Agenda item

To consider an outline application with some matters reserved for up to 24 dwellinghouses with details of access.

RESOLVED

That planning application 2024/1051/OUT be REFUSED contrary to the Officer’s recommendation for the following reasons:

The Somerset East area is currently not able to demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites. However, the application of policies in the National Planning Policy Framework that protect heritage assets provides a strong reason for refusing the development proposed, as set out below, and therefore the 'tilted balance' is not engaged. The development site is located outside of the development limit and would result in a cumulative change to the general character of the area, adversely affecting the significance of the nationally important heritage asset at Glastonbury Tor (ST MICHAELS CHURCH TOWER (scheduled monument and grade I listed building, list entry number 1345475)) through development in its setting.

Great weight is attached to the conservation of the asset, which is an asset of the highest significance.

The identified level of harm to the heritage asset is less than substantial and this harm is not considered to be outweighed by the public benefits of the proposal.

The proposed development is considered to be contrary to local plan Policy CP1, being located outside the settlement limits, and Policy DP3, as the public benefits of the proposal would not outweigh the harm to the asset's significance, through development in its setting, of the Mendip District Local Plan Part 1: Strategy & Policies, Adopted 15th December 2014 and with the plan as a whole.

Votes – 5 for, 3 against, 2 abstentions

The Officers Report explained the background of this application and the reason it had returned to Planning Committee. Members were reminded that the  application was first considered at Planning Committee on 5^th November 2024, when it was deferred. It was then refused at Committee on Tuesday 3rd December 2024, for the following reason:

• The development site is located outside of the development limit and would result in a cumulative change to the general character of the area, adversely affecting the significance of the nationally important heritage asset at Glastonbury Tor (ST MICHAELS CHURCH TOWER (scheduled monument and grade I listed building, list entry number 1345475)) through development in its setting.

Since then, the NPPF was revised on 12 December 2024.  Therefore, in light of the national policy changes and as the decision notice had not been issued at that time, the application had to be reconsidered by the Committee.

The Planning Officer pointed out that the updated NPPF now states that the reasons for refusal must now be “strong” rather than just “clear”. The change in the five-year housing supply in Somerset East from 3.67 years to 2.2 year was very relevant, but that the need “strong” reasons for refusal was the main consideration for Members when determining the application.

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

There were two speakers from Glastonbury Town Council. They made the following comments:

• Disappointed that the application was back before the Planning Committee and it was not clear why the decision notice to refuse the application had not been issued in a timely manner.
• The impact on the landscape would be significant and currently the Town Council was in the process of applying for World Heritage Site status for the Tor and Church Tower, the Abbey and the nearby landscape.
• This application would cause further intrusion into the landscape which should be avoided at all costs.
• Glastonbury Town Council has already identified a potential 5-year land supply, which does not include this site.

Finally, on behalf of the applicant, the planning agent addressed the Committee. His comments included;

• The housing land supply has deteriorated as calculated by the revised NPPF.  Therefore, there will need to be significantly more housing on green fields although it will be unpopular.
• Previously the application was refused due to the heritage impact despite the professional consultees saying that there were no strong heritage landscape reasons for refusal.
• The Planning Officer has confirmed that the new NPPF has increased the required weight of refusal reasons to ‘strong’. Although Members were not duty bound to follow the advice of the professional Officers, they would have to provide expert evidence on appeal if the application is refused.
• The Council needs to increase the amount of housing land and this is an excellent opportunity to do this.
• There have been no objections from professional consultees.
• The client is a developer who builds quickly to a high standard. There is an agreed solution to the phosphate issue so this could not be a reason to refuse.

In the discussion which followed, Members remained concerned about the delay in issuing the decision notice, causing the application to be returned to Committee. Any impact on a heritage asset could not be ignored and would negatively impact Glastonbury Tor forever.

Councillor Edric Hobbs stated his views on the application had not changed despite the latest NPPF guidelines and proposed to refuse the application for the same, strong reasons as previously given. This was seconded by Councillor Dawn Denton.

On being put to the vote the proposal was carried with 5 votes in favour, 3 against and 2 abstentions.

RESOLVED

That planning application 2024/1051/OUT be REFUSED contrary to the Officer’s recommendation for the following reasons:

The Somerset East area is currently not able to demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites. However, the application of policies in the National Planning Policy Framework that protect heritage assets provides a strong reason for refusing the development proposed, as set out below, and therefore the 'tilted balance' is not engaged. The development site is located outside of the development limit and would result in a cumulative change to the general character of the area, adversely affecting the significance of the nationally important heritage asset at Glastonbury Tor (ST MICHAELS CHURCH TOWER (scheduled monument and grade I listed building, list entry number 1345475)) through development in its setting.

Great weight is attached to the conservation of the asset, which is an asset of the highest significance.

The identified level of harm to the heritage asset is less than substantial and this harm is not considered to be outweighed by the public benefits of the proposal.

The proposed development is considered to be contrary to local plan Policy CP1, being located outside the settlement limits, and Policy DP3, as the public benefits of the proposal would not outweigh the harm to the asset's significance, through development in its setting, of the Mendip District Local Plan Part 1: Strategy & Policies, Adopted 15th December 2014 and with the plan as a whole.

Votes – 5 for, 3 against, 2 abstentions