Agenda item

Conversion of farm buildings to residential use and creation of new vehicular access to site from Abingdon Road (amended by package of drawings and reports received on 27 October 2021 and 11 February 2022 and as amplified by traffic report received 15 June 2022).

The committee considered planning applications P20/S4467/FUL and P20/S4469/LBfor the conversion of farm buildings to residential use and creation of new vehicular access to site from Abingdon Road (amended by package of drawings and reports received on 27 October 2021 and 11 February 2022 and as amplified by traffic report received 15 June 2022), on land at Bishop Court Farm, 91 High Street, Dorchester-On-Thames.  

Consultations, representations, policy and guidance, and the site’s planning history were detailed in the officer’s report, which formed part of the agenda pack for the meeting.  The chair clarified that the report was the same for both applications, which would be taken together.

The planning officer introduced the report and highlighted that the application was brought to the committee due to the objection of Dorchester-on-Thames Parish Council. The application site was located on north-west side of Dorchester-on-Thames and formed part of the farmyard area associated with the grade II listed Bishops Court Farmhouse. The entire site was located within the Oxford Green Belt and Dorchester-on-Thames Conservation Area.

The planning officer informed the committee that planning permission and listed building consent was sought for the change of use and conversion of the central range of barns from agricultural to residential use. The central range of barns already benefited from planning permission for conversion into a single dwelling house which remained extant to 2025.

New vehicular access from the north giving access onto Abingdon Road was required due to the new garden of unit A removing the existing access route for the northern part of the site. The highway liaison officer had confirmed the visibility splays for the new access met the guidance. In addition, the access would have sufficient width for access of two vehicles as well as providing passing space at a point along the access track.

The planning officer informed the committee that concerns had been raised regarding the access being used for a potential future development. Any future development of the site was sensitive due to the site constraints, however, the planning officer noted that any potential future development did not form part of the current application and so should not unduly influence the applications assessment.

Overall, the planning officer believed that the application was compliant with relevant policies and that the design and appearance of the buildings would be in keeping with the area and would make a positive contribution to the site within the conservation area. Furthermore, he believed that the development would not be harmful to the setting of the adjacent listed building, the openness of the green belt, or the amenities of neighbouring properties. Therefore, he recommended that the application be approved, subject to conditions, but with a suggested modification to conditions 3 and 4 in relation to materials and joinery details from pre-commencement to compliance as this level of detail had been supplied as part of the application.

Rob Ballantyne spoke on behalf of Dorchester-on-Thames Parish Council, objecting to the application.

Patrick Clayphan spoke objecting to the application.

Trevor Avery, the agent representing the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

The committee asked the planning officer why the new access road had been requested by the officer during the pre-application stage of the application. He confirmed that, due to the logistical issue caused by the conversion of the existing farm buildings, the operative farm building to the northern area of the site became essentially land locked, which had led to an objection from the highways authority. The planning officer confirmed to members that this was his primary motivation behind the request, not for other reasons such as for traffic concerns on the Oxford Road.

The committee further enquired as to the construction of the proposed access road. The planning officer confirmed that the proposed access was not a tarmacked estate road but instead a gravelled track which would be much more sympathetic to the area and less visually dominant.

Overall, as there were no concerns regarding the principle of the conversion of the buildings to residential, the committee considered the main issue to be the access. However, as they were satisfied there was a need for the new access and that the construction materials of the new access and the proposed trees meant it would be a track and therefore less invasive, they agreed that the application should be approved, subject to conditions.

Motions moved and seconded, to approve the planning application and the listed building consent application were carried on being put to the vote.

RESOLVED: to approve planning application P20/S4467/FUL, subject to the following conditions:

1. Commencement 3 years - Full Planning Permission

2. Approved plans

3. Materials as approved

4. Joinery details as approved

5. Withdrawal of Permitted Development (Part 1 Class A, B, C and D)

6. Withdrawal of Permitted Development (Part 1 Class E) - no buildings etc

7. Withdrawal of Permitted Development (Part 2 Class A) - no walls, fences etc

8. Landscaping implementation

9. New hedge required

10. Wildlife Protection (mitigation as approved) - Badgers

11. Wildlife Protection (mitigation as approved) - Bats

12. Surface Water Drainage Implementation

13. Foul Water Drainage Implementation

14. Archaeology (Implementation of Written Scheme of Investigation)

15. New vehicular access

16. Vision splay protection

17. Parking & Manoeuvring

18. No Garage conversion into accommodation

RESOLVED: to approve listed building consent application P20/S4469/LB, subject to the following conditions:

1. Commencement 3 years - Listed Building Consent

2. Approved plans (listed building)

3. All new external materials as approved

4. Joinery Details as approved