Agenda item

Land To The North East Of Normanton Road Packington Ashby De La Zouch Leicestershire LE65 1WS

Having declared a pecuniary interest in items A2 and A3 Councillor V Richichi left the meeting for the consideration of the items and took no part in the discussion or voting thereon.

The Planning and Development Team Manager presented the reports for both A2 and A3 to Members.

Mr C Miles, on behalf of Packington Parish Council, addressed the Committee on both applications. He advised Members that the Parish Council had objected to the applications due to the embargo on development within the area of the River Mease, but the Parish Council felt that further grounds for refusal were outside the development boundary currently out for approval, and that the site was Greenfield. He advised that many developments had already been permitted outside the limits for the village. He highlighted to Members the weak flood risk assessment and the ineffective drainage proposals as soak aways were not practical. He expressed concerns over the effectiveness of the water holding tanks and whether the local water treatment works could handle the water running into the site. He reminded Members that planning permission had already been refused on the site and asked Members to refuse these applications.

Mr P Harley, objector, addressed the Committee. He stated that it appeared that the developers were attempting to drive coach and horses through the submitted Local Plan by submitting applications that lay outside the village boundary. He highlighted that plot 1 was proposed to be a large house that would over look several properties on Spring Lane. He expressed concern that the results of the 2013 traffic survey were being considered when the figure had increased sufficiently and the new dwellings would increase the impact on the River Mease by adding 20 cares and 24 toilets. He urged Members to refuse the application.

Mr J Steadman, agent, addressed the Committee. He advised Members that the developer had worked with officers to overcome the issues from the previous applications and felt that a smaller site was far more sustainable than the previous larger site. He stated that in heritage terms the site was a distance from Packington House and that the developer would offer £200K towards affordable housing within the district. He informed Members that it appeared that officers were making up policies relating to the River Mease as the reasons for refusal without specific policy support and that Members would be in a weak position if they refused the applications on the grounds before them. He urged Members to support the application as the site would be a minor extension to the village.

The officer’s recommendation to refuse the application with the additional reasons that the site is outside the Limits to Development and constitutes Greenfield land was moved by Councillor J Bridges and seconded by Councillor J Legrys

Councillor N Smith stated that even though it was a small development if it was granted there would be nothing to stop future applications being put forward, adding that the application was outside Limits to Development, on a Greenfield site and as such it would have a detrimental effect on the area and the Council could demonstrate a housing supply.

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be refused in accordance with the recommendations of the Head of Planning and Regeneration with the additional reasons that the site was outside the Limits to Development on  Greenfield Land which would be harmful to the rural character and appearance of the locality and setting of the village in the landscape.