Dropped kerb and driveway at 24 Watnall Road, Nuthall

What was proposed

The application sought permission for a dropped kerb and driveway creating a new access from Watnall Road.

“The application is brought to the Committee at the request of Councillor J Owen and Councillor P Bales. 1. Purpose of the Report 1.1 The application seeks planning permission for a dropped kerb and drive, with a new access from Watnall Road. 2. Recommendation The Committee is asked to resolve that planning permission be refused for the reasons outlined in the appendix. 3.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The site is a detached house currently accessed from New Farm Lane, while Watnall Road is a classified road within the conservation area at the kerb.

“The application site is a two storey detached dwelling with Watnall Road to the west and rear garden to the east, where the site is currently accessed from. North of the site is Hawthorns and number 22 to the south. The kerb and public highway are located within the Nuthall Conservation Area but the rest of the site (house and curtilage) is excluded. Watnall Road is a classified road.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended refusal because the new access was considered unsafe and harmful to the street scene and conservation area.

“On balance, the access for the occupants would be improved but the scheme is likely to set a precedent and is considered to be unsafe by highways and would also constitute an incongruous feature along the Nuthall Conservation Area and as a result should be refused.”

“The proposed new access, by virtue of its appearance and location, would create an incongruous appearance and which would fail to reflect the pattern of development along Watnall Road. The proposal would therefore fail to conserve the setting of the Nuthall Conservation Area and would be contrary to Policies 10 and 11 of the Broxtowe Aligned Core Strategy (2014), Policies 17 and 23 of Part 2 Local Plan 2019 and section 12 of the National Planning Policy Framework.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

Highways and the Conservation Officer objected, while the parish council had no comment and no public objections or responses were received.

“Nuthall Parish Council – no comment • Cllr P J Bales - Watnall & Nuthall West – called in to committee • Cllr J M Owen - Watnall & Nuthall West – called in to commitee • Highways – object to the proposal on highways safety – full comment below • Conservation Officer – object, comments below. • 2 neighbours were consulted on the application. A site notice was placed at the site and an advert put out. There were no objections/responses received in regard to the application.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The applicant and a councillor supporting the proposal addressed the committee before the general debate.

What members discussed

The debate considered the proposal’s suitability, its location outside the green belt and similar development nearby.

“The Committee noted all the information pertaining to the application. The debate focused on the suitability of the proposed application, its location outside of the green belt and other properties with a similar development in the immediate area.”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The committee resolved to approve planning permission subject to seven conditions, although two councillors did not vote because of declared interests.

“RESOLVED that planning permission be approved subject to the following conditions:”

“No development shall take place until details of the existing and proposed land levels across the site, including any retaining walls that may be required, have been submitted and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. There shall be no variation in these levels without the written approval of the Local Planning Authority. Reason: In the interests of the appearance of the area in accordance with Policy 17 of the Part 2 Local Plan (2019).”

Minutes

Conditions on approval

The conditions covered commencement, approved plans, the crossing, surfacing, surface water, landscaping and land levels.

“The driveway shall not be brought into use until the access driveway / parking / turning areas are constructed with provision to prevent the unregulated discharge of surface water onto the public highway in accordance with details first submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The provision to prevent the unregulated discharge of surface water to the public highway shall thereafter be retained for the life of the development.”

Minutes