Issue - meetings

To consider the above planning application

Councillor D Brickhill (local Ward Member), Mrs G Macintyre (Vice-Chairman of Shavington-cum-Gresty Parish Council), Dr P Lovie (Shavington and Gresty Residents’ Association) and Mr P Jones attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this matter.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application, a written update and an oral report of the site inspection.

RESOLVED

That the application be REFUSED for the following reasons:

1.      Whilst it is acknowledged that the Council does not currently have a five year housing land supply and that, accordingly, in the light of the advice contained in PPS3 it should consider favourably suitable planning applications for housing, the current proposal is not considered to be “suitable” as it would undermine the spatial vision for the area, wider policy objectives and the strategic function of the Green Gap in that it would result in the erosion of the physical gap between the built up areas of Shavington and Crewe. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policies NE.2 and NE.4 of the Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011 and guidance contained within PPS3 and the Council’s Interim Housing Planning Policy On The Release Of Housing Land.

2.      The proposed residential development, which is located within the Open Countryside and Green Gap, is considered to be an unsuitable location for development by virtue of the adverse impact that the proposals would have on the visual character of the landscape and the erosion of the physical gaps between built up areas.  The proposed development would therefore be contrary to Policies NE.2 and NE.4 of the Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011 and guidance contained within PPS1, PPS3 and PPS7.

3.      The application is an outline application for new residential properties which are a sensitive end use and could be affected by any ground contamination present on site. No Phase I desk study and walkover survey have been submitted with the application and the applicant has therefore failed to demonstrate that the site is not constrained by contamination. The application therefore fails to comply with Policy BE.6 of the of the Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011 and guidance contained within PPS23.

4.      Insufficient archaeological or historical information has been submitted to determine whether the hedgerow to be removed is of significance according to the criteria set out in the Hedgerow Regulations, contrary to policies Policy NE.5 (Nature Conservation and Habitats) of the Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011, Policy DP7 (Promote Environmental Quality) of the North West of England Plan Regional Spatial Strategy to 2021 and the provisions of PPS9 Biodiversity and Geological Conservation.

(Note: Councillor R Bailey arrived at this point.)