Agenda item

Removal of soil bund and erection of 1x 3 bedroom detached dwelling with associated parking and landscaping

Removal of soil bund and erection of 1x 3 bedroom detached dwelling with associated parking and landscaping.

Due regard was given to the determining issues detailed in the report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health, with particular attention given to whether the financial position of the Wrotham Heath Golf Club (the Applicant) and the purpose of the development met the definition of ‘very special circumstances’ to demonstrate that the potential benefit of the development would outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and other harm resulting from this development.

RESOLVED:  That planning permission be REFUSED for the following reasons:

1.         The site lies within the Green Belt where there is a strong presumption against inappropriate development, as defined in Chapter 13 of the National Planning Policy Framework. The proposal would introduce a new building on land not previously developed and therefore would fall outside the scope of paragraph 154 g) of the NPPF relating to limited infilling and partial and complete redevelopment of previously developed land. It would constitute inappropriate development, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and would not be permitted other than in very special circumstances. The additional bulk and massing resulting from this development would not only erode the sense of openness in both visual and spatial terms but also undermine the ability of the application site to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment. There are no other considerations that could clearly and demonstrably outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and other harm arising from this development. To permit the development proposal would thus give rise to a significant conflict with Policy CP3 of the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Core Strategy 2007 and Chapter 13 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2023.

2.         The development proposal by reason of its scale and siting would result in the loss of trees forming part of an ancient woodland identified in the NPPF as an irreplaceable habitat and in the MDEDPD as a local wildlife site. The failure to retain a minimum of 15m buffer zone as per the relevant standing advice would put further pressure on and creating conflict between the remaining habitat and the proposed development, detrimental to the biodiversity and integrity of the ancient woodland. Moreover, the supporting documents fail to give adequate consideration to the development impact on protected and priority species and consequently to formulate appropriate mitigation and compensation measures reasonably necessary to make this development policy compliant. These shortcomings would collectively give rise to a significant adverse impact on the ancient woodland and biodiversity of the site surroundings and would put protected and priority species at risk of disturbance contrary to Policies NE2, NE3 and NE4 of the Managing Development and the Environment Development Plan Document 2008 and Chapter 15 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2023.

3.         The proposal would result in an overtly domestic form of development within a rural countryside location which would appear as an incongruous and intrusive built form, detrimental to the prevailing character and appearance of the countryside and the wider landscape. To permit the development would therefore be contrary to Policy CP24 of the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Core Strategy 2007 and paragraph 180 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2023.

[Speakers: Mr N Hart (member of the public) and Mr I Sayer (Applicant) addressed the Committee in person]