Agenda item

Change of Use of land adjoining Warfield Park for the siting of up to 82 mobile homes (according with the definition of a caravan), suitable alternative natural green space (SANGS) and informal open space, together with access improvements, landscaping and biodiversity measures.

Change of Use of land adjoining Warfield Park for the siting of up to 82 mobile homes (according with the definition of a caravan), suitable alternative natural green space (SANGS) and informal open space, together with access improvements, landscaping and biodiversity measures.

A site visit had been held on Saturday 21 May 2016 which had been attended by Councillors Angell, Mrs Angell, Brossard, Dudley, Ms Gaw, Mrs Hayes, Hill, Mrs Ingham, Mrs Mattick, Mrs McKenzie, Mrs McKenzie-Boyle, Thompson and Turrell.

The Committee noted:

·         The supplementary report of the Head of Planning tabled at the meeting.

·         The comments from Warfield Parish Council recommending refusal of the application.

·         The comments of Winkfield Parish Council.

·         A petition containing 30 signatures objecting to the application, 56 letters of objection and 39 letters of support as summarised in the agenda papers.

The criteria for public speaking had been met in respect of this application and the Committee was addressed by the registered speaker Jacquie Lovell on behalf of the Chavey Down Association and local residents and Martin Taylor representing the Agent on behalf of the applicant.

The Committee recognised that as the Council did not currently have a 5 year supply of housing land, if the adverse impacts (harm) associated with the proposed development would not ‘significantly and demonstrably’ outweigh the benefits, then planning permission should be granted.

A motion to authorise the Head of Planning to approve the application subject to conditions (and following the completion of a planning obligation) as recommended in the Officer report was put to the vote and was lost.  An alternative motion to refuse the application was put to the vote and was carried.

RESOLVED that planning application 15/00383/FUL be REFUSED for the following reasons:

01. The proposed development would be poorly located with regard to services and facilities with inadequate accessibility to non-car borne modes of transport which would leave future residents with no real choice about how they travel.  Furthermore it would detract from the character and appearance of the countryside.  The proposal is therefore not sustainable development and the application is contrary to Core Strategy Development Plan Document Policies CS1, CS7 and CS23, Bracknell Forest Borough Local Plan Policy EN20 and the NPPF.

02. In the absence of a planning obligation to secure affordable housing in terms that are satisfactory to the Local Planning Authority, the proposal is contrary to Policy H8 of the Bracknell Forest Borough Local Plan, Policy CS16 of the Core Strategy Development Plan Document and to the Planning Obligations SPD (2015).

03. The occupants of the development would put extra pressure on the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area and the applicants have not satisfactorily mitigated the development to comply with the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Avoidance and Mitigation Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) 2012. In the absence of a section 106 planning obligation to secure suitable mitigation measures, the proposal would therefore be contrary to Policy NRM6 of the South East Plan, Policy EN3 of the Bracknell Forest Borough Local Plan, Policy CS14 of the Core Strategy Development Plan Document and to the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Avoidance and Mitigation Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) 2012.

04. The proposed development would unacceptably increase the pressure on open space of public value. In the absence of a planning obligation in terms that are satisfactory to the Local Planning Authority, and which secures the on-site provision of open space of public value, the proposal is contrary to Policy R4 of the Bracknell Forest Borough Local Plan, Policy CS8 of the Core Strategy Development Plan Document and the Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (adopted February 2015).

05. It has not been demonstrated that the proposed development would incorporate a sustainable drainage system (SuDS) for the management of surface water run-off and it has not been shown that use of SuDS would be inappropriate for the development. This is contrary to the House of Commons: Written Statement (HCWS161) Sustainable Drainage Systems 18/12/2014, NPPF 2012 and the Flood Risk and Coastal Change PPG updated 15/04/2015.