Agenda item

Erection of 12 dwellings including landscaping and site access

Consideration was given to the report of the Principal Planning Officer regarding an application for the erection of 12 dwellings including landscaping and site access (for copy see file of Minutes).

A Caines, Principal Planning Officer gave a detailed presentation on the application which included photographs of the site and its context in the village.

Mr I Moorhouse addressed the Committee on behalf of Cotherstone Parish Council. He commenced by addressing Local Plan Policies GD1, BENV4 and H13 referred to in the Principal Planning Officer’s report. As could be seen from the photographs of the approach to the village the site was well-screened in the summer, however this was not the case in the winter months, and this would have an adverse visual impact on the area.

The Parish Council did not believe that that there was a local need for the development and that the Housing Needs Survey was a means of assessing aspirations rather than need.  Even if the need existed the Parish Council did not consider that Policy H13 would be complied with. There were only 143 responses to the Survey from a total of 962 households. The Parish Council had collected 120 signatures against the development from a little over 200 households.

He continued that very few local people lived in the sheltered accommodation located next to the proposed development. The report noted that the site was ‘not the most sustainable’ which was an understatement as the residents were not wealthy, and private transport was an issue for local people in a rural area. There was no point in providing low cost accommodation where there was little employment, where buses only operated until 7pm and were expensive, and where there was uncertainty around the future of the bus service, the local shop and post office.

Mr Willis, the Agent stated that he appreciated the work of the Planning Officers in helping the applicant to achieve a development which respected the character of the Conservation Area. The Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) carried out in February 2013 supported the need for affordable housing which had been identified in the SHMA. The affordable housing would be secured through a Section 106 Agreement which would include local occupancy criteria.

Changes had been made to certain design features to ensure that the scheme was in keeping with the surrounding area, including the introduction of dry stone walling on the site frontage.

D Stewart, Highways Officer was asked to comment on concerns expressed relating to highway issues. He advised that following initial issues regarding the number of parking spaces the application had been amended in line with suggestions made by the Highways Authority, and a condition was proposed for extension works to the lay by. The scheme was therefore deemed to be  acceptable in highway terms.

Members asked how the allocation process would ensure that the local need was served. The Committee was advised that the properties would be allocated using Durham Key Options, and were informed of the local occupancy criteria which would be included in the Section 106 Agreement.

Councillor Boyes noted the concerns expressed by the Landscape Team, particularly in relation to the longevity of the hedgerows. It was suggested that condition 5 be amended to ensure that hedgerows were included in the planting plan which was to be submitted and agreed by the Local Planning Authority before any development took place.

Councillor Clare noted the Parish Council’s concerns regarding sustainability.   The Principal Planning Officer acknowledged that the site may not be the most sustainable location because of distance from local services, however there was a need for affordable housing in areas other than the larger settlements such as Barnard Castle. Cotherstone was a large village with good bus service links to facilities.

The Chairman commented that the development would help to ensure the sustainability of the existing bus service as more people moved into the village. In addition he considered that one bus per hour was not unusual for settlements in rural locations.

In response to Councillor Gunn, who noted that the Parish Council had also expressed concern about sustainability because the proposals did not include accommodation for young families, the Principal Planning Officer explained that the HNA demonstrated a clear demand for older persons dwellings in the area and the scheme would help to meet that identified need. However there was no age restriction included in the allocation criteria and four of the properties were two-storey, semi-detached dwellings which were suitable for young families.

During discussion on the application Councillor Richardson advised of his intention to abstain from voting.

Resolved:

That the application be approved subject to:-

(i)            the conditions outlined in the report with condition 5 being amended to read as follows:-

‘5.  No development shall take place until full details of hard and soft landscape works and garden structures have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. These details shall include proposed hard surfacing materials, details of proposed sheds, details of proposed bin stores, a detailed planting plan for the ornamental shrubs, herbaceous planting and hedgerows showing exact plant numbers and locations and giving plant and planting specifications, and details of the treatment of the boundary hedge to the north of the site. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.’

(ii)          the completion of a Section 106 Legal Agreement to ensure the dwellings remain affordable in perpetuity, and to secure a financial contribution of £6000 towards the provision/maintenance of open space in the locality.