Issue - meetings

The Head of Planning and Regeneration Services confirmed that the application had been 'called-in' to be considered by the Committee at the request of Councillor Mrs. J. M. Boswell, and that the recent application relating to the same site (11/0329) was determined at the Committee's meeting on 23rd May 2011, not June 2011 as stated in the main body of the report.

Clarification was also provided to contrast the two applications whereby the dwelling proposed by application ref. 11/0329 was set-off from the adjacent dwelling at 19 Summerfield Road by 1.5 metres whilst the current proposal is set-off from the adjacent building by 3 metres at ground floor level and 5.8 metres at first floor level.

The comments of Worcestershire Highways were also reported.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Mr. N. Robb addressed the Committee and, on behalf of Clent Parish Council, spoke in support of the application.  Both Mrs. E. Mitchell (applicant's agent) and Mr. A. Adams (applicant) also spoke in favour of the proposals.

Consideration was then given to the application which had been recommended for refusal by the Head of Planning and Regeneration Services.  However, on the matter being put to the vote, Members considered -

(a)       the location of the dwelling would be within the Village Envelope;

(b)       the retention and maintenance of the gap in the streetscene; and

(c)        that there would be a clear separation of the dwelling from 19 Summerfield Road,

therefore constituted, in the opinion of the Committee, very special circumstances to outweigh the harm that would be caused to the openness of the Green Belt and the purposes of including land within the Green Belt.

RESOLVED that permission be granted subject to any reasonable conditions and notes considered necessary by the Head of Planning and Regeneration Services, to specifically include appropriately-worded conditions attached to the Decision Notice in respect of:

1.         the removal of permitted development rights in relation to extensions to the dwelling and outbuildings under Class E; and

2.         a suitable landscaping scheme to maintain the openness of the site.