Agenda item

Report of Corporate Director (Business) (enclosed)

Planning permission refused

(The Committee heard representations from the ward representative Councillor Greg Morgan on the proposals)

(The Committee received representation from an objector to the proposals)

Application no:                                  09/00392/FULMAJ

Proposal:                   Erection of 14 two storey dwellings and associated infrastructure (following demolition of no. 202 Chorley Old Road)

Location:                    202 Chorley Old Road, Whittle-Le-Woods

Decision:

It was proposed by Councillor Kenneth Ball, seconded by Councillor David Dickinson, and was subsequently RESOLVED to refuse full planning permission for the following reasons:

1.  The proposed development, by virtue of the sitting, scale and layout of the properties in relation to the existing dwelling houses, will not provide reasonable privacy and amenity for the residents of neighbouring properties.  Inadequate space is retained between the proposed properties and the existing bungalows which are exacerbated by the difference in land level between them.  As such the proposal is considered to be contrary to Government advice contained in PPS3, Policy HS4 of the Adopted Chorley Borough Local Plan Review and the Councils Approved Guidelines for New Housing Developments.

2.  The proposed development will not respect the surrounding area in terms of scale, design, or building style and will be inappropriate in the context of the area.  It is not considered that the proposal relates well to its surroundings which is characterised by bungalows and two-storey stone terraces/cottages.  As such the proposal is considered to be contrary to Policy HS4 and GN5 of the Adopted Chorley Borough Local Plan Review and Government advice contained in PPS1: Delivering Sustainable Development, which states that new residential schemes should respond to their local context and reinforced local distinctiveness, and PPS3: Housing, which states that new residential schemes should be well integrated with and compliment the neighbouring buildings and the local area in terms of scale, density, layout and access.

3.  The ‘Sustainable Resources Report’ submitted as part of the application fails to take account of policy SR1 of the Sustainable Resources Development Plan Document.  An ‘Energy Efficiency/Resources Conservation Statement’ is required for all residential developments of 5 or more dwellings demonstrating how the requirements for each criterion of Policy SR1 have been met.  In particular, criteria (b) of Policy SR1 requires appropriate renewable or low carbon energy sources to be installed in order to reduce the carbon emissions of the predicted energy use of the development by at least 10%.  Details of the technologies to be installed and how the 10% reduction in carbon emissions will be achieved need to be set out in the ‘Energy Efficiency/Resources Conservation Statement’ which the application fails to do.  The application is therefore contrary to policy SR1 of the Sustainable Resources Development Plan Document.

4.  There are mature trees adjacent to the site at no. 206 Chorley Old Road which are visible from public view points on Chorley Old Road.  The trees are in a healthy condition, are visually prominent and of attractive appearance, and make a valuable contribution to the visual amenities of the area.  Plot 1 will be close to these trees.  It is considered that plot 1 is too close to the trees, which will cause them root damage, however no tree constraints plan has been submitted with the application in line with BS 5837:2005 Trees in Relation to Construction.  Therefore, the proposal is considered contrary to Policy EP9 in that it may result in the loss of a tree that makes a valuable contribution to the area and there are insufficient special reasons advanced in support of the application to justify their loss.

5.  The proposed development is within the settlement boundary of Whittle-le-Woods on unallocated un-developed land.  It has not been demonstrated that there are no suitable allocated of previously developed sites available within the settlement and as such the proposal is contrary to HS6 of the Adopted Chorley Borough local Plan Review and PPS3: Housing.

6.  The parking provision for the proposed development is inadequate.  The properties require three off road parking spaces Plot 4, 6 and 13 do not meet this criterion and others have sub-standard garages.  The properties do not provide separate cycle parking provided and the gardens of the properties are limited in size so it is likely that owners of the dwellings will use garages for storing bicycles of other household items, as well as parking.  Therefore a minimum garage size of 6m by 3m is deemed necessary for them to count as a parking space, which the proposed garages do not meet.  The older properties on Chorley Old Road do not benefit from cartilage parking and therefore on street parking in the area is at a premium.  To avoid exacerbating parking problems on Chorley Old Road it is considered essential to provide sufficient off-road parking.  The proposal is therefore considered deficient in parking terms which is likely to result in unacceptable levels of on street parking and have a detrimental effect on the streetscene in terms of visual amenity contrary to policies HS4, TR4 of the Adopted Chorley Borough Local Plan and adopted Supplementary Planning Document Householder Design Guidance, RSS policy RT2, associated Supplementary Planning Document and Manual for Street.