Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Service Delivery (copy enclosed, Members’ Update to be circulated)*.

It was noted from the Members’ Update that a further letter of support and objection had been received.

During her presentation of the application the Officer advised that information contained within paragraph 5.1.3 of the report did not relate to this application and should be ignored.

Following the Officer presentation Members were advised that one public participation submission had been received from the Applicant and this was duly read out.

The Chairman moved the Officers’ recommendation of refusal and this was duly seconded by Councillor Miss S White, a Ward Member who highlighted a number of concerns she had with the application.  These concerns were reiterated by a number of Members.  Upon a vote being taken the proposal was agreed.

RESOLVED that this application be REFUSED for the following reasons:

1          The application site lies outside of the defined settlement boundaries where policies of restraint apply.  The Council can demonstrate a five year housing land supply to accord with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework.  The site has not been identified by the Council for development to meet future needs for the District and does not fall within either a Garden Suburb or Strategic Allocation for growth identified within the Maldon District Local Development Plan to meet the objectively assessed needs for housing in the District.  The proposed development would substantially alter the character of the site and surrounding area and have an unacceptable visual impact on the countryside through the urbanisation and domestication of the site, representing a sprawl of built form outside the settlement boundary of Purleigh.  The development would therefore be unacceptable and contrary to policies S1, S8, D1 and H4 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan (2017) and Government advice contained within the National Planning Policy Framework (2019).

2          The proposed development, by reason of its unsympathetic form, design, layout and density results in an incongruous form of development that would have a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the rural locality and the streetscene.  The development would therefore be unacceptable and contrary to policies S1, S8, D1 and H4 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan (2017) and Government advice contained within the National Planning Policy Framework (2019).

3          In the absence of a completed legal agreement pursuant to Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, securing a necessary financial contribution towards Essex Coast Recreational disturbance Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy or an appropriate mitigation strategy to overcome the impacts of the development on the European designated nature conservation sites, the development would have an adverse impact on those European designated nature conservation sites, contrary to Policies S1, and I1 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan and the NPPF.