Agenda item

The South Area Senior Planner presented the report and outlined the reasons for approval as detailed in the report. The scheme was capable of delivering two affordable local need dwellings.  The main objections from the public were to retain the yew hedge on the south boundary of the site, and concern had been expressed about the retention of two pedestrian accesses from the proposal site onto the adjacent residential area on The Avenue.  After further discussion with Planning Officers the yew hedge would be retained but reduced in height over a period of three years.  The gated access points, although not previously used when the site had been a nursing home, could have been opened up and used at any time.  The current proposed site layout meant the access points no longer provided a through route.

The following spoke under the public participation at meetings scheme:

•         Judith Twigg

•         Hugh Wright

•         David Peck

Some Members had visited the site the previous day.  For Health and Safety reasons part of the site had not been accessible.

The following points raised by speakers were addressed by the Senior Planning Officer:

•         Repairs and maintenance of The Avenue were a private civil matter, not a planning consideration.

•         Additional pedestrian access from The Avenue would not cause harm to amenity in the view of Planning Officers.

•         40% to 60% of Affordable Housing provision on a residential scheme did not apply to National Parks.

•         The ability for people to move in and out of sites in a town environment is reasonable

•         On condition 13 if Members were of the view that a native hedge would be appropriate, the preference would be for it to be backed by a post and wire fence rather than a post and rail fence.

•         The Tree Conservation officer advised that the root protection area wouldn’t be compromised in a way that harms the western Red Cedar tree.  The assessment was based on existing development and services.  A condition would be added to agree any new drainage in order to ensure that the root protection zone of the tree was not compromised.

•         There was no inherent harm to amenity where proposed dwellings looked out onto car parking areas.

The following points were discussed by Members:

•         Support for native hedge boundary with post and wire fence as an alternative to the dry stone wall was expressed.

•         Solar panels had been considered.  Most roof slopes faced east and west.  The air source heat pump was considered an appropriate form of renewable energy.  Modern solar panel systems would be effective on east/west direction roofing and could provide power to the air source heat pump.

•         Some of the properties would include skylights which would improve the lighting levels to them.

•         Pedestrian access from 2 units onto The Avenue would create low level impact with minimal effect on the highway.  The access points were in place from the previous use of the site.  Residents of the new units might use The Avenue for vehicular use but could have been the case when the site was used as a nursing home

•         Screening was required.  The new hedge would enhance The Avenue and communal areas should be maintained.

•         The proposed scheme was the best use of the site.

•         Timings should be a consideration in terms of reducing the hedge tree height and the removal of trees.  This should be covered in the Arboricultural Impact Assessment and the Ecological report that had been submitted.

RESOLVED with amended and additional conditions:

Conditions 5 and 8 would include more detailed wording on the final decision. 

Condition 9 would be amended to refer to trees and hedges, rather than just trees. 

Condition 13 to be amended to drystone wall or a boundary hedge with wire and post fencing

Condition 15 would be amended to accept the cream colour to be used on the air source heat pump.

18. An additional Condition for submitted soft landscaping plan to be implemented.

19. An additional Condition to ensure the root protection system of trees was not compromised through submission of drainage details

20.  An additional Condition to request the submission and agreement of a sustainability scheme, including fitting of solar panels

RECOMMENDATION:

That the application be APPROVED subject to a section 106 agreement to restrict occupancy of Houses 5 and 6 to local needs and the following conditions:

1.      3-year implementation period.

2.      Adopt amended plans.

3.      Remove permitted development rights for alterations, extensions, outbuildings, gates, fences and walls, solar pv panels.

4.      The development hereby approved shall not be occupied until the access, parking and turning facilities have been provided as shown on drawings.

5.      Construction management plan to be submitted and approved.

6.      Prior to commencement of any further demolition works or site works, or the arrival of any materials or machinery, tree protection fencing and ground protection to be installed and retained in accordance with Tree Protection Plan.

7.      Prior to the commencement of any further demolition or site works - or the arrival of any materials or machinery on site - a pre-commencement meeting shall be held on site and attended by the developer’s appointed arboricultural consultant and the site manager and foreman with overall responsibility for the progression of works. At this meeting the arboricultural consultant shall confirm that all tree protection measures have been installed in accordance with the approved Tree Protection Plan and that all of the approved arboricultural measures relating to works within trees’ RPAs are fully understood. The development shall thereafter be carried out in accordance with all the stated requirements of the Arboricultural Report.

8.      Yew trees T020 to T028 are to be reduced to a more compact size in a staged process carried out over no less than 3 years.

9.      No tree which is retained or planted under conditions of the permission shall be cut down, uprooted, destroyed, pruned, cut or damaged in any manner during the development phase and thereafter within 10 years from the date of occupation of the building for its permitted use, other than in accordance with the approved plans and particulars or as may be permitted by prior approval in writing from the National Park Authority. Any such tree which is cut down, uprooted, destroyed, pruned, cut or damaged within that period shall be replaced with another of the same species at the same location and of minimum height 2.5 metres above ground level except where an alternative is approved in writing by the National Park Authority.

10.  All mitigation, compensation and enhancement measures detailed in Section 6. of the Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Report (September 2025) by JM Ecology to be conditioned and adhered to.

11.  All features to be provided in accordance with DSA drawing 1375 204 ‘Landscape Softworks: Ecological Enhancements Plan’ prior to the buildings being brought into the approved use.

12.  External lighting scheme to be submitted and approved.

13.  Hard landscaping scheme to be submitted and approved. Boundary treatment to garden to east of House 5 (at the entrance to the site) to be a 1.2m traditional drystone (natural limestone) wall with half round natural gritstone coping stones, rather than a close boarded fence.

14.  Recommendations in para 4.1 of the submitted Sustainable Drainage Options Appraisal and Strategy to be fully implemented before any of the dwellings are first occupied and the maintenance schedule at para 4.2 to be enacted throughout the life of the development.

15.  Air source heat pumps to be installed and fully operational before each relevant property is first occupied. External unit to be painted out to match the colour of the adjacent stonework.

16.  Timber on porch canopies and close boarded boundary fencing to be painted or stained a muted, recessive colour at the time of erection.

17.  Details of final finish of all external timberwork to be submitted and approved. The finish shall be cream or a muted, recessive colour, not brown stain.

11:02 K Potter returned to the meeting.