Agenda item - 20/00951/FUL - Erection of replacement lambing shed (retrospective) - Thornborough Farm, Redhill Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham, Worcestershire, B38 9EH - Mr. K. Moore

Agenda item

20/00951/FUL - Erection of replacement lambing shed (retrospective) - Thornborough Farm, Redhill Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham, Worcestershire, B38 9EH - Mr. K. Moore

Minutes:

Officers clarified that the Application has been brought to the Planning Committee for consideration at the request of Councillor C. Hotham, Ward Member.

 

Officers reported that further photographic evidence had been provided in objection to the application, as detailed in the published Update Report, copies of which were provided to Members and published on the Council’s website prior to the commencement of the meeting.

 

Officers presented the report and informed the Committee that the application was for retrospective planning permission for the retention of the existing lambing shed onsite. 

 

Prior approval application reference 20/00606/CUPRIO was submitted to the Council to convert the lambing shed into a dwelling under Schedule 2, Part 3, Class Q of the General Permitted Development Order 2015 (as amended).  As part of this application it came to light that substantial works had taken place in March / April 2020 to repair the building following storm damage. 

 

The extent of the works to the building which included a complete replacement of the frame structure and rebuilding of the fourth bay were considered to be commensurate to a new build and exceeded what could be considered as repairs.  For this reason, the building did not benefit from the Permitted Development Rights under Class Q and the Prior Approval was refused.

 

Officers highlighted that when considering whether there was a need for an agricultural building it was necessary to consider whether:

 

·       the use of the building was appropriate;

·       the size of the building was appropriate for the intended use;

·       it was of a suitable design for its intended use;

·       the siting of the building was appropriate in agricultural terms;

·       whether there were any other buildings that were suitable to meet the needs of the enterprise onsite.

 

The use of the building as a lambing shed for the general keeping of sheep, in additional to the storage of hay/straw bales was considered appropriate.  An officer site visit and photos provided by the applicant demonstrated that the building was in use.

 

The proposal was to be sited in the same position as the building it had replaced and within the cluster of existing buildings on site and was therefore an appropriate siting for this development.

 

There was another agricultural building onsite which was currently being used by the pigs onsite.  The applicants currently used a cubical per pig to give them a good amount of space, for the reasons as detailed in the report.

 

The structure had been replaced with a steel frame and metal clad roof.  The independent agricultural consultee had not objected to the use of these materials and had also stated that the building currently being used by the pigs was not suitable for lambs.

 

At the invitation of the Chairman, Mr. R. Smith, speaking on behalf of Mr. & Mrs. Sambhi addressed the Committee in objection to the Application.  Mr. A. Murphy, the Applicant’s Agent addressed the Committee; and Councillor C. Hotham, Ward Member also addressed the Committee.

 

The Committee then considered the application, which officers had recommended for approval.

 

In response to questions from Members, officers clarified that Members had to be mindful of the reasonableness of any additional conditions imposed.  The independent agricultural consultee had not raised any objections to the scheme.

 

Officers further clarified that Condition 2, as detailed on page 121 of the main agenda report; that “If the use of the buildings for the purposes of agricultural within the unit permanently ceases within 10 years from the date of this consent, then unless the local planning authority had otherwise agreed in writing, the building must be removed from the land”. A change of use application would have to be submitted to the local planning authority should the building be used as a dwelling.

 

RESOLVED that planning permission be granted, subject to the Conditions as detailed on pages 120 and 121 of the main agenda report.

 

 

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