Minutes of meeting held on 26th November 2020

 

Attendees:- Tim Sheppard (Chair), Barbara Campbell Christ White, Jenney Jordan, Ian Poole (Part) & Richard Furlonger.

 

The purpose of the meeting was to review the Church Field application (DC/20/04728) and to agree the content of a representation that will be tabled at the PC meeting on 10th December 2020 for submission to BDC by 14th December 2020, the cut-off date for PC comment on the application. The overall recommendation of LWNPSC is that the PC should object to the application.

 

The committee highlighted a number of areas where the application breaches planning policy and does not meet local needs and wishes.

 

Specifically, it was noted that:-

 

  1. The Babergh DC 5-year Housing Land Supply has been met and so there is no housing need for the proposal.
  2. The basis of the application is out of date as it does not take account of the Submission Draft Joint Local Plan (November 2020);
  3. It does not properly consider the policies of the draft NP;
  4. The site is not identified for housing in the Submission draft of the Joint Local Plan (‘JLP’), or the NP;
  5. It is not within the Settlement Boundary of the Draft JLP, the extant LP, or the draft NP;
  6. The JLP identifies a minimum of 4 additional dwellings for Little Waldingfield between 2018 and 2036 and the submitted Neighbourhood Plan already makes provision for around 10 dwellings, so the site is not needed to meet the local housing requirement identified in the JLP;
  7. Development of the site is likely to have a significant detrimental impact on the character and setting of the Conservation Area; the Grade I Listed Church and other Listed Buildings, including Wood Hall;
  8. The application does not properly address the content of the Conservation Area Appraisal;
  9. The indicative layout plan demonstrates that the proposal would constitute over-development of the site;
  10. The proposal is not sustainable as it would result in a car dominated development;
  11. The impact of the proposed development on highway safety has not been adequately considered;
  12. The NP identifies the site as Local Green Space as it meets the NPPF criteria and the proposal would result in the loss of this LGS;
  13. Highways considers the proposed access to be unacceptable;
  14. Historic England and the Suffolk Preservation Society have objected to the proposal;
  15. The overwhelming view of Parishioners, as indicated during the NP process, is that there should be no housing development on the site.

 

 

The development is in conflict with the following policies of the NP and/or Draft JLP:

 

Policy LWD 1 - Spatial Strategy.

Application is not commensurate with Little Waldingfield’s lack of services and facilities and designation as a Hamlet.

It is contrary to Policy LP01 of the Submission draft of the JLP, which covers windfall development in Hamlets.

 

Policy LWD 2 Housing Development

The proposal exceeds the housing requirement for Little Waldingfield in the NP and the Draft JLP.

 

Policy LWD 3 Housing Allocation.  

Application is not on an identified site and, being on greenfield land, is neither a brownfield site nor small infill plot.

 

Policy LWD 9 Local Green Spaces.

Application is on land designated as Local Green Space.

 

Policy LWD 10 Protection of Important Views.

Application detracts from key landscape and built development features of established views.

Being outside the Settlement Boundary the application should include a Landscape Visual Impact Appraisal.

Application does not conserve or enhance the unique landscape.

 

Policy LWD 13 Heritage Assets

Application is entirely contrary to:-

paras (a) & (b) in regard to preserving or enhancing the Village’s Heritage Assets, views into or out of the Conservation Area and appearance of the Conservation Area.

para (d) in respect to scale, massing and alignment.

para (e) regarding impact on the Heritage Assets and their context.

 

Policy LWD 15 Design Considerations

Application does not comply with paras (a), (b), (c), (d) parts i, ii, or iii, and (h).

 

Policy LWD 17 Flooding and Sustainable Drainage .

Application does not give any details of sustainable drainage schemes.

 

General observations at meeting:-

  1. It is hoped the NP will be sent to the examiner, Ann Skippers, in early December 2020.
  2. Ian Poole will provide a draft objection for consideration by the PC. TS to draft final objection for submission by the PC Clerk.
  3. Date of next meeting TBC.

 

 

30th November 2020

LWNPSC