Agenda item

5 Public Speakers

Mr Atkins, Pagham Parish Council

Mr David Maclean, Objector

Mr Ian Brooks, Objector

Jenny Henderson, Agent

Millie Dodd, Supporter

Outline application with some matters reserved for a proposed residential development of up to 120 No dwellings including means of access into the site (not internal roads), with all other matters (relating to appearance, landscaping, scale and layout) reserved. This application is a Departure from the Development Plan and affects a Public Right of Way.

The Principal Planning Officer presented the report with updates.

The Chair then asked the officer if he had any points he wanted to address after the public speakers the officers advised all issues raised had been covered by the report.

The recommendation was proposed by Councillor Partridge and seconded by Councillor Northeast.

During member debate it was clarified and confirmed that this application was for an additional 10 houses only, the increase in the density was of concern due to the number of objections that had been received which contained this concern. It was asked how many of the dwellings in total would be classed as ‘affordable housing’, the officer confirmed that there would be 36 affordable housing dwellings. Discussion was had on the location of the additional 10 dwellings where it was confirmed that a condition would be included to stipulate that the locations would need to be in accordance with the parameter plan.  Members returned back to their concern relating to the density increase an additional 10 dwellings would have on the site, it was stated that as with previous applications where this had been seen as a concern.

The Chair then put the recommendation to the vote, where it FELL. He then advised members that those who voted against the recommendation should now provide a reason for refusal. Councillor Lury proposed that the application should be refused due the extra 10 dwellings increasing the density to an unacceptable level. This was seconded by Councillor Bower.

The Principal Planning Officer confirmed that the density would increase from 19.7 dwellings per hectare to 21 dwellings per hectare. Member debate continued with additional suggestions for refusal reasons being put forward, including flooding and access concerns, although these were not agreed to be included. The Chair suggested an adjournment be taken to allow officers time to write up the refusal reason based on the density concerns raised. The meeting was adjourned at 3:23pm.

The Chair welcomed everyone back to the meeting after a 10-minute adjournment and invited the Principal Planning Officer to read out the refusal wording. The officer stated that the proposed development would result in an unacceptable density to the detriment of the character and appearance of this edge of sufficient site in conflict with the Arun Local Plan DDM1, the Arun Design Guide and the NPPF. He also confirmed that a further 5 reasons would be included due to the absence of a Section 106 Agreement inclusive of financial contributions, disturbance to Pagham Harbour and no provision for the future monitoring of a Travel Plan contrary to the Arun Local Plan. 

The Chair then requested for a recorded vote to be completed. Those voting FOR were Councillors Blanchard-Cooper, Bower, Hamilton, Lury, McDougall, Partridge, Patel, Wallsgrove and Woodman (9), those voting AGAINST were (0), those voting to ABSTAN was Councillor Northeast (1), therefore,  

The Committee

                     RESOLVED

That the application be REFUSED as the proposed development would result in unacceptable density to the detriment of the character and appearance of this edge of sufficient site in conflict with the Arun Local Plan DDM1, the Arun Design Guide and the NPPF and in the absence of a signed Section 106 agreement, the application fails to provide for future monitoring of the proposed on-site Biodiversity Net Gain and the proposal is therefore not in accordance with the Arun Local Plan policy ENV DM5 and NPPF.