Issue - meetings

To consider the above application.

Consideration was given to the above application.

(Councillor S Furlong, the Ward Councillor, Councillor Mrs G Merry, the Ward councillor, Councillor B Moran, the Ward Councilor, Town Councillor S Holland, Sandbach Town Council, Mr R Amies-King, representing No 2 Wheelock New Build Action Group, and Mr D Stentiford, the agent for the applicant attended the meeting and spoke in respect of the application).

RESOLVED

That the application be refused for the following reasons:-

1.     The proposed residential development within the open countryside would be contrary to the provisions of Policies PS8 and H6 of the adopted Congleton Borough Local Plan First Review. 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 is located on the periphery of Sandbach, rather than Crewe. It would undermine the spatial vision for the area and wider policy objectives as it would be contrary to the general thrust of the Core Strategy Issues and Options which directs the majority of new development towards Crewe, as well as the Council’s Draft Interim Planning Policy on the Release of Housing Land, which articulates the same spatial vision. This would be contrary to advice in PPS.3 and PPS1, which states these emerging policies are material considerations. For these reasons the Housing Land Supply arguments advanced by the applicants are considered to be insufficient to outweigh the general presumption against new residential development within the Open Countryside as set out in the adopted development plan.

2.     Release of this site would prejudice the development of the significant number of brownfield sites within Sandbach with extant planning permission, which would provide significant regeneration benefits, and would be sufficient to address housing requirements within the Sandbach area. The proposals are therefore contrary to Policy advice within PPS.3 which gives priority to the development of previously developed land, and the provisions of Policy H2 of the adopted Congleton Borough Local Plan First Review.

3.     The proposal would involve the removal of an “important” hedgerow as defined in the Hedgerow Regulations 1997. Policy NR3 of the adopted Congleton Borough Local Plan First Review, states that proposals for development that would result in the loss or damage to important hedgerows will only be allowed if there are overriding reasons for allowing the development. For the reasons stated above, in this case there are not considered to be any overriding reasons for allowing the development and the proposal is therefore contrary to Policy NR3 of the adopted Congleton Borough Local Plan First Review.

(Prior to consideration of the following application Councillor Mrs R Bailey arrived to the meeting).

(The meeting adjourned at 3.05pm and reconvened at 3.10pm).