Agenda item

Members had visited the site on the previous day.

The Planning Officer introduced the item including  the reasons for refusal as set out in the report.  This was a retrospective application as the work had already been completed in the garden of the Grade II* listed manor house.

A late representation from the Parish Council in support of the application had been received and this was summarised by the Planning Officer.

The Planning Officer confirmed that there were other instances of unauthorised development on the site, including a separate air source heat pump associated with the manor house and fencing but that these were being dealt with separately .

Officers had concluded that the harm to the grade II* listed building outweighed the benefit of energy saving provided by the air source heat pumps and therefore the benefit to the public.

The following spoke under the Public Participation at meetings scheme:

·         Sir Richard Fitzherbert, Chair of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire Tourist Board

·         Mr Raab Dykstra-McCarthy, Applicant

It was noted that it was the legal responsibility of the Authority to look after heritage assets such as the manor house and that an alternative location for the pumps would be preferred. 

No noise assessment had been carried out regarding the sounds from the pumps and therefore after hearing from the Applicant, Members determined that this could not be a consideration of the refusal for the application.

The Planning Officer confirmed that the Applicant had indicated a willingness to work with Officers and discussions would be held with the Applicant to look at alternative sites in conjunction with the Authority’s specialists.

A motion to refuse the application in line with the amended Officer recommendation was moved and seconded.

The Planning Officer confirmed that if Members were minded to approve the application a report would need to be submitted to a future committee for discussion.

The motion to refuse the application in line with Officer recommendation as amended by removal of the ground relating to noise  was voted on and tied, the Chair used his casting vote and the motion was carried.

Cllr Mrs K Potter requested that her vote against the motion be recorded.

RESOLVED:

To REFUSE the application for the following reasons:

1.    The development would harm the setting of the Manor House a Grade II* listed building and harm the Little Hucklow Conservation Area.  The public benefits of allowing the development would not outweigh this harm.  The proposed development is therefore not in accordance with policies GSP3, L3, CC2, DMC3, DMC5, DMC7 and the National Planning Policy Framework.