Agenda item

Some Members had visited the site the previous day.

The Planning Officer presented the report and outlined the reasons for refusal as detailed in the report.

It was established that this is not  a working farm. 

The following spoke under the public participation at meetings scheme:

·         Mark Longson, Applicant – Statement read out by Democratic Services

            Questions and Comments from Members:-

·         There was concern that approval of this development could lead to the development of a mini industrial estate.

·         Looking at the sustainability of the proposal is seems reasonable to provide a local service otherwise locals may have to travel some distance to access a garage.

·         If permission were granted are there conditions on advertising? – advertising consent is a separate process however the business would be able to display adverts of a certain size but this could be constrained to the site boundary.

·         This seems like a good opportunity to support a local resident to make use of a redundant building.  The use would be tied to the occupants of the house.

·         Would additional screening be possible so that it is not so visible from the road.

·         Concern regarding the vehicles awaiting scrap being left on the yard.

·         Is it possible to limit the number of cars on site and to restrict the number of vehicles being parked there? There could be a condition to restrict the number of cars however this would be hard to enforce.  Cars should not be parked at the front of the building.

The Head of Planning confirmed that an element of this application was contrary to strategic policy E2 in relation to new employment uses in the open countryside. The existing modern buildings were to be retained and reused therefore no enhancement could be demonstrated. However, the low-key nature of the use allowed the landscape to be essentially conserved, plus there was very little harm (e.g. from noise, light etc) and the impacts were capable of being mitigated through further landscaping. Noting that the use was also a beneficial business use and service to the area this would also contribute to other development plan aims. As such the aims of the development plan would not be significantly harmed or undermined. On this basis the Head of Planning confirmed there was no reason to refer the item under standing orders.

A motion to approve the application, contrary to the Officer recommendation, and pending consultation with the Officer and subject to the following conditions, was moved, seconded, put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED:

That delegated power be granted to the Head of Planning and Development and Enforcement Manager to APPROVE the application subject to seeking amendments in regard to parking and subject to the  following conditions:

1.    The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out other than in complete accordance with the submitted plans, except as amended by the site location plan received 27 June 2025, subject to the following conditions.

2.    The premises hereby permitted shall not be occupied other than ancillary to Broadham Farm and the garage, parking and existing farmstead shall be retained within a single planning unit.

3.    The premises herby permitted shall be used for a commercial garage (repair, testing and servicing) and associated parking only and for no other purpose (including any other purpose in Class B2 of the Schedule to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, or in any provision equivalent to that Class in any statutory instrument revoking and re-enacting that Order with or without modification).

4.    The use hereby permitted shall not take place other than between the hours of 07:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays and at no time on Sundays or Bank Holidays.

5.    No deliveries shall be taken at or despatched from the site other than between the hours of 07:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays and at no time on Sundays or Bank Holidays.

6.    No power tools or machinery shall be used outside the building at any time.

7.    No external lighting shall be provided on the site other than in accordance with details which shall have first been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

8.    No scrap, waste or other materials shall be stored outside of the application building other than in accordance with details which shall have first been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

9.    Visibility splays of 2.4m x 50m to the north and south shall be maintained throughout the lifetime of the development. The visibility splay shall be kept free of all obstructions to visibility over a height of 900mm above the adjacent carriageway level.

10.  Within 6 months of the date of this permission, a landscaping scheme (including tree and hedge planting to soften views of the application site) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The planting within the approved landscaping scheme shall then be completed out within the planting season (October 2025 to March 2026) or an alternative timescale first approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Any plants dying, being severely damaged or diseased shall be replaced within the next planting season with plants of an equivalent size and species or in accordance with an alternative scheme first agreed in writing by the National Park Authority before any trees are removed.

11.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Schedule 2, Part 7 the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 (or any order revoking, re-enacting or modifying that Order), no extensions or alterations to the building, the subject of this application, shall be carried out other than in accordance with a planning application which shall have first been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.