Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance).

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the erection of a 5 bedroomed detached dwelling including formation of new vehicular crossover.

The application site consisted of a vacant area of land which was located on the south side of Vineyards Road, Northaw. Vineyards Road was lined by residential properties to the south which tapered away from the village centre, forming a pattern of ‘ribbon’ development.

The application plot measured approximately 0.08 hectares in area. Aerial imagery suggested the site previously comprised semi-natural vegetation in the form of trees, shrubs and rough grassland. It had recently been cleared of the majority of the vegetation and now consisted of undeveloped land with limited boundary vegetation and two trees towards the rear of the plot. The land was generally level in the vicinity of the proposed house, but sloped downwards from north to south from the front boundary to the rear boundary by approximately 4m. There was a slight incline from the east to the west of Vineyards Road. 

The application was presented to the Committee because Northaw and Cuffley Parish Council had submitted a Major Objection to the proposed development for the reasons below:

“This land is located within the green belt and no exceptional circumstances have been demonstrated to allow this application to proceed. The property is in an unsustainable location. The plot goes boundary to boundary so it is considered overdevelopment given the size of the plot and plans. It also appears from the plans and after a site visit that neighbours will be overlooked due to the size of the development.”

The application had also been called-in by Councillor Bernard Sarson for the following reasons:

“I would like to call in the above planning application for the following reasons given in a resident’s email:

•    The plot is within a Green Belt site and prior to January consisted of 19 plus trees, shrubs and bushes. All but 2 of the trees and all the other vegetation has been cut down and burned which has damaged the view and vista of Northaw village. The pond on the plot was also removed;

•    The size, scale and position of the proposed dwelling appears to be too large for the size of the plot. There is no justification as to why it should jut out further forward towards the road than surrounding properties;

•    The proposed dwelling will not lie within a continuous built up frontage as the street view or scene along Vineyards Road varies, with the type of properties being cottages, bungalows and detached properties and also with woodland, green belt land and fields;

•    The house at 32 Vineyards Road has suffered subsidence damage from the roots of unmaintained trees on the application site. The proposed building is close to the boundary line between the sites and will require pile foundations of 4-5 metres into the ground which will worsen the cracks caused by subsidence;

•    Northaw village is not considered to be sustainable due to the village centre lacking facilities; and

•    Although the ecology report found no wildlife at 34 Vineyards Road, the immediate area surrounding the plot has many habitats of many different species which may be affected.”

Mr & Mrs Ismail provided a statement which was read out during the meeting, opposing the application.  They stated that the application had been refused on two previous appeals and the reasons still applied as the proposal did not meet RA1, RA2 of the District Plan 2005 guidance PPG2. The arboriculture report, compiled by their insurance company requested the removal of all bushes and trees along the boundary to Number 34 as they had caused subsidence to their property. The application jeopardised their property foundations as it allowed trees and shrubs to be replanted and the risks of the piling had not been assessed. Mr and Mrs Ismail felt that the property was overbearing, would block light to their property and that the windows would result in a considerable loss of privacy. They objected to the proposed planning application having such a prominent chimney, the footprint being 35% bigger than their own footprint despite being on a narrower plot and the impact on their amenity. It was felt that the very special circumstances to justify the development in the Green Belt did not exist.

Councillor Robert Stubbs, Northaw and Cuffley Parish Council, spoke against the application saying that there were three issues: sustainability, the character of the development and exceptional circumstances for development in the Green Belt. The proposed property was in a very remote area and the topography made access unrealistic via walking and cycling and it could not be accessed by public transport. The proposed property could only be accessed by car. The Officers report at 10.9, sets out conflicts with sustainability. The height of the proposed building was out of character in the area, the frontage was out of line with other properties, it represented over development for the site and the style was incongruous with the setting.

There were no special circumstances to justify the proposed development within the Green Belt.

Following discussion, it was proposed and seconded by Councillors P.Hebden and P.Shah and

RESOLVED:

(12 in favour and 1 against)

That planning permission be APPROVED subject to the conditions as set out in the report.