Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to the application which had been deferred at the meeting of the Committee held on 1st March 2010 in order to extend the scope of the consultation and to obtain further information before making a decision on the application.

The Head of Planning and Environment Services reported the receipt of comments from the Conservation Officer, Wychavon District Council's Conservation Officer and Worcestershire County Council's Historic Environment Planning Officer.  He also reported the views of the applicant, together with the receipt of letters from Julie Kirkbride MP, the proprietor of an adjacent business premises and a third-party.  He stated that one letter of support and fourteen further letters from existing objectors in response to the wider consultation had been received.

In the light of the comments and representations received, the Head of Planning and Environment Services informed the Committee that his recommendation had been amended and he was minded to refuse the application.

RESOLVED that permission be refused for the following reasons:-

(1)       The proposed development, by reason of its scale, location and visibility, would adversely affect the setting of nearby listed buildings and the historic landscape in which they are located.  It is therefore considered that heritage assets in the local area would be compromised, and that the recognised benefits of the proposals do not outweigh the harm caused.  In this respect, the proposal is contrary to Worcestershire Structure Plan policy EN.2, Bromsgrove District Local Plan policy S39, the guidance contained within PPS5 and PPS22, and the Draft Historic Environment Assessment for Bromsgrove.

(2)       Information submitted by the applicant indicates that noise levels at the adjacent caravan site attached to Woodcote Golf Driving Range would be 40-45 dB.  A full noise assessment including background noise surveys and wind-speed monitoring is therefore required.  In the absence of such information, it is considered that the applicant has failed to demonstrate that the effects on the caravan park would be acceptable.  The proposal is therefore contrary to Worcestershire Structure Plan policy EN.2, Bromsgrove District Local Plan policy ES13A, the guidance contained within PPS22 and PPG2, and the technical advice in ETSU-R-97 'Assessment and Rating of Noise from Wind Farms'.