Agenda item

Erection of 3 no. dwellings including associated parking, access and amenity space.

Erection of 3 no. dwellings including associated parking, access and amenity space.

A site visit had been held on Saturday 12 September 2015 which had been attended by Councillors Angell, Mrs Angell, D Birch, Brossard, Dudley, Mrs Hayes, Hill, Mrs Ingham, Mrs McKenzie, Ms Peacey, Mrs Phillips, Thompson and Turrell.

The Committee noted:

• The supplementary report of the Head of Planning tabled at the meeting.
• Warfield Parish Council had recommended refusal for the following reasons:

1. The site of the proposed development is not identified as a site for future housing development in Bracknell Forest Council's Site Allocation Local Plan (July 2013) and is not within the settlement boundary identified therein.

2. The proposed access road and car parking is close to the boundaries of adjacent dwellings and so the proposal would be detrimental to the living conditions of occupiers of the neighbouring properties because of noise and disturbance caused by increased traffic and the multiple manoeuvres required to access car parking spaces.

3. The proposal will generate additional traffic movements into and out of Forest Road where vehicle speeds are known to be high and this would adversely affect road safety and impede the free flow of traffic.

·         A total of 13 objections from 10 households, summarised as follows:

- The land is outside the settlement boundary and therefore inappropriate development.

- The development would have a detrimental impact upon the rural character of the area.

- The land has never been built on.

- The design of the dwellings is not in keeping with the character of the area.

- The density is out of keeping with the character of the area.

- By removing part of the dwelling at no. 4 this would result in noise, hygiene concerns from bins and overlooking to neighbouring properties.

- The proposed dwelling would result in a reduction in natural light to neighbouring properties.

- There is a high level of housing planned in north of the borough so this site is not necessary.

- The backland development is out of keeping and would threaten the peaceful rear gardens of neighbouring properties.

- The amenity land left for 4 Hayley Green Cottages is not acceptable.

- Concern over noise and disturbance of construction vehicles.

- There will be a significant increase in noise and light pollution created by the additional dwellings.

- Approving this would set a precedent for back land development.

- The storage of caravans generates very little traffic.

- The access to the site is inappropriate and impractical and has poor visibility.

- There have been a number of crashes along Forest Road; cars regularly exceed the 30mph speed limit.

- There is not enough parking proposed.

- There is no space for visitors to park.

- There is no street lighting on Forest Road.

- Residents of Hayley Green Cottages park their cars on the land that will be used for access.

- Construction vehicles and emergency services would not be able to access the site.

- The proposal for internal circulation and vehicular movements would therefore create a safety hazard.

- The additional vehicles entering onto Forest Road would increase the risk of accidents on the highway.

- There would be a significant increase in traffic.

- The introduction of double white lines in the middle of the road would be unsightly.

- Neighbouring property has a Right of Easement across the land.

- The proposal would reduce the security to the rear of the neighbouring properties.

- Refuse bins would clog up the frontage and create a visibility issue.

- Concerns over impact upon trees.

- Concerns over the impact upon footings of 1-4 Hayley Green Cottages which were built 1830 - 1850.

- Concerns over the capacity of the drainage system.

- Concerns over the impact upon biodiversity and that Ecology Report is out of date

- Goose Corner floods as there is a stream at the front. This development would make it worse.

- amendments do nothing to alleviate safety dangers to and from the site

- dispute over rights to the land to the side of the Cottages means that all cars/vans which park there will move onto Forest Road, increasing hazards. If vehicles are parked on the north side of Forest Road, it is extremely difficult to see approaching vehicles or their speed. 30mph speed limit is frequently exceeded.

- increased vehicular movements to and from the site, along with vehicles parking on Forest Road will restrict and obscure visibility for those exiting the access at Goose Corner.

- The residents of Hayley Green Cottages and the New House have been parking on the piece of land between 4 Hayley Green Cottages and the New House for a number of years. The proposed development plan shows the track being widened to encompass more of this land. This will encourage on street parking and lead to vehicles waiting in the highway to pass parked cars or to access the site.

The impact of this will :

- Reduce the visibility splays either side of the exit on to the Forest Road

- Create additional traffic problems on the Forest Road with the width of the Forest Road being reduced to a single lane due to parked cars

- Adversely impact pedestrians and cyclists using the Forest Road as cars often park partially on the pavement that runs alongside the Forest Road.

- The driveway from the proposed development to the Forest Road does not include a pedestrian walkway which means anyone walking on foot from the new development to the Forest Road will be walking on the gravel driveway, which will put these individuals in danger from traffic travelling to an from the development.

- The residents from Hayley Green Cottages 1 -3 have a right of easement across the back of No 4 and long the track at the side. There will be a safety issue with the increased traffic flow to and from the development, which will put the residents of Hayley Green Cottages at risk for their safety when using the pedestrian access.

- One of the requirements from the previous planning application was to provide adequate amenities for No 4. On the plan submitted on 6th July it is unclear of where these amenities are and the size available to No 4. There is a small triangle of land at the rear, which is only large enough for the wheelie bins belonging to no 4 but there is insufficient space for a washing line or an area to sit out on. Plus the pedestrian right of way crosses this triangle of land and therefore across the amenity strip.

- The current development does not comply with the 12 core planning principles outlined In NPPF para. 17.

- There is no evidence that the design of the development will be of a high quality and a good standard as evidenced by the development work completed at No 4.

- This land has not been previously developed and has been used for storage of caravans only. There fore this means a change of use and will urbanise the area, which has been classified as semi-rural.

- Increase in hardstanding will have an impact on the water table and create a flood risk to the surrounding properties when there was not a risk before. The increase in cars that will be travelling to the properties of Hayley Green and Goose Corner will impact increase carbon emissions in close proximity of the existing residents’ gardens.

The criteria for public speaking had been met in respect of this application and the Committee was addressed by the registered speaker Lindsay Prendergast who represented the objections of local residents to the proposed development and Thomas Rumble representing the Agent, on behalf of the applicant.

During consideration of the application, questions were raised about whether the access road to the proposed development complied with the requirements regarding attendance of fire appliances.  A motion was moved and seconded to defer consideration of the application.

RESOLVED that the application be deferred for further information as to the adequacy of the access road for the attendance of fire appliances.