Agenda item

Erection of 7 eco dwellings land off, Netherley Drive, Marsden, Huddersfield.

Contact officer: William Simcock, Planning Services.

Ward(s) affected: Colne Valley

Refused in line with the reasons detailed in the considered report.

The Sub Committee gave consideration to Planning Application 2021/91302 Erection of 7 eco dwellings land off, Netherley Drive, Marsden, Huddersfield.

Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 37 the Sub Committee received a representation from John Carter (applicant).

RESOLVED –

That the application be refused in line with the following reasons outlined in the

considered report:

1. The site is within land designated as Green Belt within the Kirklees Local Plan proposals map. The development of the site for new housing would be inappropriate in principle under paragraphs 149-150 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), and would cause harm to the Green Belt by extending built development into open land, thereby undermining the aims of the Green Belt as set out in paragraphs 137-138 of the NPPF. Very special circumstances showing that the harm to the Green Belt would in this instance be clearly outweighed by other considerations have not been demonstrated, as required by paragraph 147-148 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

2. The access track serving the site is severely substandard owing to its width

and gradient, it carries the route of a Public Right of Way (COL/207/40 and 60)

and would not be accessible by a standard refuse collection vehicle. It is considered that the development would fail to provide safe or satisfactory access to the site and would materially increase risks to other highway users, including users of the public footpath, contrary to the aims of Policies LP20 and

LP21(a, b, e & f) of the Kirklees Local Plan and Design Principles set out the Highways Design Guide SPD.

3. Plots 1-3, owing to their scale and layout, would appear visually jarring when

seen in a rural context and close to the small vernacular dwellings, 1-4 Manor House Farm. The development as a whole, by introducing housing into an open

and rural setting, would negatively affect local landscape character and views towards the Peak District National Park, contrary to the strategic objectives and

Policy LP24(a) of the Kirklees Local Plan, Design Principles of the House Builders Design Guide SPD and Chapter 12 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

4. Proposed house types 1 & 2, the smaller bedroom (bedroom 2) would have

an internal area of only 6sqm, which falls significantly short of the minimum standard of 7.8sqm set out in the Nationally Described Space Standards. For House Type 4, the adequacy of room sizes has not been demonstrated. Owing

to the lack of justification for the substandard room size in House Types 1 & 2 and lack of clarity concerning internal layout for House Type 4, it is considered

that the proposed dwellings would fail to provide an acceptable level of amenity

for future occupants, contrary to the aims of Policy LP24(b) of the Kirklees Local

Plan, Design Principles of the House Builders Design Guide SPD and Chapter

12 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

5. The presence of trees adjacent to the south-western and north-western boundaries of the site, which are large enough to provide public amenity and enhance the setting of the area, has not been acknowledged on the submitted

plans, nor has an Arboricultural Report or Impact Assessment been submitted.

There is a significant risk that groundworks associated with the proposed Plots

3 and 4, and subsequent shading of the development once completed, would

lead to damage to the trees’ root structure or pressure for their subsequent removal. The submitted information fails to demonstrate that the development would secure the retention of the trees and their continued viability, contrary to

the aims of Policy LP33 of the Kirklees Local Plan.

6. The site is within land designated as Wildlife Habitat Network within the Local

Plan and the development proposal is not supported by a baseline ecological survey or impact assessment. In the absence of such evidence, it is likely that the development would result in net harm to biodiversity, contrary to the aims of Policy LP30 of the Kirklees Local Plan and Chapter 15 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

A Recorded Vote was taken in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 42 (5) as follows:

For: Councillors: Armer, Bellamy, Homewood, Kaushik, Lee-Richards, McGuin, Sarwar, Sokhal, Uppal and Lyons (10 votes).

Against: (0 votes).