Agenda item

Demolition of existing dwelling.  Construction of 2 no. detached dwellings and associated works.

Permit

Mrs Stevens introduced the application.

Additional information was provided on the agenda update sheet, listing further information from the agent regarding proposed sustainability measures, and an additional condition in relation to the submission of a detailed scheme regarding the provision of photovoltaic cells.

Mrs Stevens gave two further verbal updates, the first in relation to condition 4, to include a requirement for further information regarding the prevention of litter, and the second in relation to condition 15, which required the addition of the words ‘until the’ to be inserted between the words ‘and’ and ‘car’ in the first sentence to read; ‘The dwellings hereby permitted shall not be occupied unless and until the car charging points…..’

The following members of the public addressed the Committee:

Mr Keith Martin – Parish Council

Mrs Kerry Simmons - Agent

The Chairman read a statement received from Mr Barrett to be read in his absence; ‘I would therefore like to support the Parish Council and the Wells Farm Estate in objecting to this application on the grounds of over development and that it was contrary to the management policy’.

Members sought clarification regarding the number of proposed car charging points, whether the S106 requirement was due to recreational disturbance and if that would be line with the latest guidance, what weight could be given the Village Design Statement, the importance of the boundary hedge and whether the bin and bike store would interfere with the provision of a continuous hedge, further information regarding the size of the plot, parking and turning space and what weight should be given to the extant planning permission.  Mrs Stevens responded that the S106 recreational disturbance payment was in line with the 2020 guidance, which will change in April, with the new financial year.  The bike and bin store could be relocated to provide a continuous hedge.  The Village Design Statement carries some weight and is a material consideration, although it is not a document which has been through examination, Mrs Stevens therefore advised that the National Planning Policy Framework and the Local Plan would carry greater weight.  The existing plot size was 31 metres in width, other nearby plots 16 to 18 metres in width and the proposed plan would provide one plot of just under 16 metres and the other 15.5 metres, there was a mix of plot sizes but narrower plots were more predominant.  There was sufficient space for parking and turning and condition 15 would be amended to clarify a minimum of one car charging point per dwelling.  The extant permission was due expire imminently, however as planning permission had previously been granted, the previous granting of permission was also a material consideration.  If there has been no significant change in the circumstances on site, or change in local policy or national policy, Mrs Stevens advised that it would not be reasonable to refuse permission.   The existence of planning permission even if shortly due to lapse was is still a material consideration that carried significant weight.

Members sought clarification regarding the views to the sea and Mrs Stevens confirmed that the current property is some distance from the sea and was not aware of any views to the sea from within the street scene.

Members sought further clarification regarding if the work had begun very recently, would the applicant be in the position of reapplying for permission.  Mr Whitty responded that the difficulty the applicant would have in implementing the permission would be that a pre-commencement condition (drainage) had not yet been discharged, and therefore they could not rely on the permission being extant, and would not be able to fulfill the requirements of the condition in time, but the permission had previously been granted under the same policies as currently exist and this in itself was a material consideration.

Members proposed and seconded that two conditions were added, the first to ensure that the boundary hedge was continuous and the bike and bin store moved away from the boundary, and the second to add to condition 15 that a minimum of one car charging point per dwelling was required, which was agreed by the Committee.

Members further commented that this was not a conservation area, and the Chairman sought clarification regarding whether solar-voltaic tiles should be included in the conditions, the weight that should be afforded to the policies of the company managing the estate and for further comments on the inclusion of conditions and amendments.  Mr Whitty responded that condition 3 and the update sheet sought to secure the sustainability measures which the applicant would be required to submit.  The management of the estate was a civil matter and a separate one for the applicant.  Condition 15 requested details of the car charging points, which must be in line with the West Sussex County Council standards which included a year on year increase, so therefore was dependent upon when work took place on that condition, and it was not necessary to specify the number, but that a minimum requirement could be prescribed.  Mr Whitty advised that regarding the bins, the committee should not seek to amend the design as a result of preference but should only seek a further condition if it considered the matter so important that planning permission would be refused.  Mr Whitty added that condition 13 stated ‘notwithstanding information provided, no part of the development hereby permitted shall be occupied until refuse and recycling storage facilities have been provided in accordance with the scheme…’  and therefore suggested that officers make a note that the bins are placed adjacent to property and that could be include as part of that condition.  In response to Members suggestion that a minimum of one charging point per dwelling was included, officers agreed this request would be appropriate.

Recommendation to Permit agreed with additional conditions and amendments as discussed.