Agenda item

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

Following the Officer’s presentation, the Chairman addressed three public participation submissions one from the Agent, Richard Bray on behalf of the applicant, one from the Chairman of Althorne Parish Council, Councillor Paul Burgess and finally, one from an Objector, Mr Terry Inkpen.

The Chairman advised the Committee that as he had briefly lost connectivity  during the presentation and in accordance with Section 4, paragraph 4.7 of the Remote Meeting Protocol (May 2020) would not vote on this item of business.

The Chairman then moved the recommendation that planning application 20/00609/OUT, Winterdale Manor, Burnham Road, Althorne be refused for the reasons as detailed in Section 8 of the report. This was seconded by Councillor Bell.

Councillor Boyce, having called-in the application, opened the discussion. As a result of a reference to social housing in one of the submissions he commenced by declaring a non-pecuniary interest as a trustee of an Almshouse Charity. He added that given there could be no assurance that local residents availed of the social housing opportunities he supported the Officer’s recommendation to refuse the application.

Councillor Bell said that she agreed with the Officer’s recommendation of refusal as the application contravened the Local Development Plan (LDP) and commended the Officer’s report.

Councillor Mrs Channer also declared a non-pecuniary interest as a trustee of an Almshouse Charity. She concurred with Councillor’s Bell’s summary and referred to the previous report and history of applications in Althorne, whereby the authority had won appeals with various Inspectors, as it was not a sustainable location.  Councillor  Stamp said she agreed with the views expressed, the Officer’s report was excellent, and she supported the recommendation of refusal.

The Chairman put the Officer’s recommendation of refusal to the Committee and upon a vote being taken it was agreed.

RESOLVED that the 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 area and have an unacceptable visual impact on the countryside and the locality through the urbanisation and domestication of the site, representing the sprawl of built form outside the settlement boundary of Althorne.  Furthermore, the limited design merit of the proposal, which would create a contrived and out of keeping form of development which would exacerbate the impact on the character and appearance of the area and the locality.  The development would therefore be unacceptable and contrary to policies S1, S8, D1 and H4 of the approved Maldon District Local Development Plan (2017) and Government advice contained within the National Planning Policy Framework (2019).

2                 In the absence of a completed legal agreement pursuant to Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 the development makes no contribution for affordable housing.  The development would not therefore contribute to a strong vibrant community as it would not provide a supply of housing required to meet the needs of present and future generations and as such is not considered to represent sustainable development, contrary to policies H1 and I1 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan, and Government guidance as contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.