Agenda item

To determine the application.

Danielle Brooke presented the report to members and drew members attention to the update report that had been circulated.

Members received a presentation, in accordance with the public participation procedure, from Matthew Hall, the agent. Mr Hall explained that the site is wholly located in Flood Zone 1 and no concerns have been raised with regards to flooding. He stated that the proposal site abuts an established existing development in Christchurch, and the built-up form and follows a similar line to the adjacent development all of which is frontage linear established housing, and the proposed small village extension follows that pattern.

Mr Hall made the point that Policy LP12 states that the site must be in or adjacent to the developed footprint which the application is. He stated that the previous application which was seven years ago there were concerns raised with regards to biodiversity and a full ecology report has been included with the current application and Natural England have been consulted and have raised no objection.

Mr Hall confirmed that all of the trees at the front of the site are going to be retained and he made the point that the Parish Council give their full support to the proposal and welcome the footpath link that has been included and they have asked whether street lighting can be included which he explained is achievable as part of a condition. He stated that the previous application which officer’s have referred to did not include footpath provision, did not have an ecology report and was only on part of the site for two dwellings whereas, in his opinion, the current proposal is materially different.

Mr Hall expressed the view that the additional dwellings will give support to the local school, pub and community centre and he added that the site has not ben used for agricultural land to the best of his knowledge for the last ten years. He reiterated that the site is all located in Flood Zone 1 and the site has been identified within the emerging Local Plan as suitable for residential linear development which is what the application proposes.

Mr Hall explained that the footpath link also complies with Policy LP15 and is welcomed by the Parish Council and all of the consultees including Highways, Environmental Health, Natural England and County Council Archaeology all support the proposal which is ideal for development as it falls within Flod Zone 1, is in linear form and has a footpath as well as proposed lighting and will include a mixture of housing albeit in an indicative form, with the site abutting the established built up form of Christchurch.

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

·         Councillor Benney stated that the application differs from an earlier application the committee determined and approved due to the fact that it has a footpath which means that it is connected to the village and brings benefit, and it will support the local school and pub. He made the point that the application is in Flood Zone 1 with a footpath and brings community benefit and if the committee did not pass the application then members would be totally inconsistent as they have already passed the other application. Councillor Benney stated that the application should be approved, and he will support the proposal.

·         Councillor Connor stated that he concurs with the views of Councillor Benney and everything that was stated with regards to the previous application in Christchurch and, in his view, this application is better than that due to the fact that there is a footpath in place and the agent has confirmed that there will be street lighting incorporated and it will have all the benefits of the earlier application by bringing benefits to the school, pub and community centre. He added that there is nothing to dislike about the application and he will support it.

·         Councillor Mrs French stated that she does have concerns with regards to highways and she made the point that applications are approved with conditions added and developers and agents are not adhering to the conditions. She made the point that she does not have any problems with the application, however, the agent needs to work with the Highway Authority because it does state in the report that the proposal could have an impact on flooding issues and should the application be approved then that is a condition that would need to be addressed immediately.

·         Nick Harding stated that Danielle Brooke has already made reference to an appeal decision for the smaller development and there needs to be some thought given with regards to what the Appeal Inspector said concerning the dismissal of the appeal which was that he felt that the development was wholly inappropriate. He stated that notwithstanding the decision that was made today with regards to Mr Sutton’s application, the committee still need to be mindful of the Inspector’s view in respect of two dwellings, adding that if there are now four dwellings being placed on the site, the impact on the countryside and its setting is going to be greater than it was when it was going to be two dwellings given that there has been no change in circumstances in this particular part of Christchurch. Nick Harding made the point that it has also been mentioned that it is a better scheme due to the fact that it has a footpath, however, that was not a reason for refusal on the application which was for two dwellings. He expressed the view that thought needs to be given as to why the impact on the countryside and its setting is acceptable now for a larger development when it was not for two dwellings which is what the corporate opinion as an authority was in 2017, which was confirmed by an Independent Planning Inspector.

Proposed by Councillor Benney, seconded by Councillor Mrs French and agreed that the application be GRANTED against officers’ recommendation with authority delegated to officers to apply conditions.

Members do not support the officer’s recommendation of refusal of planning permission as they have already made a decision today with another application which has been since the Inspector’s appeal and that application was not considered to be in an elsewhere location because it was adjacent to the village, with this application being adjacent to the village, they feel that the proposal will not have an adverse effect on the open countryside and the proposal will go towards having a positive impact to the facilities in the village.

(Councillor Benney declared, in accordance with Paragraph 14 of the Code of Conduct on Planning Matters, that he is a member of Chatteris Town Council, but takes no part in Planning)

(Councillor Benney declared that he knows the Agent for this application, he has undertaken work for him, but he is not pre-determined and will approach the application with an open mind)