Agenda item

Land adjacent to 27 Moor Lane, Coleorton, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 8FP

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

Ms A Smedley, Agent, addressed the Committee. She advised the Members that the application was for a genuine local need as the applicant needed a home close to the family farm where he worked adding that the applicant was born and bred in the village and there was nowhere else for him to reside. She accepted that the site was outside the Limits to Development but it lay between two other dwellings therefore it would not be isolated. She informed the Committee that the applicant would be happy to enter into a Section 106 Agreement to restrict the dwelling to meet a local need and that it would assist with maintaining the vitality of the village and there would be no reliance on a car to travel to work as he would only be crossing the road. She highlighted that the development would be socially and economically sustainable and there were no statutory objectons.

Councillor J G Coxon moved that the application be permitted on the grounds that development would be infill and that it was related to the farm across the road. It was seconded by Councillor J Bridges.

Councillor J Bridges stated that the Council needed to support the farming community as it was in decline and the development would allow the family to continue. He highlighted that there had been no objection from statutory consultees and that the applicant was happy to enter into a Legal Agreement.

Councillor J Clarke stated that he did not like the idea of building outside the Limits to Development, but the application before them was more in fill.

Councillor G Jones stated that he had little to add but supported that motion to permit the application.

Councillor J Legrys stated that application was on a 60mph road similar to the previous application and that he would be supporting the officer’s recommendation to refuse. He stated that there was enough room for two or three dwellings and that having visited the site there were several other sites that in future could put applications in to be developed. He added that the Committee needed to clear on its policy of refusing applications that were outside the Limits to Development in the countryside.

Councillor J Hoult stated that it was not a fast road and that the family had farmed there for nearly a hundred years having built the farm up from just two acres. He advised that the house was local needs to allow the family’s lively hood.

Councillor M Specht stated that the site was outside the Limits to Development and as such the Parish Council had objected to the application, however having been out on site he felt that it would not isolated and rounded off the settlement.

Councillor N Smith stated that the Committee had to be consistent as he could not see how the previous one had been refused on a 60mph road and it appeared that the one before them would be permitted.

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be permitted as it was a sustainable development with the imposition of conditions and negotiation of a Section 106 agreement delegated to the Head of Planning and Regeneration.