Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director (Planning).

Report of the Assistant Director (Planning) on the erection of an agricultural storage building and internal access road for a site which is located adjacent to 1 Cromer Hyde Lane.

The proposed building would be located to the northeast of the application site. The supporting information states that the existing land was formerly part of a larger agricultural unit, but this has since been subdivided and the land has been sold separately. It also states that the landowner intends to use the land to grow local food for local people and plant meadow grass to encourage bees and other insects and invertebrates. The application has been called in by Cllr Kasumu as it is green belt land, the overall size of the proposed development may infer a wider use than is suggested and because there are concerns around the road access.

Since the committee report was published the Highway Authority have identified a concern about loose surface materials from the existing gravel entering the carriageway over time, therefore officers have drafted a condition to include as part of the recommendation which requires the first 5 metres of the access driveway to be constructed using bound materials. Furthermore, since the publication of the report it has been agreed with the applicant that a condition for materials samples will be recommended to allow the Council to consider the exact colour and manufacturer of the external materials. The full list of conditions will be listed at the end of the presentation again for members information.

The application site is located on Cromer Hyde Lane, a road which is accessed off of Marford Road, a classified B-road. The land to the north side of Marford Road is part of the Brocket Hall Estate. Immediately to the north of the application site is a listed public house called the Crooked Chimney. There are residential properties to the south-west of the site further along the lane and open countryside lies beyond that to the east and south.

Cromer Hyde Lane itself is a narrow country lane which is tree lined. The application site is accessed from an existing shared vehicular access with 1 Cromer Hyde Lane and is located approximately 65m from the entrance to Marford Road.

The Crooked Chimney Pub is separated from the application site by a small parcel of land which comprises mature hedges and trees that are located along the boundary, providing some screening.

The applicant has already erected a fence along the boundary and a sliding gate to the entrance of the site, as well as laid down some hard surfacing. The agricultural land lies beyond the part of the site which has a hardstanding. The principle of the agricultural building is considered to be acceptable in the Green Belt under exception 149(a) of the National Planning Policy Framework, which states that buildings for agriculture and forestry are not inappropriate development. Where a building meets one of the Green Belt exceptions such as this, the courts have held that an assessment on openness and the purposes of the Green Belt are not required.

The proposed design would be quite typical of an agricultural storage building of this nature as it has been designed to be functional and secure, in order to protect the machinery and equipment which it will house. The building would be approximately 4.1m in height to the ridgeline and would have an eaves height of approximately 3m. It would be finished with zinc cladding, the details of which can be reviewed in more detail as part of the proposed materials sample condition. As a result of its limited size, position in the landscape and the presence of similar buildings at farms nearby, it is not considered it would have a negative impact on the surrounding countryside or landscape. Due to the separation distances from adjoining occupiers and the building’s limited height, it is considered that it would not impinge on neighbouring amenity by way of overbearing impact, loss of light, loss of privacy or a significant increase in noise or external lighting.

The proposal would utilise an existing access off Cromer Hyde Lane. When the officer report was published the Highway Authority had not responded with any comments and the conclusion was that the access would be acceptable on the basis that it was an existing access. Whilst no concerns have been raised about the access itself and the proposed plans indicate the use of grasscrete for the internal access road, the Highway Authority have since advised that the use of gravel at the entrance presents a skid and safety risk as it could enter the carriageway. A condition is recommended to overcome this, which will require the first 5 metres of the internal road to be finished using a bound material.

Officers’ view is that the proposed building would be appropriate development in the Green Belt and there would not be any adverse effects on the landscape, highway, surrounding area or the amenity of adjoining occupiers. Officers therefore recommend the application is approved by the committee subject to the suggested conditions.

Daniel Gender-Sherry, Agent, stated:

He is representing the applicants, Mr. And Mrs. Hunt. Due to their age and some of the personal remarks made by neighbours written representations, they didn't wish to be here in person as it has been quite an upsetting process for them. The application proposes a small agricultural storage building on an agricultural parcel of land, approximately 1 hectare in size had this parcel formed part of a wider agricultural land this building would be permitted development and falls within these parameters. The design will incorporate high quality materials to respect its setting and represents a modern take on an agricultural building with the use of zinc cladding. Members have made a suggestion regarding colour, which is welcomed, and the applicants are more than happy to change to a greener colour if this alleviates concerns. Whilst the site is located within the Green Belt, agricultural development of this type falls within one of the exceptions to what is otherwise inappropriate development. Local Plan Policy RA1 is considered to provide in principle, policy support for agricultural buildings of this nature. The hardstanding proposed is to be grasscrete, which would help reduce the visual and environmental impact to reduce the level of impermeable hardstanding. The full perimeter of the site will be laid with a new native hedgerow, that both enhances biodiversity through native species, and also to act as windbreak for new plantings because the plot has been subdivided, so is very exposed, especially to the south and East. External lighting is to be limited only to the southern elevation, which is where the hardstanding serving the access doorway will be. The external lighting, although to be controlled by condition, is proposed to be controlled by motion sensor and also on a timer, so it will only be on for a short period of time and not face the residential properties to the southwest. All the proposed conditions, materials, lighting, drainage and access material, have been discussed with the applicants and all welcomed in the attempt to deliver a better and appropriate development.

Members discussed the application and a summary of the main points raised are shown below:

This site is in the Green Belt; however, the principle of agricultural development is appropriate under paragraph 149a of the NPPF.

Highways raised some concerns in relation to gravel getting thrown onto the main highway, and this is going to be dealt with via a condition to use bounding materials for the entranceway directly adjacent to the highway,

There’s no significant impact on landscape or neighbour amenity and other matters can be secured by condition

In relation to the objection of whether this could be used for other uses. Matters should only be considered for the application in front of us. Should the applicant not abide by planning conditions, there is a range of enforcement powers available to the Council, and any change of use would be subject to its own separate application.

Following discussion, it was proposed by Councillor Drew Richardson and seconded by Councillor Julie Cragg to approve the application.

RESOLVED:

(13 in favour - Unanimous)

That planning permission be approved subject to the full list of suggested conditions presented at the meeting.