Agenda item

Full Application - Proposed erection of 2 no. local need affordable dwellings at land adjacent to Main Road, Nether Padley, Grindleford

Minutes:

The Planning Office introduced the report and asked for an additional point to be added to the reasons for refusal as the calculation of the internal area of the properties had not taken account of the area of the garage which increased the floor size of each dwelling beyond the maximum floorspace allowable for affordable dwellings in the Development Management Policies.

 

The following spoke under the public participation at meetings scheme:

 

  • Mr Peter O’Brien, objector
  • Mr Finch, applicant

 

The Officer recommendation to refuse the application was moved, seconded, put to the vote and carried.

 

RESOLVED:

 

To REFUSE the application for the following reasons:

 

 

  1. The proposal is for two Local Needs Affordable dwellings on an undeveloped ‘rural exception’ site. No Parish Needs Survey has been provided for Grindleford Parish so the level, size and type of housing cannot be proven to be meeting an eligible or essential need for local needs affordable housing for the community. The proposal is therefore contrary to Core Strategy policy HC1 and Development Management Policy DMH1 and the NPPF (para 77).

 

  1. There is no evidence that there is an essential need to provide care that can only be provided through the development of two new local needs affordable homes. Care could feasibly be delivered in a different way and it is not considered that there is an essential need demonstrated for two people (carers) to live close to the infirm family member. The proposed occupants do not meet the occupancy criteria for the proposed 2 new dwellings and therefore the proposal is contrary to DMH2 and the NPPF.

 

  1. The applicants/proposed occupants of the 2 proposed Local Needs Affordable Homes already live relatively close to the infirm relative so the essential need to provide care from the site proposed is not demonstrated.  The applicants are not considered to be in need or meet the first occupancy criteria for new Local Needs Affordable Housing. The proposal is therefore contrary to DMH2 and the NPPF.

 

  1. The floorspace  of the properties exceeded that allowed for affordable housing.

 

Supporting documents: