Agenda item

The report was introduced by the Head of Planning.

Members asked whether a biodiversity metric assessment had been carried out on the site regarding the impact on the biodiversity as this was more common in neighbouring districts.   The Head of Planning reported that at the present time the Authority does not have a policy basis for operating a biodiversity metric approach to delivering net gains. The Authority takes a proportionate approach to biodiversity net gain owing to the much reduced scale of development in the National Park. In this case officers were satisfied that an enhancement to the area’s special qualities would be achieved through the removal of the existing slurry store and an improved appearance to the midden area for equipment and straw manure storage. The Authority’s Ecologists are consulted where there is more appreciable threat to biodiversity interests. However, in this case the Authority Ecologists had no significant concerns so no specific ecology mitigation had been required. Moreover, the Authority’s property team had committed to using the excavated material elsewhere on the wider estate in order to construct a new pond for for ecological purposes. 

Members asked officers to consider whether that a biodiversity metric assessment could be applied through conditions in order to ensure that there was no net loss and also to be certain about the level of gain that could be achieved. This would also ensure that the Authority is being seen to apply best practice in this area.  

Members also asked that a condition be added to extend the amount of Yorkshire Boarding on the new building down to ground level, rather than the submitted design (incorporating concrete panels), in order to improve the character and appearance of the structure in the landscape.

A further suggestion was made to add further Yorkshire Boarding to the existing adjoining buildings on the site.

Officers agreed to take these suggestions away. The final conditions would need to be agreed with the Chair and Vice Chair of Planning Committee.

A motion to approve the application subject to consideration of these additional conditions regarding biodiversity net gain , and for additional  Yorkshire Boarding to be added to the buildings, was proposed, seconded, put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED:

That the application be APPROVED subject to the following conditions:

1.    Statutory time limit

2.    The development to be in accordance with the submitted plans drawing numbers 100-02 (proposed site plan) and 100-03 (proposed plans and elevations) received 11/08/2023

3.    Removal when no longer required for the purposes of agriculture

4.    Scheme of ecological mitigation and enhancement measures to be agreed.

5.    Plans to be amended to incorporate additional Yorkshire Boarding rather than concrete panels.