Agenda item

To consider report PES/292 (a)of the Head of Economy and Planning.

RECOMMENDATION to PERMIT.

The Committee considered report PES/292 (a) of the Head of Economy and Planning which proposed as follows:

Outline application (access & layout) for the demolition of existing garage and erection of a 2 storey dwelling within garden of existing Ewhurst, The Mardens, Ifield (amended description & amended plans received).

Councillors Fiveash, Jaggard, P C Smith, Stone, Sudan and Thomas declared they had visited the site.

The Principal Planning Officer provided a verbal summation of the application.

Mr David Baker addressed the meeting in objection to the application which had been the subject of re-consultation regarding the amended plans. Those objections reflected many of those detailed in the report, with particular reference to parking, access, traffic and overdevelopment.  Mr James Simpson (the agent) addressed the meeting in support of the application,

The Committee then considered the application.  In response to issues raised the Principal Planning Officer:

·         Confirmed that the proposal had been amended since the application was submitted, by adding the layout as a matter to be considered under this outline application.

·         Confirmed further that with access and layout to be assessed at this stage, all other matters (scale, appearance and landscaping) were to be considered at the Reserved Matters stage.

·         Explained that whilst the minimum garden depth of 10.5m, as recommended in the Urban Design SPD, would not be achieved, this was considered on balance acceptable given the garden depth of the surrounding properties to the east, especially Nos 3 and 4 Ewhurst Cottages, and the width of the garden which was between 15 – 18m (due to the angled boundary to the east).

·         Advised that Ewhurst had a side window overlooking the new proposed dwelling, but that this window was a bathroom window (with obscure glazing) and this relationship was therefore considered acceptable.

·         Indicated that the western side wall of the new dwelling could be blank or include secondary windows, and this detail would be assessed at the reserved matters stage.

·         Considered that the proposal would now have an acceptable relationship to the boundaries and properties to the east and west.

·         Reiterated that in relation to the gate onto the Borough Council’s car park for Ewhurst Place Playing Fields, that gate was not shown on the plans approved under the original planning permission of Ewhurst.  This current application did not include any gate to the side of the application site. The vehicular and pedestrian access as proposed would be from The Mardens to the front. Any additional access to the CBC car park was a property matter between the 2 landowners.

·         Clarified that for collection purposes occupiers of the proposed development would be required to take their refuse and recycling to the front of the property for kerbside collection - as was the case for most other dwellings in the Borough, whilst requirements for refuse and recycling were referred to in Condition 10.

·         Emphasised that this application was for Outline Planning Permission with access and layout to be assessed at this stage. All other matters (scale, appearance and landscaping) would be considered at a later date at the Reserved Matters stage.

The Committee continued to consider carefully the application information, with the majority of Members indicating their support for the application.

RESOLVED

Permit, subject to:

1.            The completion of a Section 106 agreement to secure a £10,850 contribution towards the off-site provision of affordable housing.

2.            The conditions set out in report PES/292 (a).