Minutes:
115.1 Item 6A
Application DC/21/01802
Proposal Hybrid application comprising: Outline planning application for the erection of 4no self-build detached dwellings (all matters reserved except access); full planning application for the erection of 4no two-bedroom dwellings; with associated landscaping, vehicular access off Hyams Lane and pedestrian access to Church Hill.
Site Location HOLBROOK – Land South of Honeysuckle Cottage, Little Orchard, Holbrook, Suffolk
Applicant Scirpus Properties Ltd
115.2 Councillor McLaren confirmed that she would be speaking as the Ward Member for this application and would not take part in the debate.
115.3 The Case Officer introduced the application to the Committee outlining the proposal before Members including: the location of the site, the site constraints, the proposed site layout, access to the site, the design of the dwellings, the proposed height of the dwellings, the proposed landscaping plan, the planning history at the site, and the officer recommendation of refusal.
115.4 The Case Officer, the Area Planning Manager, and the Planning Lawyer responded to questions from Members on issues including: the slope at the access to the site and plans for the surface water drainage, the details of the local identified need that the application does not address, and the weight that should give to the Neighbourhood Plan in its current unadopted state, and to the current and draft joint local plans.
115.5 The Senior Transport Planning Engineer responded to questions from Members on issues including the proposed access to the site including the width of the access, and the potential increase in traffic volume.
115.6 Members considered the representation from John Ambrose who spoke against the application on behalf of Holbrook Parish Council.
115.7 The Parish Council representative responded to questions from Members on issues including: whether any sites had been identified in the draft Neighbourhood Plan to achieve the identified housing numbers, the preferred housing mix of the Parish Council, the Parish Councils concern regarding the proposed height of the dwellings and traffic, and the number of identified sites are in the Neighbourhood Plan and whether these were within the settlement boundary.
115.8 Members considered the representation from Simon Quantrill who spoke as an objector.
115.9 The Objector responded to questions from Members on issues including: the objections raised in relation to traffic issues, and the response from Suffolk County Council Highways.
115.10 Members considered the representation from William Saunders who spoke as a supporter.
115.11 The Supporter responded to questions from Members on issues including: the reasons why this site would be preferable to other identified sites, whether he had any connection with the applicant, whether he had any involvement with production of the Neighbourhood Plan, and whether he approved of the Neighbourhood Plan.
115.12 Members considered the representation from Christophe Spiers and Cathy Shelbourne who spoke as the agent and the applicant.
115.13 The Agent and the Applicant responded to questions from Members on issues including: the level of interest in the proposed development, the identified housing need when the application was first submitted in 2021, the level of consultation with the Parish Council, and site not being included in the Neighbourhood Plan.
115.14 The Parish Council representative responded to questions from Members regarding the reasons why the site had not been included in the Neighbourhood Plan.
115.15 The applicant responded to questions from Members regarding whether the site had been proposed for inclusion in the Neighbourhood Plan.
115.16 Members considered the representation from Ward Member Councillor McLaren who spoke against the application.
115.17 The Ward Member responded to questions from Members on issues including the affordable housing numbers.
115.18 The Area Planning Manager provided confirmation to Members regarding the position of the Holbrook Neighbourhood Plan including the allocated and identified sites, and the visibility splays at the entrance to the site. issues including the numbers allocated in the NP, and the visibility splays.
115.19 Councillor Busby proposed the application be deferred to enable officers to obtain further information regarding the local housing needs.
115.20 Cllr Barrett seconded the proposal.
115.21 Members debated the application on issues including: the Holbrook Neighbourhood Plans and sites identified within the plan, the local housing need and how this is being addressed, and highways issues.
115.22 By a vote of 5 votes for and 5 against, and the Chairmans casting vote the motion was lost.
115.23 Councillor Hinton proposed that the application be refused as detailed in the officers recommendation and with the additional reason for refusal relating to the Joint Local Plan.
115.24 Councillor McCraw seconded the proposal.
115.25 Members continued to debate the application on issues including: the lack of details regarding the Neighbourhood Plan, the application of the policies contained in the Joint Local Plan, and the reasons for refusals contained in the report.
115.26 Councillor Holt proposed an amendment to the reasons for refusal, suggesting that the reasons be restricted to Policy CS11 only.
115.27 The amendment was not accepted by the proposer and seconder.
By a vote of 6 votes 4, and 4 votes against
It was RESOLVED:
That the application is REFUSED planning permission, based on the following reasons:-
The site is located outside of the defined built up area boundary for Holbrook village and is therefore located within the countryside for development management purpose, wherein Core Strategy Policy CS11(iv) and emerging Neighbourhood Plan Policy HNP 01 apply. Policy CS11(iv) states proposals will be approved where, inter alia, a locally identified need for the development is demonstrated and Emerging Policy HNP 01 states that, outside the defined settlement boundaries, proposals for new housing development will only be permitted where they are in accordance with national and district level policies. In addition, HNP 02 states “All future housing development must contribute to meeting the existing and future needs of the Parish in order to facilitate a cohesive community”. This hybrid proposal, comprising 4 No. two-bed dwellings and 4 No. self-build plots, fails to address a locally identified need to improve affordability in Holbrook across all tenures and a locally identified need for increasingly smaller and older households, as identified through the emerging Holbrook Neighbourhood Plan Submission draft and the Holbrook Parish Housing Needs Assessment(January 2020), resulting in social harm that outweighs the economic benefit and environmental neutrality arising from the proposal.
The proposal therefore does not deliver sustainable development, contrary to Policies CS11(iv) of the Babergh Core Strategy (2014), Policies HNP 01 and HNP 02 of the emerging Holbrook Neighbourhood Plan Submission draft and the National Planning Policy Framework.
And the following additional reason for refusal:
Additional reference to Policy CS2 and the emerging Joint Local Plan policies.
Supporting documents: