Agenda item

APP/20/00376 - Fowley Cottage, 46 Warblington Road, Emsworth

Proposal:       Nine new dwellings on the site surrounding the retained Fowley Cottage, 2 on the Warblington Road frontage and 7 in the rear garden area.

 

Additional Information

 

Minutes:

(The site was viewed by the Site Viewing Working Party)

 

Proposal:       Nine new dwellings on the site surrounding the retained Fowley Cottage, 2 on the Warblington Road frontage and 7 in the rear garden area.

 

The Committee considered the written report and recommendation to refuse permission

 

The Committee received supplementary information, circulated prior to the meeting which included:

 

(1)         a written deputation from the applicant;

 

(2)         a written deputation from Councillors Kennett and Thain-Smith; and

 

(3)          an update sheet with a revised recommendation.

 

The Committee was addressed by Mr Glanville,who reported the history of the site together with the history of applications to develop this site. In support of his written deputation, Mr Glanville highlighted the following issues:

 

§      The density of the current application was approximately 19 dwellings per hectare which represented an increase of a third on the previous application.

 

§      If this application was not granted, this site might not be developed and thereby make no contribution towards the housing supply or re-usable sustainable urban land contrary to the NPPF and the Development Plan. 

 

§      Density was appropriate and in line with emerging local plan

 

§      Not all of the Fowley Cottage site was included in the application. If permission was granted, there would be an opportunity for further development on the remaining land which could make up the 20 dwellings currently allocated for the site

 

§      The proposal was compatible with the character of the area

 

§      The density complied with the Local Plan and was consistent with National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

 

§      The proposal was also consistent with Criterion 4 of Core strategy Policy CS9

 

§      The proposal complied with the Post Examination Referendum version of the Emsworth Neighbourhood Plan

 

§      Whilst it was acknowledged that Policy H13 of the Submission Version of the Havant Borough Local Plan (currently at Examination) sought about 20 dwellings on the site it was important to note that this figure did not relate to the entire site and various constraints that affect the application site. This policy was also the subject of an outstanding objection and yet to be tested at Examination. This was recognised by the Appeal Inspector who confirmed very limited weight should be given to this policy at this stage.

 

§      The application site was the subject to a covenant that restricted the number of dwellings that could be built to south of the existing house/tennis court to 7

 

§      Many local residents including the Emsworth Residents’ Association supported the proposed development.

 

§      90% of those who commented on the Planning Portal said they would object to any greater number of dwellings on the site than are found in the application design.

 

With regard to the deputations received, the officers:

 

(i)           reminded the members that if the Committee took a covenant into account when determining this application it could vitiate the decision; and

 

(ii)          advised that the findings in the report took into account the fact that not all the available land was included in the application site

 

In response to questions from the Committee, officers advised that:

 

·                         The whole of the developable part of the site was in Flood Zone 1. The sites included in Flood Zones 2 and 3, which caused concern, were not included in the red line.

 

·                         The covenant was not a material consideration.

 

The Committee discussed the application in detail together with the views raised by the deputee.

 

A member expressed concern that placing 20 houses could be detrimental to the area and pointed out that the Harbour Board and two of the ward councillors had not objected to the proposal. However, a majority of the Committee considered that

 

(1)          the development appeared to be contrary to some of the polices in the Post Examination Referendum version of the Emsworth Neighbourhood Plan;

 

(2)          the proposal was contrary to the Council’s Local Plan;

 

(3)          the proposal deprived the opportunity to provide affordable housing; and

 

(4)          insufficient housing was proposed and did not make best use of the site

 

During the debate the members were reminded that they were required to determine the application as submitted.

 

A majority of the Committee were therefore minded to refuse permission and it was:

 

RESOLVED That application APP/20/00376 be refused for the following reason:

 

1            At a density of only 18.9 dph the application fails to make efficient use of land and is therefore contrary to the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework, Policies CS9 and CS17 of the Havant Borough Local Plan (Core Strategy) 2011, Policies H3 and H13 of the Submission Havant Borough Local Plan and D3 of the Emsworth Neighbourhood Plan.

 

[Voting on the resolution was as follows:

 

For: Councillors Crellin, Hughes, and Patel

Against: Councillor Branson

Abstention: 0]

Supporting documents: