Five houses at Orchard Court Ruddle, Newnham

What was proposed

The application proposed demolishing existing buildings and building five houses, with parking, landscaping and access from the existing A48 entrance.

“The application proposes to demolish the existing buildings upon the site and redevelop the site for the provision of five dwellinghouses. There would be three detached houses and a pair of semi-detached houses. The new houses would be sited along a similar axis to the existing buildings. The development would be served off a private drive, utilising the existing vehicular access onto the A48.”

“Along the western axis would be two detached four bedroomed houses (units 1 and 2). Both of these houses would have integral double garages. There would be a spacious gap of some 10 metres between the properties. They would both follow principles of traditional vernacular by having a limited span depth and eaves height with projections to the buildings and articulation in the form birth in the horizontal and vertical planes.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The 0.27-hectare site lies outside Newnham-On-Severn’s settlement boundary, contains existing buildings and is close to local facilities, a railway and listed building.

“The application site that has an area of some 0.27 hectare lies just over 200 metres south- west of the defined settlement boundary of Newnham-On-Severn on the southern side of the A48. The application site is served off an existing vehicular access that also serves a boatyard known as ‘Collow Pill’ further to the east.”

“Upon the application site at present are a range of buildings that appear as agricultural buildings. They are loosely arranged along two parallel axis with a driveway between them. One of the buildings on-site has a lawful dwellinghouse within it and the remainder of the site has historically been used in connection with a business of slaughtering and storage of animal carcasses and ancillary activities.”

Officer report

What consultees said

The parish council, highways, rights of way, Natural England, ecology, flood risk and other consultees raised no objections, subject to conditions where specified.

“GCC Highways – No objections subject to conditions.”

“Sustainability (Ecology) – No objections subject to conditions.”

Officer report

Who spoke

No objector, parish representative, supporter or ward member spoke at the meeting.

Members’ questions and debate

Members discussed parking safeguards, acoustic fencing, garden sizes, play space and affordable housing, then supported the development’s housing and brownfield benefits.

“A: The Planning Officer advised there are safeguards in place and drew members attention to recommended condition 12, which secures the use of areas for the provision of parking which must be kept available for such use, without obstruction thereafter.”

“Q: The acoustic fencing at the rear of the site is 2.1 metres, which seems quite high for a potential noise issue that might be there in the future. If the boat yard is closed or removed at some point in the future, could it be altered in any way? as it could be quite obtrusive to the people who live in the houses with that fencing so high.”

Minutes

The vote

Nine councillors voted for the recommendation, with no votes against and no abstentions.

“The Chair summed up what was to be voted on. They are voting to accept the Officers recommendation on page 23, that delegated permission be granted, subject to the completion of the Section 106 legal agreement and the slightly revised conditions…”

“For (9) Councillors David Wheeler, Dave Tradgett, Beth Llewellyn, Andrew McDermid, Richard Burton, Julia Gooch, James Bevan, Simon Phelps, John Francis, Gill Moseley Abstain (0) Councillors Against (0) Councillors Total (9)”

Minutes

The decision

Delegated permission was granted subject to completing the Section 106 agreement and complying with the revised conditions.

“DELEGATED PERMISSION BE GRANTED subject to the completion of a section 106 legal agreement securing funding for the provision of off-site affordable housing being a commuted sum of £128,250 (index inked) and securing funding for two bus stop flags being a commuted sum of £4,360 (index linked) payable prior to the first occupation of the fourth dwellinghouse…”

“11) The development hereby approved includes the carrying out of work on the adopted highway. You are advised that before undertaking work on the adopted highway you must enter into a highway agreement under Section 278 of the Highways Act 1980 with the County Council, which would specify the works and the terms and conditions under which they are to be carried out.”

Officer report