Agenda item

Land Adjacent To 67 Loughborough Road Coleorton Coalville

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

Mrs S Burton, objector, addressed the Committee. She highlighted to Members that previous applications on the site had been refused and to permit the application in front of them would be wholly unacceptable. She advised Members that just because an inspector stated that the Authority could not demonstrate a housing land supply did not mean that an application in an unsustainable area should be granted. She informed Members that as local policies were out of date their hands were not tied and that consistency should be shown as the next application, which was located up the road, was recommended for refusal.

Mr A Large, agent, addressed the Committee. He advised Members that he was aware how important the Green Wedge was but felt that permitting the application in front of them would not set a precedent as there was development on either side of the site and the views would not be affected. He informed Members that the plots would be for self build homes and there had been no objections from the Highways Authority. He urged Members to support the recommendation.

The officer recommendation was moved by Councillor N Smith and seconded by Councillor G Jones.

Councillor N Smith stated that even though the Committee had heard a passionate speech from the objector, as the new Local Plan progressed, the Green wedge would have less weight , the site was not isolated, there had been no objections from statutory consultees and therefore considered that there were no valid reasons for refusal. 

Councillor D Everitt stated that he could not see how the application could be permitted as nothing had changed from previous applications and that the Council needed to be seen as being consistent. He stated that the site was still Green Wedge, that drivers had to have their wits about them along the stretch of road, it was outside the Limits to Development and that the  site would be infill that would affect the views of current residents. He highlighted that the garage shop was not a shop that catered for residents’ day to day shopping needs, and that the Committee should listen to the views of the residents.

Councillor R Adams stated that as the site was on the Green Wedge and was unsustainable he would not be supporting the application.

Councillor G Jones stated that he had supported applications on the site before and would continue to do so and that self build sites were desperately needed.

Councillor R Johnson stated that he agreed with Councillor G Jones that self build sites were needed, but could not support the development as applications had been refused previously for the site and it would be unsustainable as the local shop did not sell the essentials, adding that planning policies should be stuck to.

Councillor V Richichi stated that he felt that the site was a lot safer than the application that they had just considered and he was happy to support.

Councillor D Harrison stated that he supported the application and in perspective the site was surrounded with other properties and there were no technical objections to the application, adding that the proposal of self build plots was ideal.

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

For the motion:

Councillors J Bridges, J Cotterill, J G Coxon, D Harrison, J Hoult, G Jones, V Richichi, N Smith and D J Stevenson(9).

Against the motion:

Councillors R Adams, D Everitt, J Geary, R Johnson, and M B Wyatt(5).

Abstentions:

Councillors R Boam and R Canny(2).

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be permitted in accordance with the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Regeneration.