DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT

Transcription

1 CHANGE OF USE OF EXISTING RESIDENTIAL ANNEXE TO A SEPARATE DWELLING AND CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW WALL FENCE AND GATES AT LITTLE NOOKE CHAPEL LANE WYRE PIDDLE PERSHORE WORCESTERSHIRE WR10 2JA 1.0 INTRODUCTION DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT 1.1 This planning application is for the change of use of an existing building, which was granted planning permission for use as a residential annexe on 25 th September 2014, under reference W/07/016752/CU. No alterations would be needed or are proposed to the existing residential annexe building in order to use it as a separate dwelling. 1.2 It is arguable whether or not the access track to Little Nooke and Bredon View comes within the definition of a highway used by vehicular traffic as set out in Part 2 Class 3 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, as amended, since the access is a private right of way not freely available for public use. The proposed wall fence and gates, therefore, could be Permitted Development. They are shown on the submitted elevation and included in this application, for completeness sake. Accordingly, this Design and Access Statement is provided, which refers solely to the proposed new wall, fence and gates. 2.0 CONTEXT 2.1 Little Nooke is one of three substantial single storey buildings located between the rear of cottages along Chapel Lane and Bredon View all accessed from a shared private access track. This residential annexe is currently unenclosed on its eastern side adjacent to the access track. The fence walls and gates are proposed to define this boundary and to provide privacy for future occupants. 3.0 AMOUNT 3.1 The wall would be an extension of an existing brick wall, 2.0m in height, with a matching brick gate pier. The two wooden vehicular access gates would be 4.3m wide between the piers and between 1.4 and 1.8m high. The wooden paling fence would be 8m in length along the access track, plus a return to meet the corner of Little Nooke and would be m high. 4.0 LAYOUT 4.1 The proposed wall, gates and fence define the boundary of the eastern side of the plot along the access drive. 1

2 5.0 SCALE 5.1 The proposed wall, gates and fence are domestic in scale. 6.0 LANDSCAPING 6.1 The proposed wall, gates and fence are the landscaping features, in this proposal. Otherwise the plot, as shown, would be laid to grass and a gravel hardstanding and used as garden. 7.0 APPEARANCE 7.1 The proposed wall and gate pier would be finished in brick to match the existing wall. The gates and fence would be made of solid vertical boarded wood, stained an appropriate colour to be agreed with the Local Planning Authority. 8.0 ACCESS 8.1 Pedestrian and vehicular access from Chapel Lane is via the shared private access drive and the proposed new gates, with a direct pedestrian access to the bin storage area, on the south side of the property. PLANNING STATEMENT 1.0 THE SITE AND SURROUNDINGS 1.1 Historically, Groesbeek Cottage and April Cottage on Chapel Lane were built, it is believed, as railway workers cottages for the former Wyre Piddle Station at the end of Chapel Lane. The dwellings may well have had long back gardens stretching south, originally. However, April Cottage has been extended at the west end, possibly gaining part of the adjacent field/garden and to the rear, where its garden is only half the width of the cottage. Groesbeek Cottage, which has been extended to the rear and has on-site parking, has lost half the width of its possibly extended garden, furthest from the cottage, to Little Nooke the application site. In between the two lies The Quarterdeck a former single storey garage for Groesbeek Cottage, converted and extended to form a one bedroom dwelling, with on-site parking, which was granted part retrospective planning consent at Appeal on 3 rd June 2013 (Planning application reference W/122/01780/CU and Appeal reference APP/H1840/A/12/ ). 1.2 To the east, the former Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, now converted to residential use, is flanked by Wesley Villa and Chapel Cottage. The 2

