Two rural homes at Heinz Orchard, Boughton Monchelsea

“The application site is the countryside and in a locally designated Landscape of Local Value. In the Borough Wide Character Areas map the site is in area ‘Linton Greensand Ridge’ which is in very good condition with very high sensitivity and guidance to “conserve”.”

“The application building is a large steel framed agricultural structure located to the north of Weirton Hill. The building is part of a small collection of agricultural buildings and associated concrete hardstanding. The site is accessed via a narrow track.”

“21/500722/FULL Erection of agricultural building to be used as garage/workshop with room above for alpaca fibre processing. Approved 14.05.2021”

“24/503622/PNQCLA Prior notification for the change of use of a building and any land within its curtilage from agricultural to 2no. dwellinghouses and associated operation development. For its prior approval to: - Transport and Highways impacts of the development. - Noise impacts of the development. - Contamination risks on the site. - Flooding risks on the site.”

“Notwithstanding departure from the Local Plan Review, it is recommended that planning permission is granted due the following material considerations: • Proposal does not meet the ‘significant’ level of harm threshold for refusal under policy LPRSP9. • Extant prior approval is in place for building conversion to provide 2 residential dwellings (‘fallback position’) and there are benefits from the current proposal over the prior approval.”

“The council cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply (4.5 years). NPPF Paragraph 11(d) sets out in these circumstances planning permission should be granted unless “...any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits...”.”

“The starting point for assessment of all applications in the countryside is Local Plan Review policy LPRSP9. Policy LPRSP9 states that development proposals in the countryside will only be permitted where:”

“The key issues are: • Character and appearance • Policy LPRQD5 – Conversion of rural buildings • Standard of accommodation • Neighbour amenity • Biodiversity net gain, ecology and sustainability…”

“That permission be granted subject to the conditions and informative set out in the report. That the Head of Planning and Economic Development be given delegated powers to be able to settle or amend any necessary planning conditions and/or informative in line with the matters set out in the recommendation and as resolved by the Planning Committee.”