15 homes at Cartref, Ellesmere Road, Weybridge

The site and its setting

The site contained a large detached house, garage and landscaped plot, with nearby Green Belt, woodland, flooding, protected trees and a heathland protection zone.

“The application site consists of a large, two-storey detached house and single- storey detached garage sited within a generously-sized landscaped plot on the eastern side of Ellesmere Road in Weybridge.”

“The relevant planning constraints at the site are: • Adjoining Green Belt • Adjoining Priority Habitat (deciduous woodland) • Flood Zone 1 • Great Crested Newt (GCN) – Impact Risk Zone: Amber • Surface Water Flooding – Low & Medium Risk • Thames Basin Heath (TBH) Special Protection Area (SPA) – 400m-5km • Tree Preservation Order (TPO) – covering all species in the whole site – reference EL:25/06”

Officer report

Earlier planning history

Earlier applications concerned a car port and store, a bungalow, four garages and conversion of the house into three dwellings.

“Reference Description Decision 1988/0201 Erection of detached building to provide car port and store following demolition of existing garages. Granted 1964/10082 Erection of bungalow Refused 1952/1656 Erection of 4 garages Granted 1952/1364 Conversion of house into 3 dwellings Granted…”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended permission subject to agreements securing affordable housing and a Thames Basin Heaths mitigation contribution within three months.

“RECOMMENDATION A Grant planning permission, subject to the completion of a satisfactory legal agreement to secure a policy-compliant affordable housing contribution of £428,222.00 and SAMM contribution of £29,199.56 within 3 months of the resolution to grant permission, or a longer period as agreed by the Head of Planning and Environmental Health.”

“RECOMENDATION B If a satisfactory legal agreement to secure an affordable housing contribution is not received within 3 months of the resolution to grant permission, or a longer period as agreed by the Head of Planning and Environmental Health, delegated authority be given to the Head of Planning and Environmental Health to refuse planning permission for the following reason: • The proposal would, by reason of the lack of legal agreement to secure the policy-compliant…”

Officer report

The main planning balance

The development would provide 14 net additional homes and use land efficiently, but officers identified moderate design and neighbour harms and limited outlook harm.

“In terms of harms, the proposal is considered to result in some harm to the character and appearance of the are given the scale, mass, bulk and design of the proposed house, particularly due to the mansard roof form being proposed, conflicting with Policies DM2b), CS4 and CS17. The impact on the area is mitigated to some degree by the proposed landscaping that provides screening, the setting within the street scene and the diversity of architecture in the area.”

“Furthermore, it is considered that one bedroom within four of the proposed houses (Plots 1 – 4) would not benefit from acceptable outlook. Given the other habitable rooms in these four houses benefit from acceptable outlook and that it is only a single room in only four of the 15 houses as well as the fact that future occupants benefit from buyer beware, the level of harm is considered to be minimal.”

Officer report

What consultees said

Most consultees raised no objections, while highways, trees, ecology and drainage consultees sought conditions and Natural England required appropriate mitigation.

“Natural England – Proposal has the potential to have a harmful effect on Special Protection Areas and standing advice should be followed to ensure appropriate mitigation measures are implemented to manage impacts which are to be determined through an appropriate assessment.”

“Surrey County Council (SCC) Highways Authority – No objections raised subject to highway conditions in relation to access, visibility zones and splays, parking and turning areas, implementation of parking restrictions on Ellesmere Road via Section 278 Highways Agreement, relocation of existing on-street EV charging points, provision of EV charging within the site, appropriate cycle facilities to be provided, and a Construction Transport Management Plan.”

Officer report

Who spoke

An objector and the agent addressed the committee, and two further objection letters were received.

The committee’s decision

The committee granted permission subject to the legal agreements, amended and additional landscaping conditions, and an informative about great crested newts.

“In commencing his introduction, the Senior Planning Officer advised the Committee of proposed amended and additional conditions relating to the list of approved plans and landscaping matters, together with a proposed additional informative relating to Great Crested Newts.”

“Resolved that planning permission be granted with the conditions and informatives as outlined in the agenda, subject to the completion of a satisfactory Legal Agreement to secure a policy-compliant affordable housing contribution of £428,222.00 and SAMM contribution of £29,199.56, within 3 months of the Planning Committee’s resolution, or a longer period as agreed by the Head of Planning and Environmental Health, and subject to the following amended and additional conditions…”

Minutes