Agenda item

Change of use of land for siting of 6 chalets for holiday use and one managers accommodation cabin, hard surfacing for vehicle turning area and associated hard landscaping.

The application was brought before members for consideration at the request of Councillor Ibison due to concerns over the site's sustainability and the scale and nature of the development being inappropriate in a sensitive location. Concerns also related to the site access.

An update sheet was published on the council’s website, the information only having become available after the original agenda was published. The committee considered the update sheet, which contained a development plan update and additional consultee responses which were acknowledged by officers.

The Senior Planning Officer introduced the report. The application was for the change of use of land for siting of 6 chalets for holiday use and one managers accommodation cabin, hard surfacing for vehicle turning area and associated hard landscaping. She highlighted that the land was bound on all sides by established trees and woodland which was designated as Green Infrastructure in the Adopted Wyre Local Plan (2011-2031). She explained that the River Calder ran directly through the site and a large part of the subject land fell within Flood Zone 2 and 3.

The Planning Development Manager displayed a video of the site that he had taken to enable members to understand the site context beyond the plans submitted.

Members raised concerns over:

·       flooding;

·       disabled access;

·       access road;

·       location; and

·       practicality

Following discussion and a proposal by Councillor Lady Atkins, seconded by Councillor Belshaw, it was resolved to refuse the application as per the Officers recommendation for the following reasons:

1.      Insufficient evidence had been provided with the application to demonstrate that the new buildings and supporting infrastructure were necessary, and that the proposed new holiday accommodation would be viable in the long term. There were flaws and inconsistencies between the business plan and the other documents submitted with the application. Therefore the application failed to satisfy parts B and C of Policy EP9. In turn, the proposal did not amount to an appropriate form of development in the countryside and was considered unacceptable in principle, contrary to the NPPF and Policies SP4 and EP9 of the Wyre Local Plan (2011-31).

2.      The application site was located in an isolated position within the countryside area. The development would involve the creation of new holiday accommodation in a poorly accessible location detached from any nearby settlement. There were no public amenities and very limited bus services in this location. As a consequence users of the proposed development would be heavily reliant on the use of a private motor vehicle to access services and attractions of nearby settlements, with very limited opportunity to access the site via alternative sustainable travel modes. No statement outlining why the proposal should be considered to be sustainably located and how it would reduce the need to travel by car had been submitted. Therefore, the development was considered to be sited in an unsustainable and inaccessible location which would increase vehicular movements. The proposal was therefore contrary to the provisions of the NPPF and Policies SP2 and CDMP6 of the Wyre Local Plan 2011-31.

3.      The proposed development would be sited inpart within flood zones 2 and 3. A sequential test had not been submitted in support of the application, and therefore inadequate evidence had been provided to show that there were no reasonably available sites appropriate for the proposed development in areas with a lower probability of flooding.  This would not steer development to areas with the lowest probability of flooding, thereby increasing the number of people and property at risk from flooding and fail the Sequential Test.  Additionally, this would not form sustainable development or demonstrate adequate response to climate change.  This would be contrary to Section 14 of the NPPF and the National Planning Policy Guidance 'Flood Risk and Coastal Change, and Policies SP2 and CDMP2 of the Adopted Wyre Local Plan and Wyre Council Flood Risk Sequential Test Guidance for Applicants v1.2 April 2021.

4.      Insufficient information had been provided with the planning application to address the potential impact of the development on the Sullom Woods and Curwen Woods Biological Heritage Site and associated direct and indirect loss of habitats. Adequate survey work had not been undertaken and adequate compensation measures had not been provided, particularly in respect of harm to bats and otters. As such, it cannot be concluded that the proposal would not have a harmful impact in terms of ecology, contrary to the NPPF, Policy CDMP4 of the Wyre Local Plan (2011-31), and The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended).