Agenda item

Erect 6 No. dwellings, create new vehicular access.

The Senior Planning Officer presented the application to members. They were shown the location of the site for the development of 6 No. dwellings, as well as various photographs of the site. Members’ attention was drawn to elevations of the proposed development and proposed site plan, which included a footway to the site from the adjacent trailway. The development would be accessed within the 30mph zone of Bournemouth Road. The recommendation was to grant planning permission.

The Transport Development Manager outlined the access to the site which was improved in 2019. These improvements included better visibility splays and provided an internal turning area. Members were informed that maintenance and refuse collection would be the responsibility of developers or residents. Members were assured that although traffic flow in the area was high, visibility was acceptable. The Highway Authority would only be supportive of this application if there was a condition to close the southern access to the site because this access was sub-standard.

The Technical Support Officer read the representations which are attached as an annexure to these minutes. 

Members’ Questions and Comments

Members asked questions and made comments relating to the following:

·         Members raised concerns regarding emergency vehicles having space to access the development. They were assured that there would be space for these vehicles, but the fire services would need to provide a smaller vehicle if needed.

·         An overdevelopment of the site and building sizes in an unsuitable location, outside the settlement boundary.

·         The trailway no longer being as easily assessable

·         Problems with the proposed site layout and gradient of the access to the site

·         Concerns regarding residents having to pay for services, such as waste collection that other people get for free.

·         Members also expressed their concerns regarding wheelchair users crossing the road and accessing the site.

·         The sufficiency of the visibility at the site access.

·         Vehicles passing each other on the site

·         Conditioning a non-slip surface for the steep gradient and to retain throughout the lifetime of the development.

At 16:14 the meeting was adjourned until 16:36. Upon reconvening there was a vote taken to refuse the application.

Proposed by Cllr Carole Jones, seconded by Cllr Belinda Ridout.

The Committee were ‘minded to’ refuse the application.

The Head of Planning having considered the representations and the officer’s presentation and having taken into account the views of the committee, made the following decision under delegated authority: that the application be refused.

Decision: That the application be refused.

Reasons for refusal:

The proposed development is located outside of the defined settlement boundary and, as such, would be contrary to Policies 2 and 20 of the North Dorset Local Plan Part 1 (2016), which provide that development should only be permitted where there is an overriding need for it to be located in the countryside. The proposed layout has not been designed to promote accessibility, and would fail to provide an inclusive design, due to the excessive gradient of the site, which would exceed the gradient contained within the guidance on inclusive mobility. The layout would therefore fail to pay sufficient regard to all users, and specifically those with protected characteristics.  The proposal has paid insufficient regard to the statutory equalities duty and the needs of the mobility or sensory impaired. It would therefore be contrary to the National Planning Policy Guidance with particular regard to paragraphs 110 and 112 and, in combination with its location outside of the settlement boundary, would result in adverse impacts to an extent that would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the proposed development.