Subdivision of gatehouse to form two 1-bedroom maisonettes.
Recommendation: Approval
Minutes:
Officers introduced the report noting that the building formed part of the school and is therefore unusual for a residential dwelling; officers determined that this was used as part of the school and therefore fell within use class F rather than use class C3. Officers highlighted condition 7 which set out that the units created should be used solely in connection with, and ancillary to, the wide school use of the site.
A petition objecting to the development had been received and the lead petitioner had submitted a written statement that was read out for the Committee ahead of the debate. Key points raised in the statement included:
The applicant was in attendance and addressed the Committee. Key points raised included:
Officers addressed the petitioner’s concerns that this would be substandard accommodation; it was highlighted that both of the proposed 1-bedroom flats would be above 50 square metres and would comply fully with national standards. What wouldn’t comply with standards was that the property overall was under 120 square metres, it was highlighted that this was a local policy and the reasons why the application was recommended for approval were set out in the report. On the issue of the separate planning application made by the school, this was deemed to have no bearing on the application in front of Members.
Clarifications were made that, although the application was unorthodox, it was seen as a one-off development and would therefore be a one-off decision to sub-divide a property in the Gatehill Farm Estate. To ensure that no future applications for sub-divisions in the area could reference this application, it was suggested that an informative be added to clarify this. Further to this, it was noted that the informative wouldn’t preclude the attached 3-bedroom property, also within school grounds, from applying for a similar form of development in the future.
The officer’s recommendation, including the additional informative agreed by the Committee, was moved, seconded, and when put to a vote, unanimously agreed.
RESOLVED:
1) That the application be approved;
2) That the Head of Planning be delegated authority to word an additional informative notifying that this is a once-only manner of development for the Gatehill Farm Estate.
Supporting documents: