Agenda item

That planning application 2024/0398/FUL be REFUSED in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation.

Votes – 9 for, 1 against, 1 abstention

The Officer’s Report stated that the application had been referred to the Planning Committee for probity reasons, as the agent was employed by the Council.

The Officer’s Report continued that the site comprised an agricultural holding of 6 hectares in size that has been in intensive arable crop farming for many years.  The proposal was to erect a holiday let cabin.  A new parking area would be provided just inside the gate and visitors would walk across the fields to the cabin. A cycle parking area would also be provided.

Hemington Parish Council had recommended refusal.

The Officer’s Report concluded that the principle of development was unacceptable as the site was within countryside outside the development limits where development is strictly controlled. The proposal did not represent sustainable development due to its distance from, and poor accessibility and connectivity to, local services and facilities. The limited economic benefits of the proposed development did not outweigh the harms identified and was therefore recommended for refusal.

The Planning Officer explained the application to the Committee with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation.

The applicant was the only speaker on this application and he made the following points:

• Due to climate change, alternative ways of farming or other sources of income are being encouraged for farmers.
• This is a 16-acre site with wildflower meadows, wildlife ponds and plans to plant a traditional Somerset orchard. This takes significant investment and the cabin is therefore essential to fund these projects.
• It has been purposefully sited to attract couples and people that are looking to escape to the country. There is a growing market for this type of tourism.
• It is not expected that visitors will wish to travel to nearby attractions as the purpose of the stay would be to immerse themselves in the beauty of the countryside. Therefore, reliance on car travel would be only minimal.
• There is a public footpath nearby to Norton St Philip and the Tuckers Grave Inn nearby would provide refreshments.

In the discussion which followed Members made the following comments:

• The Parish Council had no votes in favour of this application when it was discussed at their meeting.
• There is no bus service along the A366 between Faulkland and Norton St Philip.
• Access via the rough track will have to be via a car. Cycling is unlikely and walking would be extremely dangerous due to the busy road.
• The crossroads by the Tuckers Grave Inn are very dangerous and there have been many accidents over the years.
• The site is unsustainable for a tourism unit, there is no connectivity to any services, and people will be forced to use private cars.
• The application would not be at Committee if the agent was not employed by the Council, therefore need to take note of the Officer’s recommendation.

At the conclusion of the debate, it was proposed by Councillor Bente Height and seconded by Councillor Dawn Denton to refuse the application in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation.

On being put to the vote the proposal was carried with 9 votes for, 1 against and 1 abstention.

RESOLVED

That planning application 2024/0398/FUL be REFUSED in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation.

Votes – 9 for, 1 against, 1 abstention