09/2358C - Thimswarra Farm, Dragons Lane, Moston, Sandbach, Cheshire, CW11 3QB: Retrospective Application for Change of Use from Agricultural Land to a Site for a Mobile Home for Occupation by an English Traveller who has Ceased to Travel Due to Ill
Meeting: 16/03/2011 - Southern Planning Committee (Item 176)
PDF 346 KBTo consider the above planning application
Minutes:
Note: Mrs S Wright (objector) and Mr A D Arrowsmith (applicant) attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this matter.
The Committee considered a report and a written update regarding the above planning application.
RESOLVED – That the application be REFUSED for the following reasons:
1. The Local Planning Authority does not accept that the occupier of the caravans qualifies as a Gypsy or Traveller as defined in Circular 01/2006 or that he is engaged in full-time in agriculture, forestry or other business appropriate to the locality and that it is necessary for him to reside in this location. The use of the land for the stationing of residential caravans is therefore contrary to policies PS8 (Open Countryside), H6 (Residential Development in the Open Countryside and the Greenbelt) and H7 (Residential Caravans and Mobile Homes) of the adopted Congleton Borough Local Plan First Review 2005.
2. The site which includes a static mobile home, a touring caravan, a shipping container, solar panels and boundary fencing etc is clearly visible from Dragons Lane and Plant Lane and the Local Planning Authority considers that the proposal due to its inappropriateness causes inherent harm to the visual appearance and character of this part of the open countryside. To allow the development would be contrary to policies GR1 (General Criteria), GR2 (Design) and PS8 (Open Countryside) of the adopted Congleton Borough Local Plan First Review 2005 and advice advocated in PPS1: Delivering Sustainable Development and PPS7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas.