115-home outline scheme at Parcel 7800 Grove Wood Road, Haydon, Radstock

The site and surroundings

The agricultural site lies outside Haydon’s housing boundary, beside existing homes and near the Kilmersdon Road Quarry geological SSSI and conservation area.

“This application relates to Parcel 7800, an agricultural site located to the north east of Haydon. Haydon is a small village, located to the south of Radstock, and to the east of Westfield. The site is relatively flat, sloping steeping from the northern edge, down to the valley. Existing residential development bounds the site to the south and west edges. A former quarry is located adjacent to the north-eastern corner of the Site.”

“Haydon village benefits from its own, separate housing development boundary. The site is located outside of this boundary and is currently within agricultural use. Kilmersdown Road runs to the east of the site to the north towards Radstock, and also runs through Haydon, carrying on southwards. The Radstock Conservation Area does not include the site, but does bound its eastern side.”

Officer report

Earlier applications

Two earlier outline applications for up to 100 homes on the site were refused in 2014 and 2015.

“14/00335/OUT - Refused - Outline application for residential development comprising up to 100 dwellings with access off Kilmersdon Road (with all matters reserved)”

“15/01075/OUT - refused - Outline application for residential development, comprising up to 100 dwellings with access off Kilmersdon Road (with all matters reserved).”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended permission because housing, affordable homes, active travel and infrastructure benefits were considered to outweigh policy, landscape and accessibility harms.

“The proposed development would deliver substantial benefits, most notably the provision of up to 115 new dwellings, to which very substantial weight is attributed, alongside a policy-compliant 30% affordable housing provision, which attracts substantial weight.”

“In applying the tilted balance, it is necessary to determine whether the adverse impacts of granting planning permission would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits when assessed against the policies of the NPPF taken as a whole.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A town council representative and a residents’ representative objected, while representatives for the applicant supported the scheme; two councillors also addressed the committee.

What members debated

Members considered housing need and the lack of a five-year supply, alongside concerns about overdevelopment, employment, transport, archaeology, ecology and flooding.

“In response to Members’ questions, it was confirmed: 1. The active travel route was a two directional shared cycle and pedestrian route of 3m with two short sections which narrowed to 2.5m. The proposed route would dovetail with the local active travel scheme associated with the school. The need for traffic calming on the route could be considered as part of the design. The gradient of the link was confirmed at 4.8% over 750m length of the route. 2.”

“Cllr Simon opened the debate and referred to the local authority’s lack of a 5-year land supply for housing and National Planning Policy Framework which made it difficult to refuse this development. He considered that issues of concern could be resolved or mitigated and that there were benefits of the application, the key one being the delivery of additional homes. He moved the officer recommendation to delegate authority to permit the application.”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The committee refused the application because the scheme was overdevelopment and unsustainable, relying on private cars without a safe, realistic and effective alternative.

“RESOLVED that the application be refused for the following reasons:”

“The development would result in an unsustainable form of development due to its reliance on private car travel, limited access to employment opportunities, services and facilities, and the failure to demonstrate that the proposed active travel link would provide a safe, realistic and effective alternative to car use.”

Minutes