Agenda item

To consider the planning application and recommendations of the Chief Executive (copy enclosed, Members’ Update to be circulated).

Councillor Mrs B E Acevedo left the Council Chamber at this point in the meeting.

It was noted from the Members’ Update that representation had been received from Althorne Parish Council and Essex Highways along with further letters of support.

Following the Officer’s presentation of the report, Councillor Burgess, representing Althorne Parish Council and Mr A Cusson, speaking on behalf of the Applicant and Agent, both addressed the Committee.

Members debated this application at some length and attention was drawn to the 19 letters of support that had been received.  Some Members were in support of this application and were of the opinion that the proposed development was of sympathetic built form and accorded with sustainability in the surrounding area.  However, other Members held the converse view that it was outside the settlement boundary, was unsustainable and were in support of the Officer’s recommendation regarding the Council’s Local Development Plan (LDP).

Concern was raised about sustainability and that bus and train services would only survive if they were used.

The Group Manager – Planning Services advised that letters of support or objection on their own were not a material consideration.

In response to a question the Group Manager – Planning Services advised that windfall sites were set within the plan and it was not usually the case that sites outside of the development boundary would be looked at.  This was not an allocated site within the LDP.

The Group Manager – Planning Services then drew Members’ attention to the Appendices to the report which showed the number of applications that had been refused by the Council and advised that all of those that had been appealed had been dismissed.  The Council and the Planning Inspectorate were united in their view that this area was not suitable for development.  If this application was granted, then it would become a material consideration for any other site around the area.  Members should make decisions in accordance with the LDP unless material considerations outweighed this.

The Chairman put the Officers’ recommendation of refusal to the Committee and upon a vote being taken this was agreed.

RESOLVED that this application be REFUSED for the following reasons:

1                 The development of this site for housing is remote from essential support facilities, community services, is inaccessible by a range of transport and is located where the need to travel would be maximised and the use of sustainable transport modes would be minimised and would therefore represent an unsustainable form of development. Furthermore, the poor sustainability credentials of the site and its locality in combination with the fact that the location of the site would not encourage sustainable travel patterns would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the proposal when assessed against the Maldon District Local Development Plan policies S1, S8, D1, H4, T1 and T2 of the and guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.

2                 The introduction of a residential dwelling and associated paraphernalia on the site would represent the inappropriate urbanisation of the site and would have a harmful impact on the rural and open character of the area. The proposal is therefore considered to result in demonstrable harm to the character and appearance of the locality contrary to policies S8, D1 and H4 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan as well as the principles and guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework.

Councillor Mrs Acevedo returned to the Council Chamber.