Issue - meetings

The Head of Planning and Environment Services drew Members' attention to the Article 3 Direction whereby the matters requested in detail were scale, layout and appearance.  He stated that the details received were not indicative, but represented the proposed detailed scheme for consideration.

The receipt of a further objection was also reported.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Mr. D. B. Balsom addressed the Committee and spoke in opposition to the application, whilst Mr. M. Bridge, on behalf of the applicant, spoke in favour of the application.

RESOLVED that permission be refused for the following reasons:-

1.         The application site falls within Green Belt as designated within the Bromsgrove District Local Plan.  The scheme for 19 affordable dwellings represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt that would harm the openness of the Green Belt and prejudice the purposes of Green Belt policy.  The very special circumstances submitted to justify the setting aside of inappropriate development in the Green Belt do not outweigh the harm caused.  As such, the proposal is contrary to policy QE1 of the West Midlands Spatial Strategy, policies D.8, D.12, D.39 and SD.7 of the Worcestershire County Structure Plan, policies DS2, DS13, S9 and S16 of the Bromsgrove District Local Plan, and the provisions of PPG2 and PPS3.

2.         The layout and scale of the development responds poorly to both the local context of the area or having a positive impact on its character.  The land contours of the site are not appreciated in the submission, leading to an inaccurate portrayal of the elevations and layout of the scheme.  The proposal is contrary to policy QE3 of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), policies CTC.1 and CTC.5 of the Worcester County Structure Plan, policy DS13 of the Bromsgrove District Local Plan, the guidance in Supplementary Guidance Note 1 and national policy guidance contained in PPS1 'Delivering Sustainable Development' and PPS3 'Housing'.