Minutes:
92.1 Item 6B
Application DC/22/03043
Proposal Planning Application – Construction of 5no. dwellings, storage building with two bed and breakfast rooms for the Hotel and Brasserie, public convenience building (following demolition of existing Toilet Block) and alterations to car park.
Site Location The Red Lion, The Street, East Bergholt, Suffolk, CO7 6TB
Applicant Langham Property Company (Essex) Ltd
92.2 Councillor Beer left the meeting at 12:25pm
92.3 A break was taken from 12:25pm until 12:31pm, after application number DC/21/02671 and before the commencement of application number DC/22/03043.
92.4 Councillor Hinton confirmed that he would remain on the committee for the duration of the application and not speak as the Ward Member.
92.5 The Case Officer presented the application to the committee outlining the proposal before Members including: the location and layout of the site, the existing public car parking area, the proposed design and size of the dwellings, the proposed landscaping plans including the location of trees to be removed, the proposed public conveniences, the proposed changes to the layout of the coach and private vehicle parking area, and the officer recommendation of refusal as detailed in the report.
92.6 The Case Officer and the Chief Planning Officer responded to questions from Members on issues including: the existing and proposed number of car parking spaces, management of the residential car parking area, and the size of the parking bays.
92.7 The Chief Planning Officer and the Planning Lawyer responded to further questions from Members regarding the proposed changes to the car park.
92.8 Members considered the representation from Nigel Roberts who spoke on behalf of East Bergholt Parish Council.
92.9 The Parish Council representative responded to questions from Members on issues including: the number of coaches visiting the village, and the current usage of the car park and the public conveniences.
92.10 Members considered the representation from John Pearce who spoke as the Agent.
92.11 The Agent, and the Applicant, Jonathan Peachey, responded to questions from Members on issues including: the pre-application advice received, the benefits of the additional housing to the public house, the management of the residential parking area and what restrictions will be in place to prevent unauthorised parking, and the level of engagement with the Parish Council.
92.12 Members debated the application on issues including: the previous reconfigurations of the car park, the existing use of the car park and public conveniences, the proposed layout of the car park, access to the site, the local housing need, the need for tourist accommodation in the area, the sustainability of the location
92.13 Councillor McCraw proposed that the application be refused as detailed in the Officer recommendation.
92.14 Councillor Jamieson seconded the proposal.
92.15 Members continued to debate the application on issues including: other developments in the area, the Neighbourhood Plan, and the potential over development of the site.
By a vote of 6 votes for and 4 against
It was RESOLVED:
That the application is REFUSED planning permission/listed building consent/other for the following reason:-
The proposed development is not acceptable because the public car park within the Village Heart would be reduced in size. The loss of area of the car park, which is listed as an Asset of Community Value, has not been offset to provide additional parking elsewhere as required by Policy EB11 of the East Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan. The carpark is an important feature within the Village Heart and provides essential off-road free parking, which encourages vehicles away from the public highway, and is a main route through the village and within the East Bergholt Conservation Area, which forms the historic core of this important tourist destination. The proposed development is considered to conflict with policy EB11 of the East Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan 2016and conflict with the aims of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021, Paragraph 8.
Furthermore, if the loss of car parking area is unacceptable, this would impact on the five dwellinghouses because the provision of parking to current adopted Parking Standards would not be achievable and, therefore, the dwellings would be unacceptable because the site would become cramped from overdevelopment. This would be contrary to policies CN01 and TP15 of the Babergh Local Plan 2006, policy CS11 and CS15 of the Babergh Core Strategy 2014 and policy EB2 of the East Bergholt Neighbourhood Plan2016 which are consistent with the aims of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021.
Supporting documents: