Agenda item

[Councillor Goodheart was absent for the vote on this item.]

Proposed alternative vehicular accesses of Tye Lane and emergency access of Avisford Park Road, along with minor highway works following WA/95/18/RES (resubmission following WA/93/20/PL). This site is CIL Zone 2 (Zero Rated) as other development.

The Chair again welcomed Stephen Gee from West Sussex County Council to the meeting. The Principal Planning Officer presented the update report which dealt specifically with the reasons given for deferral at the Planning Committee on 27 October 2021:

a)    traffic movements at the junction of Tye Lane and The Street

b)    traffic movements through the village centre along The Street

c)    confirmation that the reduction in the width of Tye Lane to accommodate the pavement would not impair the free flow of traffic

 Members then took part in a full debate on the deferred application where a number of points were raised and responded to by Officers, including:

·       whether there were any public benefits to the application of a new access to balance the harm caused to Walberton Conservation Area by the increase in traffic through the village

·       the issue of narrow roads in the village, in parts only 5m wide, with significant on-road car parking and the reality of one-way traffic in response to this

·       traffic already generated by the school

·       it being a Conservation Area and the report confirming that harm would occur

·       the development already having an access and whether this precluded the granting of a new access being regarded as public benefit

·       contrary to various points in the Local Plan and NPPF (paragraphs 199-203)

·       the new access being unnecessary and it now being the responsibility of the Planning Authority if the developer cannot sell the houses due to delays in the A27 Arundel bypass decision process

·       whether the condition in the original report that the proposed improvements to Tye Lane and The Street being made in advance of the access works could be added to other similar planning applications in future where evidence demonstrated

·       road widths not meeting Arun’s criteria and the role of criteria if they are not being worked to

·       whether, if approved, the original access would be closed

·       acceptance that there would be harm but less clarity there would be public benefit

The Committee

RESOLVED

That the application be REFUSED as the implementation of the proposed alternative vehicular access off Tye Lane would result in an increased intensity of traffic movements along The Street in Walberton Village Conservation Area which would have a negative impact on the Conservation Area and its setting resulting from the development proposed which would conflict with paragraph 72 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (as amended). Whilst there would be less than substantial harm to the Walberton Village Conservation Area there are no public benefits of the proposed development to sufficiently outweigh the harm caused to the Conservation Area. Consequently, the proposed development is contrary to Policy HER SP1 and Policy HER DM3 of the Arun Local Plan, the National Planning Policy Framework (2021), and Sections 66 and 72 of the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (as amended).