Agenda item

Proposal: Change of use of existing buildings, conversion of existing school building, demolition of extensions and erection of 1 1/2 storey extension to form 3 dwelling houses and erection of 6 dwelling houses with associated parking and landscaping.

The Principal Planning Officer introduced the report which proposed the change of use of existing buildings, conversion of the existing school building, demolition of extensions and erection of 1½ storey extension to form 3 dwelling houses and erection of 6 dwelling houses with associated parking and landscaping.

He explained that the application had been deferred earlier in the year by the former Purbeck District Council following receipt of a late representation which raised the issue of surface water flooding.  The applicant had commissioned a Flood Risk Assessment that the officers were satisfied addressed the concerns raised about flooding by the representation.

An update with an additional condition which required submission of a Construction Management Plan had been circulated to the committee members prior to the start of the meeting.

In relation to the history of the site the Principal Planning Officer advised that the application for redevelopment of the site had been submitted in 2017, this had been refused by Purbeck District Council due to the impact of the overall scale, form and layout of the development on the AONB, and overdevelopment of the site as well as failing to positively integrate with the surroundings.  

Following refusal the applicant entered into pre-application discussions with Purbeck District Council to look for a solution.  The revised application was not now considered to be detrimental to the AONB, there were no objections from Highways or Tree Officers although the Council’s Tree Officer required a more detailed arboricultural method statement.

In summarising, all significant planning matters had been appropriately addressed, the principle of development on the brownfield site was acceptable and the application was recommended for approval.

Oral representation was received from Cllr Jackson on behalf of West Lulworth Parish Council.  She pointed out that making a 66 mile round trip to attend the meeting went against climate emergency concerns.  West Lulworth Parish Council felt that the homes would end up as holiday lets which would not help local housing needs. The Parish Council were disappointed that the site would go to private housing, there were flood issues with the site and although there had been some mitigation the water still ran off the site down to School Lane.

Oral representation in support of the application was received from Mr Whild, the agent for the applicant.

In response to the comments the Development Manager re-iterated that Officers and the applicant had come up with a scheme to mitigate the risk of flooding. There was no policy in relation to the internal layout of the development and referring to page 31 of the report advised that policies in the emerging Local Plan carried sufficient weight  to include in the report a condition to ensure that the properties would only be occupied as the owners only or principal home.

He understood that internally the development would have raised flooring and plug sockets and the drainage engineers were happy that there were no problems with the site.

Members were conscious of the Parish Council’s concerns about flooding, however felt that if the drainage engineers had put a plan together which would adequately mitigate against flooding.  They were pleased about the second homes policy, but disappointed that there were no affordable elements to the scheme but accepted that the application fell below the policy threshold.  It was requested that although it could not be conditioned, officers liaise with the agent and applicant to request they use materials in the construction of the homes that would not weather and go black.

Some Committee members felt that they should listen to the Parish Council and tended to agree that the overdevelopment of the site and scale would affect the AONB, the properties would not integrate sufficiently with the surroundings and an extra unit had been added to the proposal.

The Development Manager suggested, in response to being asked how the occupation of the properties would be monitored, that he was of the opinion that the Parish Council and local residents would bring this to the attention of the Dorset Council if the homes were not being used as a permanent residence and enforcement action would be taken where necessary.  Solicitors would advise potential buyers of the condition and this would run with the properties not the owners.

Proposed by Cllr Bartlett, seconded by Cllr Worth

Decision: that the application be granted subject to the conditions outlined in the appendix to these minutes to include the additional planning condition circulated at the meeting requiring a Construction Management Plan.

Cllr Ezzard did not take part in the vote as she had not been present for the presentation.