Decision details

4 Public Speaker

Cllr Sylvia Verrinder – Angmering Parish Council

Andy Dickens – Objector

Nicolas Cooper – Objector

Martin Helyer – Agent

Erection of detached dwelling, together with access, car parking and landscaping. This application is in CIL Zone 2 and is CIL Liable as new dwelling.

The Planning Area Team Leader presented the report with updates. This was followed by 4 Public Speakers. Members raised a number of concerns with this application including the footprint of the dwelling and how it compared with the one previously approved, its positioning on the plot, the trees both with and without TPOs on the site and the damage already done to a tree with a TPO, and whether the raising of the ground level to protect against flooding would move the flooding elsewhere.

Officers confirmed that a number of additional conditions were being proposed, some of which were prior to commencement of development and after consultation with the Tree Officer, including conditions 4 (an Arboricultural Method Statement and Tree Protection Plan to protect a TPO tree), 9 (a construction exclusion zone (CEZ)), 10 (digging with hand tools rather than powered machinery within the CEZ). Officers also clarified which Permitted Development rights were restricted in condition 13 attached to the Officer’s recommendation and the difference between Class B (extensions to roof, dormer windows etc) and Class A (all other extensions such as ground floor or two storey extensions, conservatories etc).

Councillor Northeast proposed the Officer recommendation to approve conditionally but it was not seconded and therefore not moved. Members then discussed amending the conditions by restricting Class A Permitted Development rights. This amendment was proposed by Councillor Lury but was not seconded and therefore not moved. The Legal Services Manager then read from the ‘Character and Design’ section of the Officer’s report [on page 75 of the Agenda Pack] and clarified that Members needed to decide whether they accepted the Officers’ view that The Beeches development to the north had sufficiently changed the character of the area if this was Members’ main issue. Refusal on the grounds that the development was out of character with the area was then discussed. The Group Head of Planning noted that the character of the area was mixed and had changed a lot in the last 5 to 10 years, and that to the east of The Beeches there was a large strategic site for 650 houses that would further change the character of the area in the future. Councillor Lury then proposed that the application be deferred for a site visit for Members to assess the character of the area and determine any detriment the development might bring to the area. This was seconded by Councillor Bower.

The Committee

          RESOLVED

That the application be DEFERRED for a site visit for Members to assess the character of the area.