Agenda item

The Farm Manor Road Donington Le Heath Coalville Leicestershire LE67 2FW

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report to members.

Mr S Palmer, Parish Councillor, addressed the meeting.  He referred to the concerns raised that the original proposals represented overdevelopment of the site and felt that the additional dwelling was a step too far.  He also expressed concerns in respect of lack of parking.

Mr S Atha, applicant’s agent, addressed the meeting.  He stated that the applicant had worked closely with officers throughout and had responded constructively to feedback.  He explained that the dwelling had been designed in the style of a barn to replicate the former barn on the site.  He added that there were no objections from the conservation officer and the proposals would complement the development as a whole, making the most efficient use of site as a whole.   He stated that the density was in accordance with the guidance and the parking provision exceeded the standards.  He reminded members that the site was inside the limits to development and felt that the officer recommendation should be followed.  Councillor R Johnson moved that the application be refused.  The motion was seconded by Councillor J Legrys. 

Councillor R Johnson stated that he had observed a double garage had been built on the site.  He felt that the development was excellent and the finish was exceptional.  However he considered that the additional dwelling represented overdevelopment of the site and would spoil the intrinsic value of the streetscape.  He felt that the application should be refused on the grounds of overdevelopment in a conservation area. 

Councillor J Legrys stated that he felt very strongly about this application and took great exception to the application being changed particularly during the building process and following an application having been approved and accepted by the committee.  He felt that he could not accept the officer’s recommendation on principle. 

Councillor D Everitt stated that he felt the additional dwelling would spoil the look of the whole development. 

Following a question from Councillor M Specht, the Senior Planning Officer clarified that the scheme was originally approved with the farmhouse and double garage, therefore what had been built on site was in accordance with the existing planning permission.  He advised that in order to facilitate the additional dwelling, part of that garage would have to be demolished, as the site was not wide enough. 

Councillor M Specht expressed concerns that the applicant was seeking to evade the affordable housing contribution by submitting an initial application for 14 dwellings. 

In response to a question from Councillor R Canny, the Head of Planning and Regeneration advised that an application for 15 dwellings would have triggered a requirement for 20% affordable housing, which for this site would be 2 dwellings in total.  An application for 14 dwellings was below the threshold and therefore required no affordable housing contribution. 

Councillor J Legrys requested a recorded vote.

The Chairman then put the motion to refuse the application to the vote. 

A recorded vote having been requested, the voting was as follows:

For the motion:

Councillors R Adams, R Boam, J Bridges, R Canny, J Clarke, J Cotterill, J G Coxon, D Everitt, J Hoult, R Johnson, G Jones, J Legrys, P Purver, N Smith, M Specht, D J Stevenson and M B Wyatt (17).

Against the motion:

None (0).

Abstentions:

None (0). 

It was therefore

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be refused on the grounds of overdevelopment in a conservation area and the negative impact upon the character to the wider development.