Agenda item

To consider an application for formation of five car parking spaces on part of green space at Quantock View, Bishops Lydeard.

The Planning Officer presented the application and highlighted the key considerations.  He advised the application for a village green was considered under separate legislation and, whilst a material planning consideration, did not prevent Members of the Planning Committee from reaching an alternative decision to that of the recommendation. In summary, it was considered that the proposed parking bays would encourage the use of the private car as a non-sustainable mode of travel and would harm the character and appearance of the green space. The application did not demonstrate that the proposed parking area would have no impact on the protected trees. The limited benefit of providing the parking spaces did not outweigh the identified harm. The recommendation was for refusal.

Four members of the public addressed the committee in objection to the application.  Some of their comments included:

·       Quantock view was an unadopted road and not a public highway.

·       Village green application made and should be a substantive material consideration.

·       Flooding concerns in road and run off of surface water.

·       Concerns regarding the ecological impact in the area.

·       Proposal would have huge impact on the character of the area.

·       Believe the Parish Council failed to justify the reason for this proposal.

·       Concerns regarding safety and school pedestrian access.

·       Nearby trees will be affected.

·       This is one of only a few green spaces in the area and much needed for the health and well being of the local community.

·       Believe proposal would encourage more traffic and cars, therefore going against the neighbourhood plan to encourage the use of more sustainable modes of transport.

·       Difficulty for larger vehicles such as emergency services to manoeuvre.

·       Believe there is already sufficient parking at Quantock View.

A representative of Bishops Lydeard Parish Council addressed the committee and explained the consultation process taken place with both the Council and local residents which resulted in the proposal of the five spaces and believed to be of benefit to the local residents.

The Legal Advisor confirmed to members that the existing application for a village green would not prevent the committee from granting permission of the application should they be minded to do so.

During debate members acknowledged the parish council’s dilemma, raised concerns regarding the surface drainage and overall considered the small net gain of only two parking spaces with the removal of current on street parking did not outweigh the benefit of the open green space to the local area. 

The officer responded on the points raised by the public speakers and also on points of detail and technical questions raised by members regarding the actual net gain of spaces, proposed drainage of the site, adoption of the neighbourhood plan and reasoning behind the application.

It was then proposed by Councillor Derek Perry and seconded by Councillor Sarah Wakefield to refuse the application as per the officer’s recommendation. On being put to the vote this was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED:

That application 20/03277/FUL be refused for the following reasons:

1.      The proposed parking area would be attractive to parents using the bays for school drop off and pick up and would likely lead to an increased demand for parking by private cars and promote unsustainable modes of travel. The development would conflict with the provisions of policies DM1, DM4, CP6, CP8 of the adopted Core Strategy, and Policy A1 of the Taunton Deane Adopted Site Allocations and Development Management Plan, and guidance contained within The Bishops Lydeard and Cothelstone Neighbourhood Plan.

2.     The proposed parking area would erode the existing openness of the green space and would harm the character and appearance of the area. It has not been demonstrated that the proposed parking area can be constructed without adversely affecting the root protection area of an existing tree on site, which is the subject of a TPO. The development would conflict with the provisions of policies DM1, DM4, CP6, CP8 of the adopted Core Strategy, and Policy ENV1 and A1 of the Taunton Deane Adopted Site Allocations and Development Management Plan, and guidance contained within The Bishops Lydeard and Cothelstone Neighbourhood Plan.

(voting: unanimous)