Agenda item

To determine the application.

Nikki Carter presented the report to members.

The committee had regard to its inspection of the site (as agreed in accordance with the Site Inspection Policy and Procedure (minute P19/04 refers)) during its deliberations.

Members received a presentation, in accordance with the public participation procedure, from Pamela Knowles, the applicant and Peter Humphrey, the agent. Mrs Knowles stated that she currently lives in Eastwood Hall and has done so for the past 25 years, previous to this her father and mother-in-law lived there buying the property in 1974. She expressed the view that this proposed dwelling is very much in association with Knowles Transport of which she is a major shareholder and her son Alex, who now runs Knowles Transport as Managing Director, is third generation and he currently lives in Cambridge and would now like to move back to Wimblington into Eastwood Hall with his wife and family and she would like to continue to live in the village, hopefully adjacent to Eastwood Hall.

Mrs Knowles stated that Knowles Farms as part of Knowles Transport has approximately 200 acres of Grade 3 agricultural land around Eastwood Hall and she would like to use 5 acres to build a house complementary to the Hall but on a much smaller scale. She expressed the view that from the plan members can see that she would like to incorporate paddocks, hedging, trees and a meadow all to encourage wildlife and birds.

Mrs Knowles expressed the opinion that the proposed property, should she be given permission, will always stay within the Knowles family for future generations and will not be an open market dwelling. She expressed the view that the proposal will leave open countryside which includes a public walkway for everyone in the village to continue to enjoy.

Mr Humphrey expressed the view that this is an opportunity to embrace a one-off house to enhance the entrance to Wimblington provided by the largest employer in the village and possibly in the area by the Knowles family. He queried whether Eastwood Hall would have ever got built if it came before the Planning Committee and made the point that there are no objections from any individuals or statutory consultees but 11 letters of support and the Parish Council fully support the application.

Mr Humphrey stated that the committee has recently approved four houses away from the village to the other side of Eastwood Hall where it was believed there would be no harm and also officers have approved and recommended for approval 88 houses opposite, with officers clearly feeling there was no harm to Eastwood Hall but this proposed plot for one house has raised concern. He made the point that Wimblington is a growth village, in Flood Zone One, the land to be built on is Grade 3 agricultural land, the Conservation Officer comments appear to be a cut and paste from the 4 houses the other side of Eastwood Hall and not site specific and Eastwood Hall is not Listed although is designated as a heritage asset but does not require to be of public benefit.

Mr Humphrey expressed the view that the report on conservation is also silent in that it lists no issues on the harm of the proposal on the lack of a full heritage impact assessment hence given the recent approvals for development in the immediate vicinity coupled with the local family ties and need for this family home he encouraged members to support the application. 

Members asked questions of officers as follows:

·       Councillor Mrs French queried the officer’s comments that the proposal would restrict the views as in her opinion she has never seen such a fantastic plan and does not feel it restricts it but enhances it. Nikki Carter responded that at present there are open views to the South and this proposal is sited directly alongside Eastwood Hall and the development of the site would change the context and the open views and because of the nature of the area there are views from the South from March Road, a public footpath which is parallel to the site and also Blue Lane and those views would be restricted by the proposal. Councillor Mrs French expressed the view that she does not think many applications have been refused due to restriction on views.

·       Councillor Skoulding asked to see the plan on the screen of the location of where the proposal is going to be built and asked where the house is as, in his opinion, it is not blocking any view as there is not a view of the house and he feels it will make the view better as you come out of Wimblington. 

Members made comments, asked questions and received responses as follows:

·       Councillor Murphy expressed the view that the houses will enhance each other and he feels that the proposal is one of the best schemes he has ever seen and he cannot see any reason why this should not be built.

·       Councillor Mrs Davis made the point that Mr Humphrey said that the Parish Council has no objections to this application whereas there were objections to the 4 houses further along as that did block a view across but this one does not impact on the view at all and side by side they are going to be complementary to one another.

·       Councillor Mrs French agreed with the comments of Councillor Murphy and she feels the scheme is outstanding, it is being kept within the family, with Knowles being the biggest investor within the District, and it is great that they want to continue down generations to come. She feels the committee would be crazy to refuse this proposal as the whole scheme looks stunning.

·       Councillor Meekins stated that the artist’s impression is fabulous and there have been at previous committee’s big houses proposed on relatively small sites and this proposal is for a big house but on a lovely big plot and it will be so complementary to Eastwood Hall.

·       Councillor Purser expressed the opinion that it is a superb looking house and when officers say it is blocking the view you have to actually look for it to actually see it so how could it be blocking the view, the only thing it could be blocking is the view of a hedge which is causing no problems whatsoever and he feels it enhances the area. 

·       Councillor Mrs French stated that many years ago the Council used to have design awards and she feels they should be reintroduced as there are some good designed buildings and if this gets built it would certainly be at the top.

·       Nick Harding stated having heard what the applicant has said about the intentions with regard to the property he has noticed that the application form ticks the box that says it is market housing whereas what committee has been told is it is a self and custom build property so if members are minded to approve he would feel it is appropriate for a condition for a Section 106 Agreement to be put in place in respect of ensuring it is a custom self-build property.

·       Councillor Sutton referred to the reasons for the refusal which he feels, in the defence of officers, are valid but he does think the scheme should be looked at, perhaps not the dwelling itself, as an exceptional design because the whole area is exceptional and something that members will not see in a long time so in justifying the reason for the proposal the committee could use that exceptional overall design as a reason for approval, which fits with the NPPF and the Local Plan. He made the point that it does say in one of the reasons for refusal that high quality environments should be created and he feels that this is high quality.

Proposed by Councillor Mrs Mayor, seconded by Councillor Murphy and agreed that the application be APPROVED against officer’s recommendation, with authority delegated to officers to formulate conditions.

Members do not support officer’s recommendation of refusal of planning permission as they feel that the proposal would not create an adverse impact on the character and visual amenity of the area but would enhance it and it would not have a detrimental impact on the setting and significance of Eastwood Hall but be complementary to it due to its exceptional design.

(Councillor Connor registered, under Paragraph 14 of the Code of Conduct on Planning Matters, that he is a Fenland District Councillor for Wimblington and attends Wimblington Parish Council meetings but takes no part)

(Councillor Mrs Davis registered, under Paragraph 14 of the Code of Conduct on Planning Matters, that she is Chairman of Wimblington Parish Council, but takes no part in planning)