Erection of local needs dwelling and associated garage; installation of package treatment plant.

The Principal Planner introduced the application and with reference to the drawings and photographs displayed, he drew Members’ attention to the location, elevations and layout. 

Members had undertaken a site visit the previous day and had viewed the site and had assessed the impact of a proposal on the surrounding area. 

Members noted the additional information as set out in the Schedule of Additional Letters circulated prior to the meeting. 

Councillor M Hill, representing Much Wenlock Town Council, spoke for the proposal in accordance with the Council’s Scheme for Public Speaking at Planning Committees.

In accordance with the Local Protocol for Councillors and Officers dealing with Regulatory Matters (Part 5, Paragraph 15) Councillor David Turner, as local Ward Councillor, made a statement.  He then left the room, took no part in the debate and did not vote on this item.  During his statement, the following points were raised:

·         Much Wenlock town has a particular challenge in providing affordable housing for local people.  House prices and therefore, land prices, are amongst the highest in Shropshire.  People with a local connection, especially those working locally, find it exceptionally difficult to get on the housing ladder locally.  Family and social networks, and the town’s requirement for an indigenous labour force, demand local residence.  In this application there is no question as to the applicants’ eligibility in terms of their local connection and need;

·         The applicants currently live in privately rented property which is becoming increasingly unsuitable and expensive;

·         Most of the fields around the town are in the hands of two large estates and land in other ownerships with road frontage is quite limited; thus Single Plot Affordable applicants have little choice of location;

·         The current applicants originally proposed a dwelling on another small field owned by their father but Planners had deemed this to be unsuitable.  This site on Bourton Bank was the only other piece of freehold in their ownership;

·         The Shropshire Type and Affordability of Housing SPD 2012 states that exception sites for single plot affordable dwellings must be demonstrably part of, or adjacent to, a recognisable named settlement.  Each site is assessed on an individual basis and the SPD acknowledges that there are both tight-knit and loose-knit settlements which will be a  context  influencing  whether a particular  site  is  or  is  not  acceptable.    The site itself is removed from the edge of the town being sited in a field beyond an isolated farm yard with the only access to the proposed dwelling being via the working farm yard.  The Officer’s recommendation states that this is a remote location and not part of a named settlement being sited in the open countryside.  That the site is outside the Much Wenlock development boundary is self-evident.  This site could not be described as remote in a rural context.  There is another residential property 100 metres to the south, the site is 1km route distance on foot from the primary school and less than 1km to the doctor’s surgery (much closer than a large number of properties within the town’s development boundary);

·         The report also refers to the amenity issue and the proximity of the farm buildings, machinery and livestock.  All of the Single Plot Affordable dwellings in my division are associated with agricultural activity.  The applicants are from a farming family and currently live between two farm yards;

·         Much Wenlock has been home to farms in the town centre for centuries;

·         The applicants are prepared to lay a permanent and durable driveway;

·         There have been no local objections and Much Wenlock Town Council support the application; and

·         He urged Members to approve the application.

Mr P Richards, the agent, spoke for the proposal in accordance with the Council’s Scheme for Public Speaking at Planning Committees.

In the ensuing debate, Members considered the submitted plans and noted the comments of all speakers. 

RESOLVED:

That, contrary to the Officer’s recommendation, planning permission be granted, for the following reasons:

·         During the debate, the Committee acknowledged that the site fell outside the Much Wenlock development boundary but noted that the site could not be described as remote in a rural context given that there was another residential property 100 metres to the south, 1 km route distance on foot from the primary school and less than 1 km to the doctor’s surgery (much closer than a number of properties within the town’s development boundary) and the site fell topographically within the area recognised as forming part of Much Wenlock;

·         A dedicated, fenced-off access track would provide a separate access and ensure a good standard of amenity for existing and future occupants of the land and dwelling;

·         Would ensure appropriate delivery of affordable housing;

·         The applicants had demonstrated a strong local connection; and

·         The principle of such development is fully supported by Policy H5 of Much Wenlock’s Neighbourhood Development Plan.

Subject to:                   

·         A Section 106 Legal Agreement to ensure the dwelling remains an affordable dwelling in perpetuity;

·         That Planning Officers be granted delegated powers to attach appropriate conditions relating to materials, drainage, landscaping, boundary treatments, maximum 100 sqm gross internal floor area and any other conditions and informatives deemed necessary; and

·         In order to ensure a satisfactory means of access, an additional condition to ensure provision of a dedicated hard-surfaced access road.