Two new dwellings on the edge of Hemyock in the Blackdown Hills AONB

Whilst Mid Devon are currently exhibiting a lack of 5 year housing supply, our clients approached us at just the right time to catch that window of opportunity!

We submitted a planning application for them adjacent to, but just outside the settlement limits.  The planning officer supported the application in the face of sustained objection from interested parties to change in the AONB

“The site is well located to other dwellings which are located within the settlement limit of Hemyock. The proposal is considered to be acceptable in that, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 11 of the National Planning Policy Framework, the benefits of provision of dwellings that respects the existing development pattern of development along Lower Millhayes, acting as infill development and has no unacceptable impact on highway safety, visual amenity and the amenity of neighbouring residents, are considered to outweigh the harm caused by the provision of two new dwellings in a countryside location outside of the defined settlement limit of Hemyock.”

and after a few hours in planning committee, we are delighted to have received the benefit of planning permission!

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Replacement dwelling granted on appeal with all costs being paid by the Council

As a referral from our colleagues at Broadoak Building Design, we assessed the merits of a refused planning application for a replacement dwelling  and sizeable garage with annex accommodation over.

Planning permission had already been granted for the replacement dwelling, so the main bone of contention was the size of the proposed garage and the use of the first floor over it as annex accommodation in place of a mobile home on the site.

We won the appeal and, having applied for full costs to be awarded to our client, the award of full costs was the cherry on top!

In the Council’s reason for refusal, in reference to Core Strategy policy DM 2, it states that “the enlarged garage with first floor living accommodation above, would result in unacceptable additional development in open countryside that would be in an unsustainable location and would have unacceptable impacts on the visual amenities of this rural location”. However, neither the unsustainable location nor the unacceptable impacts on the visual amenities has been explained in any detail in the submitted Council documentation.

In regards to the location, it is accepted by all parties that this is a rural location, but the proposed development is a replacement dwelling with ancillary accommodation above a garage. The site currently has a dwelling with outbuildings, including a mobile home used as ancillary accommodation. As such, the proposals would not result in an increase of dwellings at the site and so it is not clear why the issue of the unsustainable location has been included in the reason for refusal.

In regards to the visual impacts, this has not been substantiated with any evidence. Moreover, the Council’s delegated report states that the development would result in a more “appropriate condensed built form” from the existing arrangement, which would “improve the character and appearance of the site when the older elements of the site are removed.” On this basis, it is not clear how the development proposed would lead to an adverse visual impact when there are visual benefits for the site.

This demonstrates that the Council has included vague and unsubstantiated reasons for refusal.

I have taken into consideration the Council’s rebuttal, which includes an explanation why conditions or negotiations could not have overcome the reasons for refusal. However, this rebuttal does not sufficiently explain the lack of substantiated evidence or explanation regarding the harm the development would cause that led to this refusal.

 

Overturn of officer’s recommendation to receive permission for a house in a Totnes garden

In conjunction with our architectural colleagues at Gillespie Yunnie Architects and, once again, our highways colleagues at Bellamy  Transport  Consultancy, C2C Planning Consultants assisted our mutual client in overturning the planning officer’s recommendation to refuse planning permission for this modern, strong architectural property with a strongly worded supporting planning statement.

Congratulations to a strong project team who worked together to get our client a great outcome.

Even if you don’t need us to act as your agent, we are happy to help with writing a supporting planning statement for you. We are happy to help a little or a lot!

Demolition and new residential build in a Conservation Area

You would have thought that planning permission for a somewhat dangerous and derelict site within the Conservation Area and town centre of Cullompton would have been received with open arms!  Apparently not.

Photo courtesy of Thorne & Carter Estate Agents

We worked really hard on this one to persuade the Council that more than a single dwelling on this site was appropriate.  In the end we got 3 dwellings on site.  They are characterful and I think the end result is befitting to the site.

The site is on the market and if you are interested you can see the details here.

 

New house in a Taunton garden

The architect handed this application over to us to troubleshoot a number of objections to the erection of a singe dwellinghouse within a garden in Taunton, Somerset.

The site layout

The application had attracted significant objection from both near and far for such a modest application.  Our associate Mike Bellamy of Bellamy Transport Consultancy was already on board and was fiercely arguing the highway aspects of the site.

We picked up the remainder of the planning issues and made a presentation to the Taunton Deane Borough Council Planning Committee, swaying their vote in favour of the grant of planning permission.