Issue - meetings

Retrospective: erection of a rear outbuilding at 30 Bourne End Road, Northwood.

Recommendation: that planning permission be granted.

The application was retrospective for erection of a rear outbuilding at 30 Bourne End Road, Northwood.

The application was before the Committee as it had been called in by Batchworth Community Council if officers were minded to approve for the reasons set out in the report.

The Planning Officer advised that the proposal was considered to comply with policy BW DE1 of the Batchworth Neighbourhood Plan (BNP), which required development to respond to local character and be of high quality design.  Therefore it was not considered that any policy in the BNP would result in a change to the officer's recommendation to approve.

The committee report at 4.2.1 set out that two objections had been received; the Planning Officer clarified that these were objections from two separate properties.

Parish Councillor Shikha Bhatia of Batchworth Community Council spoke against the application.

A local resident spoke against the application.

Committee Members asked questions on the detail of the application which were responded to by officers.  The Committee’s discussions included the following:

·       The application did not comprise permitted development, and so there were no fixed limitations with regard to the height of the development.  Instead, officers were required to assess the application against design guidelines and apply a judgement on acceptability based on the context of the overall site circumstances.

·       Whilst the roof lights may give a perception of overlooking, overlooking was not possible due to their height above the floor level.

·       Condition 2 required ancillary use of the outbuilding only.

·       A Committee Member suggested the removal of permitted development rights, so that there could be no further outbuildings at the site unless planning permission were granted.  This would prevent any over-development of the site.

Councillor Nelmes moved, and Councillor King seconded, that the application be granted subject to conditions and a further condition to remove permitted development rights for further outbuildings.  On being put to the vote this was carried, the voting being 4 in favour, 2 against and 3 abstentions.

RESOLVED: that planning permission be granted subject to conditions and a further condition to remove permitted development rights for further outbuildings.