultural barn and associated landscaping. Change of use to a mixed agricultural use and private equestrian use.

Permit.

Additional information was reported on the agenda update sheet providing the name of the ward as ‘Loxwood’.  Additional comments raised by two third party objectors, an amendment to time limit condition and two additional conditions disallowing the construction of an enclosure within a specific area of the site and the requirement for an asbestos survey.

Mr Saunders reminded Members of the Committee, that this application is within the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) area and therefore the emerging SDNPA Local Plan is the framework for considering applications, rather than the District Council Local Plan 1999.  Mr Saunders also provided additional comments from the Landscape Officer regarding three outstanding matters.  The permitted agricultural building will partially screen the development, which will have a minimal impact on long distance views and use of traditional materials will enable the buildings to sit within the landscape, reflecting the local vernacular. The sand school will be 67m above datum, the same as the adjacent slab of the agricultural barn and lower than the adjacent land level. The Landscape Officer is now satisfied in relation to parking of vehicles, changes to the entrance, lighting and fencing and that either there are no changes proposed or that they can be adequately controlled by condition.

The following member of the public addressed the committee:

Mr M De’Courcy – Agent

During the discussion Members commented on the improvement in appearance the proposed development would provide, and queried whether the applicant would live on the site, if there would be a necessity for sub-division of open fields to accommodate horses, the change from agriculture to equestrian use and business use of the development.  Mr Saunders confirmed that there were two dwellings on the site in the control of the applicant, which the applicant may consider replacing at a future date but that was not part of this application.  Mr Saunders explained that in relation to the forthcoming SDNPA Local Plan, regarding change of use, currently the proposal is for the buildings to be tied by condition to private equestrian use and there are policies within the Local Plan which allow for redundant rural buildings to be converted to residential use but, a number of tests would have to be passed for permission to be granted.  The application was for mixed equestrian and agricultural use.  With regards to sub-division of the fields, a condition could be added if this is a concern to restrict permitted development rights to erect fencing on the land and Mr Saunders confirmed permitted development does allow conversion of farm buildings into other uses. 

Members further discussed whether there was sufficient parking on site, requirement for housing, and the link for the dwellings within the application.  Mr Saunders responded that there was sufficient hard-standing for parking and the two houses within the site enabled the scale of the development to be more acceptable.  Mr Whitty added there is not a direct link through 106 or a condition to revert the houses to a link, but one dwelling is agriculturally tied to the farm and if the other was sold or an application was made for a new dwelling within the site account can be taken as to whether that is appropriate but advised it is not reasonable to tie the dwellings at this time.                 

Recommendation to Permit agreed.