Agenda item

Planning Application No. 19/1215/FUL - Hickling Cottage, Taddyforde Estate, Exeter

To consider the report of the Service Lead City Development.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Williams declared an interest and left the meeting during consideration of this item.

 

The Assistant Service Lead City Development presented the application for the change of use of ancillary residential accommodation outbuilding to new separate dwelling house.

 

Dr Judith Proud spoke against the application. She raised the following points:-

 

·         representing residents living within the Taddyforde Estate Conservation Area;

·         the building is inappropriate as it represents new build within the Estate which is already developed to capacity and the proposal is short on space internally and externally and not compliant with the Council’s adopted space standards, both internally and external;

·         legitimate planning process has not been followed as the intention was always to build a separate dwelling. Residents are concerned about the scale of the building compared with the small single garage and Hickling Cottage itself, the amenities of the building and the lack of windows overlooking the Cottage;

·         the applicant has been resident in the building a fact which is being used, inappropriately to support the application; and

·         the description of the proposal as ancillary residential accommodation outbuilding is misleading.

 

In response to a Member, she advised that there had been 13 objections to the proposal to use as a separate residence.

 

Gill Baker spoke in support of the application. She raised the following points:-

 

·         the building already exists and is not a new build, it does not impact on the Conservation Area and previous applications are not relevant;

·         proposal does not set a precedent for any future garden developments;

·         proposal meets City Council criteria and no policy reasons for not allowing the development;

·         provides a better mix of development in Taddyforde and allows the applicant to remain in this area as well as freeing up a large family home currently uninhabited to re-enter the market; and

·         amenities conform to general standard of one bedroom properties.

 

She responded as follows to Members’ queries:-

 

·         a planning statement was produced which follows the Council’s checklist;

·         the internal measurement of 56 square metres accords with that for a one bedroom property even though this is a two storey building; and

·         the application meets the standards for outside amenity space of 55/56 square metres. The garden also benefits from being north facing.

 

The Assistant Service Lead City Development advised that:-

 

·         there had been two previous applications for an annexe and that this was the first application for a detached dwelling;

·         the application met the nationally set space standards for a two storey dwelling; and

·         although the external space did not quite meet the Council’s guideline, the quality was of a high standard with adequate garden size for this type of dwelling and was an appropriate level of amenity.

 

The recommendation was for approval, subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

 

The recommendation was moved and seconded.

 

RESOLVED that planning permission for the change of use of ancillary residential accommodation outbuilding to new separate dwelling house be AGREED, subject to the following conditions:-

 

1)         The development to which this permission relates must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date on which this permission is granted.

Reason: To ensure compliance with sections 91 and 92 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

 

2)         The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out otherwise than in strict accordance with the submitted details received by the Local Planning Authority on 26 September 2019 (drawings nos. 05 and 06) as modified by other conditions of this consent.

Reason: In order to ensure compliance with the approved drawings.

 

Informatives

 

1)         In accordance with Paragraph 38 of the National Planning Policy Framework the Council has worked in a positive and pro-active way and has imposed planning conditions to enable the grant of planning permission.

 

2)         In accordance with Chapters 1 and 2 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, this development has been screened in respect of the need for an Appropriate Assessment (AA). Given the nature of the development, it has been concluded that an AA is required in relation to potential impact on the relevant Special Protection Area (SPA), the Exe Estuary, which is a designated European site. This AA has been carried out and concludes that the development is such that it could have an impact primarily associated with recreational activity of future occupants of the development. This impact will be mitigated in line with the South East Devon European Site Mitigation Strategy prepared by Footprint Ecology on behalf of East Devon and Teignbridge District Councils and Exeter City Council (with particular reference to Table 26), which is being funded through a proportion of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) collected in respect of the development being allocated to fund the mitigation strategy. Or, if the development is not liable to pay CIL, to pay the appropriate habitats mitigation contribution through another mechanism (this is likely to be either an undertaking in accordance with s111 of the Local Government Act 1972 or a Unilateral Undertaking).

 

 

 

Supporting documents: