Agenda item

Erection of three detached dwelling houses following demolition of the existing dwelling house.

The committee considered application P17/S1085/FUL to erect three detached dwelling houses following demolition of the existing dwelling Balmaha, 42 Rotherfield Road, Henley-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 this meeting.

Officer update: there was a typographical error in the officer’s report in paragraph 7.1 where it should read ‘three detached dwellings” not two.

Stefan Gawrysiak, a representative of Henley Town Council, spoke objecting to the application. 

Tim Lincoln and Robert Thompson, two local residents, spoke objecting to the application. 

Anthony Wrigley and Shaun Greaves, the applicant and agent, spoke in support of the application:

Joan Bland and Lorraine Hillier, two of the local ward councillors, spoke objecting to the application. 

In response to questions raised by the committee, the officers reported that:

·         There is no conflict with the Henley and Harpsden neighbourhood plan as maximising and re-using land is consistent with policies HO4 and H4 of the plan.

·         It would not be reasonable to reduce the implementation condition from three to two years, as this would be an approach more pertinent to large scale developments in response to the five year land supply issue.

·         The proposed extra conditions for a tree protection plan and construction traffic management plan whereby all construction vehicles are parked on site, were deemed acceptable.

The committee were mixed in their assessment of this application. Some committee members did not agree that the proposal is in keeping with the street scene; the design of the three dwellings is too homogenous; the tree to be felled to create a new access does not appear to be that diseased; and that it would constitute overdevelopment.

The rest of the committee felt that, with the extra proposed conditions as mentioned above, the proposal was acceptable on balance. Although they understood the concerns of neighbours regarding overlooking and impact on area, when looking at the wider street plan, similar densities to the site can be found in the vicinity and the development would be policy compliant.

A motion, moved and seconded, to approve the application was declared carried on being put to the vote.

RESOLVED: to grant planning permission for application P17/S1085/FUL, subject to the following conditions:

1.    Commencement no later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this permission.

2.    To be in accordance with the details shown on the approved plans, except as controlled or modified by conditions of this permission.

3.    Prior to commencement, a schedule of all materials to be used shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority (LPA).

4.    Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 (or any Order revoking or re-enacting that Order), the enlargement, improvement or other alteration of any dwelling house as described in Schedule 2, Part 1, Class A of the Order shall not be undertaken without obtaining planning permission from the LPA.

5.    To be implemented in accordance with the recommendations made in section 6 of the supporting protected species survey.

6.    Prior to the commencement of the development hereby permitted a scheme for the landscaping of the site, including the planting of live trees and shrubs, the provision of boundary treatment and hardstanding, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA prior to the commencement of the development. The scheme shall be implemented prior to the first occupation or use of development and thereafter be maintained in accordance with the approved scheme. In the event of any of the trees or shrubs so planted dying or being seriously damaged or destroyed within five years of the completion of the development, a new tree or shrub or equivalent number of trees or shrubs, as the case may be, of a species first approved by the LPA, shall be planted and properly maintained in a position or positions first approved in writing by the LPA.

7.    Prior to occupation of the development, the proposed means of access onto Rotherfield Road is to be formed and laid out and constructed strictly in accordance with the local highway authority's specifications and all ancillary works specified shall be undertaken.

8.    Prior to the first occupation of the development, the existing means of access onto Rotherfield Road shall be improved and laid out and constructed strictly in accordance with the local highway authority's specifications and all ancillary works specified shall be undertaken.

9.    The vision splays shall not be obstructed by any object, structure, planting or other material with a height exceeding or growing above 0.9 metres as measured from carriageway level.

10.Prior to the first occupation of the development, the parking and turning areas shall be provided in accordance with the plans, and shall be constructed, laid out, surfaced, drained and completed to be compliant with sustainable drainage (SuDS) principles, and shall be retained unobstructed except for the parking of vehicles associated with the development at all times.

11.The first floor window in the north-east (side) elevation of the dwelling shown in plot 3 on the approved site plan, shall be glazed in obscure glass with a minimum of level 3 obscurity, and shall be fixed shut with the exception of a top hung openable fanlight, prior to the first occupation of the accommodation. Any roof lights in the north-east elevation shall also be obscure glazed or non-opening, where below 1.7m from the floor level in the second-floor accommodation. The windows shall be retained as such thereafter.

12.Prior to the commencement of any site works or operations relating to the development, an arboricultural method statement to ensure the satisfactory protection of retained trees during the construction period shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA. Thereafter the development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details with the agreed measures being kept in place during the entire course of development.

13.A Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to the commencement of development.  The approved CTMP shall be implemented prior to any works being carried out on site, and shall be maintained throughout the course of the development.