Agenda item

Application: 2021/1501/FUL

Location: Caru, Beckfield Lane, Fairburn

Proposal: Erection of one dwelling following demolition of existing garage.

The Senior Planning Officer presented the application which had been brought before Planning Committee as more than 10 letters of representation had been received, including 10 letters of support. The letters raised material planning considerations and officers recommended the application be determined contrary to the 10 letters of support.

The application was deferred at the November 2022 Planning Committee meeting to enable officers and the planning agent to discuss whether the proposal could be re-designed to overcome highway visibility issues. Amended plans had been received for which the Local Highways Authority have raised no objection, therefore, the application was brought back before Planning Committee.

Members noted that the application was for the erection of one dwelling following demolition of the existing garage.

Members noted the Officer Update Note which included an amendment to the Location Plan and details of an additional objection from a local resident. The Officer Update Note also included a correction to paragraph 5.29 of the report.

The Committee asked the Senior Planning Officer for confirmation that the reason for the recommendation of refusal was that the application did not comply with planning policy.

The Senior Planning Officer confirmed the primary reason for recommending refusal was that the application did not conform to SP4(a) which stated that the filling of small linear gaps in otherwise built-up residential frontages was permitted in Secondary Villages but that a gap must already exist. In this case there was a garage in situ and therefore no gap currently existed, so the application was interpreted as not complying with the aforementioned policy. The Senior Planning Officer confirmed the application was not categorised as a conversion or as occupying previously developed land.

The Committee asked for clarification on how many households use the road for access and questioned whether the Council had identified a need for the extra housing.

It was established four households used the road for access to their houses. The Senior Planning Officer explained that the Council had not identified a need for further housing, that they were currently meeting their housing targets and that Secondary Villages are identified as the least sustainable areas for housing growth. The Head of Planning clarified policy had been applied to reach the recommendation to refuse but that the application was presented to be viewed as a whole by the Committee to reach their conclusion.

Representative for the Applicant, Mr Gerald Swarby, was in attendance and spoke in favour the application.

Members debated the application further stating that the existing garage being replaced by the proposed building would have no significant impact. Support was shown for the resolution of concerns from North Yorkshire County Council Highways and the application in general.

It was proposed and seconded that the application be GRANTED subject to conditions. A vote was taken on the Proposal and was carried.

RESOLVED:

That the application be GRANTED subject to conditions reserved to the Head of Planning Services in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of Planning Committee subject to the conditions set in paragraph 7 of the report and the details set out in the Officer Update Note.