Self-build dwelling at 289 Forest Road, Woodhouse

“The house has been designed with a central two storey glazed gable to the front elevation and forward projecting double garage. To the rear elevation there would be three gable elements, each with centrally positioned first floor windows and three sets of centrally positioned bi-folding doors/patio doors beneath at ground floor. The central rear gable includes an inset balcony with bifold doors leading to a bedroom.”

“Access to the dwelling would be via the existing driveway, with two parking spaces provided within the proposed garage and parking to the frontage of the site for at least three cars.”

“To the south and west boundary of the site are three large detached dwellings. No 291 Forest Road lies to the south and is accessed from the shared driveway from Forest Road. To the southwest is No. 8 Beaumanor Drive and to the northwest is 6 Beaumanor Drive. There is an existing fence, approximately 1.8m to 2m in height, along the southern/western boundary of the site along with some vegetation.”

“The site is within the settlement limits of the village as defined in the adopted Charnwood Local Plan (2004) and situated close to but outside of the Woodhouse Forest Road Conservation Area, located to the south. The access to the site is close to the approach to Beaumanor Hall, a Grade II* listed building and Beaumanor Lodge, a Grade II listed building. 3.”

“Therefore, as stated above, the proposed development for a new dwelling on this site would be contrary to Policy CS1 of the Core Strategy and Policy H3 of the Neighbourhood Plan and is not supported in principle. In terms of the emerging policy, the site is identified as being within the countryside in the emerging Local Plan the proposal would be contrary to Emerging Local Plan policies DS1 and C1.”

“It is then necessary to weigh the adverse impact of the proposal against benefits. The proposed dwelling is not supported in principle as it would be contrary to CS1 of the Core Strategy and Emerging Local Plan policies DS1 and C1. The benefits of the proposal would be temporary benefit in the construction jobs, and supply chains during the construction period. Because this is time limited, the benefit is regarded as being limited.”

“There are three letters of objection and one letter of support Objection comments can be summarised as: • Dominates the outlook from the three adjoining houses • Physically intrudes on 8 Beaumanor Drive and 291 Forest Road • Demolition of a perfectly habitable dwelling • Need to consider housing numbers and need in Woodhouse, there is a need for smaller dwellings not large family houses • Illegal demolition of bat roosts • Why can new dwelling not be sited further from…”

“(i) authority be given to the Head of Planning and Growth and the Head of Legal and Electoral Services to enter into an agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to secure improvements, on terms to be finalised by the parties, to ensure that the development is constructed and initially occupied as a self-build house and to secure 0.08 units off site habitat units;”

“(ii) subject to the completion of the S106 agreement, that planning permission be granted conditionally subject to the imposition of the conditions and reasons as set out in the report of the Head of Planning and Growth and as amended in the Extras Report, and that the Head of Planning and Growth, in consultation with the Chair of the Plans Committee for amendments to the conditions and reasons, be given delegated authority to determine the final detail of the planning…”