3 Chapel has a large rear extension, a small garden and on-street parking, Chapel Cottage has a rear garden and on-street parking, and Wesley Villa has a long rear garden that also appears to extend across the backs of The Chapel and Chapel Cottage and contains a large block built outbuilding and on-site parking. 1.3 To the rear of all of these properties and accessed from the shared private access between Groesbeek Cottage and Wesley Villa, lies Bredon View with an extensive garden, which extends across the full width of the gardens of all of its five northern neighbours and copious on-site parking. 2.0 POLICY - COMMENTARY AND DISCUSSION NATIONAL GUIDANCE 2.1 The National Planning Policy Framework, published in March 2012, makes a presumption in favour of sustainable development (para14), which underpins all the subsequent guidance given. The appeal proposal for the change of use of an existing residential annexe to provide a new separate one bedroom dwelling with all the necessary facilities, in a residential area, within an existing village boundary, with vehicular access and a full range of local services readily available, is sustainable development. 2.2 The NPPF, paragraph 53 invites Local Planning Authorities to consider the case for setting out policies to resist inappropriate development of residential gardens. However, Wychavon District Council has yet to produce such a policy in an up to date or adopted plan. LOCAL PLAN 2.3 The Wychavon District Local Plan (adopted June 2006) Proposals Map Inset 95 Wyre Piddle, shows that the application site is included within the development boundary for Wyre Piddle, under saved Policy GD1. Paragraph of Policy GD1 confirms that new development is acceptable in principle, within the defined development boundary. Paragraph confirms that development boundaries for villages have been drawn to reflect where new development, through infilling or minor consolidation would be appropriate and notes that Long back gardens have been excluded where the potential for development will have an adverse impact upon on its surroundings. In this case, the Local Plan designation provides a very firm presumption in favour of the approval of the application proposal, given the way the village development boundary was drawn up to include these particular gardens. 2.4 The Wychavon District Local Plan Policy saved Policy GD2 provides criteria against which all development in the District must be assessed for compliance. 3

4 2.5 The matters within the application proposal, which relate to the relevant criteria in saved Policy GD2 are as follows, The proposed change of use would have no adverse effect on the appearance or character of the area, as it is an existing building in a residential use. The proposed change of use would have little impact upon the visual amenities of the occupiers of the adjoining residential properties in terms of light or outlook, as it is an existing building and the proposed new wall, gates and fence are domestic in scale and designed to protect privacy of both future occupiers and neighbours. There would be no additional traffic generated by the proposed separate dwelling, as the building is already in use as a residential annexe. The proposal is unlikely to have a significant impact upon the amenities of the occupiers of the residential properties, which lie immediately adjacent to the access drive. The proposed garden area for the proposed separate dwelling exceeds the minimum required, with space for bin and recycling storage. The proposed off street parking provision meets the required standard for one car space for a one bedroomed dwelling. The water management proposals are exactly the same as for the existing residential annexe. The application proposal is no more likely to give rise to undue levels of odour or noise nuisance than the existing use. 2.6 The location and proximity of the appeal site referred to in paragraph 1.1 of this Planning Statement, to this application site, means that the reasons given by the Inspector for allowing that appeal, as stated in her Appeal Decision dated 3 rd June 2013, are relevant to the consideration of this application. 2.7 She said, 6. Given the character of the area, the location of the dwelling is not out of keeping with the existing pattern of development. Furthermore, there is sufficient separation distance between the dwelling, and neighbouring properties at Groesbeek and April Cottages, such that the development does not appear cramped. The proposed extension would be of a modest scale and would not detract from the character or appearance of the building, and the area. 4

5 7. The subdivision of the garden has already occurred and a usable amount of private garden has been allocated to both the host property and the new dwelling. The respective garden areas contribute to the mixed character of the area, and are neither contrived, nor harmful to the character and appearance of it. 8. The site is within a sustainable location within the development boundary for Wyre Piddle, and given my findings above, I conclude that the proposal would not be harmful to the character and appearance of the area. The proposal therefore accords with the objectives of Policy GD2 of the Wychavon District Local Plan (June 2006) relating to development not having an adverse effect upon the built environment or rural landscape. Furthermore, there would be no conflict with the objectives of the Wychavon Residential Design Guide, a Supplementary Planning Document (September 2010) relating to context analysis and rural settlements, or the guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework at paragraphs 53 and CONCLUSION 3.1 This proposal should be approved. Statements prepared by Stewart Vick M.A.(Cantab), Dip.T.P., Dip.C.P., M.R.T.P.I. of Stewart Vick Associates Planning and Development Consultancy Reference Bennett G03dap 15 th September