Four detached homes at Stevenage Road, Todd's Green

What was proposed

Four detached homes were proposed, with landscaping, parking and a widened existing access, arranged as two front and two rear dwellings.

“Erection of four detached dwellings including landscaping, parking and widening of existing vehicular access off Stevenage Road.”

Officer report

The site and its setting

The undeveloped paddock site lies between two homes in Todds Green, within the Green Belt, with a Grade II listed cottage opposite.

“The application site is an undeveloped site previously used as paddock land, located on the west side of Stevenage Road. Todds Green. The site lies between two residential properties – Todds Corner to the north and Shangri-La to the south. Opposite the site to the east are several other properties including ‘Thatched Cottage’ a grade 2 listed building. A shed and small stable are situated to the rear of the site.”

“Todds Corner is a hamlet and does not have a defined settlement boundary. Therefore, the site is located within the Green Belt.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended permission because the scheme met the Grey Belt test, provided four homes and its adverse impacts would not significantly outweigh its benefits.

“At the time of writing, the Council cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply with the figure sitting between 2.6 and 3.3 years. In this respect, the matters set out under Paragraph 11d of the NPPF become relevant.”

“Overall, Officers are of the view that the adverse impacts that have been identified in this report would not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of this scheme, when assessed against the Framework as a whole, including the delivery of 4 dwellings to our 5-year land supply on this windfall site, and localised economic, social and environmental benefits.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

Neighbours and the Parish Council objected to overbearing development, loss of countryside views, back-land building and harm to local character, while consultees raised no objections subject to conditions.

“- Concern that the proposal, including the access road close to the northern boundary, would cause unacceptable harm to amenity, through being overbearing. Further concerns with development creep post application. - The proposal would erode the existing character and pattern of development, urbanising the area. - The two front dwellings are set back from the highway and the established building line, which is inconsistent.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The member advocate’s written objection was read to the committee, followed by the agent’s presentation supporting the application.

What members debated

Members considered the linear character of Todds Green, countryside encroachment, Grey Belt status, housing need and whether the benefits outweighed the harms.

“Todds Green had a linear built form, and the application deviated from this. • The justifications for the last application had been removed from this one. • The special character and setting of Todds Green would not be preserved. • Encroachment into the countryside would result from this application and it would not assist with the development of previously developed urban land as stated in the report.”

“There was no legal reason to refuse permission, therefore, it should be granted. • The application felt like linear development, however, this was not a material planning consideration. • Even with the tilted balance, the benefits and harms were finely balanced. • The Ecologist had not objected to the application. • They wished that the Urban Design Code had been implemented ahead of this application, and they were looking forward to this being in place in the future.”

Minutes

The committee vote

A motion to grant permission was proposed and seconded, and the committee then voted on it.

“Councillor Nigel Mason proposed to grant permission subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager, the receipt of an Impact Assessment and Conservation Payment Certificate (IACPC) and no objection from the North Herts Ecologist, and the agreement to extend the statutory determination date to allow for the IACPC to be completed. This was seconded by Councillor Emma Fernandes.”

Minutes

The decision

Planning permission was granted subject to the ecological certificate and ecologist response, an agreed extension of time, and the stated conditions and informatives.

“RESOLVED: That application 25/02998/FP be GRANTED planning permission subject to:”

“A) The receipt of the Impact Assessment and Conservation Payment Certificate (IACPC) following an application to Natural England under the GCN District Level Licensing (DLL) and a response of no objection from the North Herts Ecologist; and…”

Minutes