Agenda item

Refused, reasons to be set out in the minutes.

The Committee considered application WNS/2022/0919/MAO comprising of an outline planning application for up to 46 dwellings and associated works with all matters reserved except for access at Land North of Town End Farm and West of Brackley Road, Croughton, for GR No.7 Ltd.

Michael Robson, the agent for the applicant, addressed the Committee in support of the application and provided an overview of the potential benefits of the development to the local area should the development receive approval.

It was proposed by Councillor Ken Pritchard and Seconded by Councillor Karen Cooper that application WNS/2022/0919/MAO be refused in accordance with the officer’s recommendation, in addition to the amended reasons for refusal set out in the written updates.

The motion was put to the vote with eight votes cast in favour of the proposal and none cast against, therefore the motion was carried.

In reaching its decision, the Committee considered the officer’s report and presentation, the address of the public speaker, and the written updates.

Resolved

(1)  That application WNS/2022/0919/MAO be refused for the following reasons:

1.    The proposal fails to comply with the Council’s adopted Development Plan which seeks to direct new residential development to the most sustainable locations within the district. Specifically, the proposal is a market-led housing scheme located outside of the settlement confines and does not comply with any of the exception policies listed within the South Northamptonshire Local Plan Part 2 that offer support to development outside of the confines of settlements. The Council can demonstrate in excess of a five-year housing land supply and as such all relevant Development Plan policies are considered up to date and paragraph 11(d) of the NPPF does not apply. Having considered all relevant material considerations, including the relative sustainability of the settlement, the availability and accessibility of its services, facilities, those of adjoining urban centres and employment opportunities, the provision of affordable housing and outcome of recent relevant appeal decisions, it is concluded that the harm caused through this application’s conflict with the development plan exceeds any considerations that weigh in the application’s favour. Therefore, the proposal fails to comply with policy LH1 of the South Northamptonshire Local Plan Part 2 and policy R1 of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy.

2.    The proposal fails to comply with the Council’s adopted Development Plan which seeks to avoid the unacceptable loss of undeveloped land and open spaces of particular significance to the form and character of a settlement and requires new development to be compatible and integrate well with its surroundings and the distinctive local character of the area. The site, and particularly the built form within the scheme, will not relate well to the existing established residential areas of Croughton, nor its established built limits or the settlement confines boundary.  Instead, it results in an incongruous, intrusive and disconnected collection of dwellings in an open-countryside location, within a parcel of land that contributes positively to the appearance, character and setting of the settlement through its undeveloped, peaceful nature. Such development would be immediately perceivable from a public footpath running through the site, and it would disrupt the tranquillity of the agrarian landscape in this location. Furthermore, the significant highway improvement works result in significant loss of grass verges and existing mature vegetation along both sides of Brackley Road, resulting in it appearing as a significantly engineered and ‘urbanised’ environment in this part of the settlement. The substantial changes and loss of greenery to facilitate the creation of a widened road and footpath, along with the demolition and pushing back of the stone wall away from the highway edge, all close to Croughton High Street and viewed from within the conservation area covering this, will harm the setting of this asset. All of the above causes further visual harm which, together with the site itself, combine to have significant detrimental impacts on the settlement. Therefore, the proposal fails to comply with policy SS2 (1.a and 1.b) and policy NE2 of the Local Plan Part 2 and policies S10 and R1 of the Joint Core Strategy.

3.    The proposal fails to comply with the Council’s adopted Development Plan and Local Highway Authority Standing Advice which seeks to ensure all new development is provided with safe and secure access for all highway users, and that existing highway infrastructure is not severely impacted by new development. The submitted highway improvements scheme remains flawed in that the widening of Brackley Road and the footpath provision appears to require the use of land not in the applicant’s ownership. There appears to be insufficient visibility at the pedestrian crossing near the junction with High Street. And further information (forward visibility) is absent from the plan, thus it is unclear the extent of highway improvements achieved in this location. There is insufficient information before the Council to assure it that the development will not cause harm to the safety of highway users or result in a severe cumulative impact on the local highway network. Therefore, the proposal fails to comply with policy SS2 (j.) of the Local Plan and policies S10 and R1 of the Joint Core Strategy.

4.    In the absence of a satisfactory unilateral undertaking or any other form of Section 106 legal agreement the Local Planning Authority is not satisfied that the proposed development provides for appropriate infrastructure, facilities and services required as a result of the development and necessary to make the impacts of the development acceptable in planning terms, to the detriment of both existing and proposed residents and contrary to policy INF1 of the South Northamptonshire Local Plan Part 2 and INF1 of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy.

(2)  Should the local highway authority subsequently confirm it has no objections to a revised highway improvement scheme, then authority be delegated to the Head of Planning Delivery to refuse the application for the reasons listed in the officer’s report, subject to the response from the Local Highway Authority and if the Local Highway Authority confirms its satisfaction with the highway improvement plans submitted 2nd December 2022, then the application will be refused minus the third highway reason for refusal.