Agenda item - 18/00529/FUL - Demolition of existing buildings and erection of 8 two and three storey houses with parking. Access from Truemans Heath Lane - 4B Truemans Heath Lane, Truemans Heath, Birmingham, Worcestershire, B47 5QB - Mr B. Skillett

Agenda item

18/00529/FUL - Demolition of existing buildings and erection of 8 two and three storey houses with parking. Access from Truemans Heath Lane - 4B Truemans Heath Lane, Truemans Heath, Birmingham, Worcestershire, B47 5QB - Mr B. Skillett

Minutes:

Officers clarified that the Application had been brought to the Planning Committee for consideration at the request of Councillor L. J. Turner, Ward Member. 

 

Officers reported that the Applicant had responded to a number of comments raised during the consultation by local residents, with regard to waste collection, drainage, amenity concerns, planning history.  Comments had been received from Councillor Adam Kent, County Councillor for Wythall with regard to concerns raised in respect of the loss of jobs at the site, the density of the development, parking arrangements, drainage and access.  In respect of the loss of local jobs, Bromsgrove currently had sufficient land allocated for business uses within the District.  The existing site was within the residential area and therefore a residential use was considered to be more appropriate in this location.  All other issues raised had been addressed within the Officers report, as detailed in the published Update Report, copies of which were provided to Committee Members and the public gallery prior to the commencement of the meeting.

 

At the invitation of the Chairman, Ms. C. Hassam addressed the Committee in objection to the Application.  Mr. R. Cobb, the Applicant’s Agent, addressed the Committee on behalf of the Applicant.  With the agreement of the Chairman, the Council’s Planning Lawyer read out a statement from Councillor L. J. Turner, Ward Member, who had been unable to attend the meeting. 

 

The Committee then considered the Application, which had been recommended for approval by Officers.  Member sought clarification on the following concerns:

·         Access to the site by the Fire Service

·         Parking arrangements

·         Waste Collection

 

Mr S. Hawley, County Council Highways Officer, informed the Committee that the road was not a public road and that the road was wide enough and met the requirements from the fire service, which required a minimum of 2.75m access road.  Members were also provided with further clarification to their queries on other highways concerns and in doing so, informed the Committee that it was estimated that the proposed dwellings would carry out approximately 8 trips per day; the site currently had 50 movements per day, so the proposal would be less intensive than the current arrangements.

 

Officers responded to Members questions with regard to the waste bin collections, more specifically the number of bins that would be left on the road on collections days; and the proposed rear access which Members felt would encourage crime.

 

Officers further clarified that the site was not designated employment land.

 

Having had regard to all of the information presented, the Committee was of the view that both the general layout and the design of the dwellings were not it keeping with the area.  Members were therefore minded to refuse the Application.

 

RESOLVED that Planning Permission be refused for the following reason:

 

1)    The proposed development does not respect the general layout and density of the area and the design of the properties did not reflect local character.  The development was therefore harmful to the character and appearance of the locality and to the visual amenity of the area.  The development therefore failed to comply with Policy BDP19 (High Quality Design), the Residential Design Guide SPG and Section 7 of the NPPF which required high quality design.

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