Agenda item

To consider the above planning application.

Note: The Principal Planning Officer read a representation from Councillor Rachel Bailey (Ward Councillor), who was unable to attend the meeting.

Note: Parish Councillor H Jones (on behalf of Audlem Parish Council), Mr J Latham and Dr C Parsons (objectors) and Mr S Grimster (on behalf of the applicant) attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this matter.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application and a written update.

RESOLVED

(a) That, for the reasons set out in the report and the written update, the application be REFUSED for the following reasons:

1.           The proposal involves the development of a parcel of countryside outside of the Settlement Boundary for Audlem as defined in the Audlem Neighbourhood Plan 2016. It is also involves development within the Open Countryside as set out in the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan. As a result the proposal is not listed as an appropriate form of development within the countryside and would erode the rural character of the countryside and would undermine the ability of the community to shape and direct sustainable development in their area, contrary to the Audlem Neighbourhood Plan Policies H1 and H3, Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan Policies NE.2 & RES.5, Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy Policy PG5 and the advice of NPPF paragraphs 17, 183-185 and 198. These conflicts are considered to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the proposal.

2.           The proposed development would have an adverse impact on the setting of the Audlem Conservation Area and on the setting of the Shropshire Union Canal. The proposal is therefore contrary to the Audlem Neighbourhood Plan Policy D1, Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan Policy BE.7 and the advice of NPPF paragraphs 17,131-133, 135, 183-185 and 198. These conflicts are considered to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the proposal.

(b) That, in order to give proper effect to the Committee’s intentions and without changing the substance of the decision, authority be delegated to the Head of Planning (Regulation), in consultation with the Chairman (or in her absence the Vice Chairman) of Southern Planning Committee, to correct any technical slip or omission in the wording of the resolution, between approval of the minutes and issue of the decision notice.

(c) That, should this application be the subject of an appeal, the following Heads of Terms should be secured as part of any S106 Agreement:

1.           A scheme for the provision of affordable housing – 7 units to be provided as social rent/affordable rent with 3 units as intermediate tenure. The scheme shall include:

- The numbers, type, tenure and location on the site of the affordable housing provision

- The timing of the construction of the affordable housing and its phasing in relation to the occupancy of the market housing

- The arrangements for the transfer of the affordable housing to an affordable housing provider or the management of the affordable housing if no Registered Social Landlord is involved

- The arrangements to ensure that such provision is affordable for both first and subsequent occupiers of the affordable housing; and

- The occupancy criteria to be used for determining the identity of occupiers the affordable housing and the means by which such occupancy criteria shall be enforced.

2.           A contribution of £81,713.00 to secondary education.

3. POS and LAP (with 3 pieces of equipment) provision and a scheme of management in perpetuity.