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Issue - meetings

24/00386/FUL - Woodleigh, Brockhampton, Cheltenham

 

 

Meeting: 12/02/2025 - Planning and Licensing Committee (Item 100)

100 24/00386/FUL - Woodleigh, Brockhampton, Cheltenham pdf icon PDF 145 KB

Proposal

The proposal is for the erection of three dwellings within the rear garden area to Woodleigh, Brockhampton, which is a loose knit non-principal settlement located in open countryside.

 

Case Officer

Andrew Moody

 

Ward Member

Councillor Jeremy Theyer

 

Recommendation

Permit

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The application was for the erection of three dwellings within the rear garden area to Woodleigh, Brockhampton, a loose-knit Non-Principal Settlement.

 

Case Officer: Andrew Moody

Ward Member: Councillor Jeremy Theyer

 

The Chair invited the Case Officer to introduce the application:

  • There were additional pages circulated as supplementary documents to include a representation of objection from Brodie Planning Associates.
  • Various location plans, photographs and elevations of proposed buildings where shared outlining the current landscape and the proposals within the site.

 

Public speakers:

Councillor Gordon Day from Sevenhampton Parish Council addressed the Committee. Councillor Day stated that the Parish Council regarded the Case Officer's report as being fundamentally legally flawed in the application of Policy DS3 of a non-principal settlement. This was contrary to recent planning decisions that noted that Brockhampton is not a non-principal settlement and that accordingly Policy DS4 should be applied. It was noted that the Parish Council felt that the application did not enhance the settlement sustainability and breached the Council's decarbonisation strategy due to:

  • Lack of public transport
  • Lack of accessibility to everyday facilities
  • Risks to pedestrian safety.

 

Wendy Hopkins from Bodie Planning Associates, an objector, addressed the Committee. The objector raised issues around consistency of the application Policy DS3 to this application compared to recent applications, that were refused, citing Policy DS4. Concerns were raised that the proposal would urbanise the village edge, harming its rural character and failing to meet DS3 policy criteria.

 

Paul Jenkins, the agent, addressed the Committee. The agent stated that Policy DS3 of the Local plan was applicable, relating to small-scale residential development in non-principal settlements and so this development should be acceptable in principle. The agent stated that the Case Officer’s report demonstrated support from technical consultees, including the Conservation Officer, Natural England, Biodiversity Officer, Landscape Officer, Tree Officer and Drainage Engineers.

 

Councillor Jeremy Theyer, the Ward Member, addressed the Committee. Councillor Theyer noted that there was strong local opposition with 112 objections from residents including immediate neighbours to the site. It was highlighted that six similar applications were previously refused being assessed under Policy DS4, deeming Brockhampton unsuitable for new development whereas the current application was assessed under Policy DS3. Concerns were shared that the approval of the application could set a precedent for further small-scale developments throughout the village.

 

Members Questions

 

Members asked if the six previous applications in the village were for this development site. The Case Officer noted that from August 2018, none of the applications had been for this site with only two recent applications for new build within the parish whilst others were replacement dwellings. The Case Officer noted that effort was made to provide consistent decisions on a district-wide basis in terms of the application of policy DS3.

 

Members requested clarification from the legal officer on the validity of the claim from the Parish Council representative that the recommendation to permit the application was legally flawed. The Interim Head of Legal Services considered the determination of the cited case in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 100

 

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