Agenda item

Land At Pitt Lane Coleorton Coalville Leicestershire LE67 8FS

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

Mr A Large, agent, addressed the meeting. He advised the Committee that the application was for intermediate housing for the applicant who was severely disabled and he could not afford to buy a bungalow in the area. He stated that the land was to be purchased from the applicant’s brother once the sale of his house had gone through and that no profit would be made from the scheme. He informed Members that the applicant was not on the housing register as he had been advised that there were no bungalows for rent in the Coleorton area. He highlighted that the main policy that governed the application was H5 as the dwelling would be an affordable home. He drew Members attention to the wording of the said policy in that need could be established in a number of ways and that the application has strong support. He stated that there was a shortfall of affordable housing in the district that was driving young couples and elderly residents out of the district, and the application before the Committee would go a small way to addressing the need.

The Affordable Housing Enabling Officer advised Members that there is a specific legal definition of intermediate housing, which is a discounted form of housing that needs to available to an eligible household. As through the application before them, the applicant can prove that he can find a solution to his housing need, in accordance with the NPPF the family is not classed as an eligible household. Therefore the proposal is not in fact for intermediate housing, or affordable housing.

Councillor J Legrys moved that the application be permitted as he had heard all the arguments and believed that there was a genuine local need based on the information provided and that older residents should be able to remain in the area, and the application was an excellent solution.

Councillor M B Wyatt seconded the motion to permit as he agreed that there was a localised need and it would be wrong to refuse.

Councillor M Specht stated that he was speaking against the motion to permit. He highlighted that the applicants were elderly and that one of the most stressful things in life was waiting for a new home to be built. He drew Members attention to the fact that the applicant had the finances available to fund the build, but he felt that if the applicant remained in their current property he could fund an extension to make the house suitable for his needs. He also advised Members that the Parish Council would be seeking an easement fee as would the County Council for the grass verges which would cost the applicant a significant amount of money.

Councillor R Boam stated that he supported the motion to permit as the applicant had been in the area for over 20 year, it was an opportunity for him to spend the rest of his life in the village and that it was a non-profit scheme.

In response to a question from Councillor J Bridges, the Affordable Housing Officer confirmed that there were no other suitable retirement houses in the area that were available.

Councillor G Jones stated that there were no bungalows available in the area yet the Committee had recently refused 3 retirement bungalows in the village.

In response to a question from Councillor V Richichi, the Head of Planning and Regeneration stated that the issue of access over the grass verge was not a planning consideration.

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be permitted on the grounds that it would meet local need and the imposition of conditions delegated to the Head of Planning and Regeneration.