Agenda item

Land At Main Street Osgathorpe Loughborough

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

Mr M Buczkiewicz, Parish Councillor, addressed the Committee.  He advised Members that he had lived in Osgathorpe for 26 years and felt it was important for the Committee to listen to the local objections.  He reported that including the recent developments that had been approved the village had had an 18 percent increase and this application was not necessary.  He believed that the village was not sustainable and the only bus service to the area was under threat.  He felt that the development would have an adverse effect to the rural nature and character of the village, as well as a negative visual impact.  He urged Members to refuse the application.

Mr I Bourne, applicant, addressed the Committee.  He advised the Committee that his family had lived at the farm for over 60 years.  He explained that the proposal was for a mixture of smaller dwellings and would not have a negative impact.  He felt that all villages needed small developments to help local people who are downsizing to remain in the area and he had already been approached by local people expressing an interest.  He added that it would provide much needed housing during the current shortage and urged Members to permit the application.

The officer’s recommendation to refuse was moved by Councillor J Legrys and seconded by Councillor R Johnson.

Councillor G Jones felt that there was little wrong with the application and although officers referred to the heavy reliance on motor vehicles, this was now normality everywhere.

Councillor J Legrys commented that he understood that all settlements needed to take some development due to the current demand on housing, plus the issue with the five year land supply was still ongoing.  He also commented that the application was outside the limits to development and although applications such as this had been approved in the past, and that the applicant did have plans to assist with the sustainability of the village, he believed that the officer’s recommendation was the correct one.

Councillor J Hoult raised his concerns regarding the future of the bus service but believed that bringing people into the village by approving developments such as the one proposed would help make the area more sustainable and save services such as the local bus.

Councillor M B Wyatt commented that he would vote against the officer’s recommendation as it was important to build on empty pieces of land as proposed.

Councillor M Specht commented that the community hub as proposed by the local public house would be great for the village.  Regarding the bus service, he commented that they were regularly under review in the more rural areas and if people did not use them, they would stop.  Developments such as the one proposed would bring people into the village and help local people who needed to downsize stay in the area.

Councillor J G Coxon was in favour of permitting the application as it was a piece of infill land with houses all around.  He felt that small developments in villages were necessary.

Councillor R Boam believed that there was a local need for this development and the affordable housing would help the younger residents of the village.  He was confident that if people used the bus service it would remain.  He concluded that he would be voting against the officer’s recommendation.

Councillor D Everitt raised concerns regarding the reference to infilling land as he believed that it was important for a village to keep its character and that was what spaces between developments did.  He believed the proposal would ruin the village.

The Chairman commented that in the past training for Members, a Planning Barrister had stated that without an up to date local plan and a five year land supply in place, the Council would not be successful in the case of any appeal; therefore he felt he needed to support the application at this stage.

The officer’s recommendation to refuse the application was put to the vote.

A recorded vote having been requested by Councillor J Legrys, the voting was as follows:

For the motion:

Councillors R Adams, D Everitt, R Johnson and J Legrys (4).

Against the motion:

Councillors G A Allman, R Boam, R Canny, J Cotterill, J G Coxon, J Hoult, G Jones, V Richichi, N Smith, M Specht, D J Stevenson and M B Wyatt (12).

Abstentions:

(0).

The motion was LOST.

The substantive motion to permit the application was moved by Councillor M Specht, seconded by Councillor J Hoult and was put to the vote.

The voting was as follows:

For the motion:

Councillors G A Allman, R Boam, R Canny, J Cotterill, J Coxon, J Hoult, G Jones, V Richichi, N Smith, M Specht, D J Stevenson and M B Wyatt (12).

Against the motion:

Councillors R Adams, D Everitt, R Johnson and J Legrys (4).

Abstentions:

(0).

 The motion was PASSED.

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be permitted.