Residential annexe at Anchor Cottage, Horns Corner, Catsfield

Officers’ recommendation

Officers recommended approval because the proposal would conserve the landscape, fit the residential site and avoid unreasonable harm to neighbours.

“The proposal would be situated set back from the road and largely screened from view by the detached garage and established boundary hedges and trees. As such it would be well screened from the wider landscape. The scale, design and materials are considered to fit well within the HWNL and the proposal is not out of character with the established residential use of the site.”

“RECOMMENDATION: GRANT (FULL PLANNING PERMISSION)”

Officer report

Who spoke

Councillor Field called in the application and gave comments about overdevelopment, the road and traffic movements.

Committee discussion

Members sought a stronger legal safeguard so the annexe could not become a separate standalone dwelling.

“Members felt that the reworded Condition 4, which was enforceable and disseminated prior to the meeting, needed to be more robust. Therefore, it was requested that Condition 4 be replaced by the completion of a Section 106 Agreement. This was to ensure that the annex did not become a single “standalone / separate” dwelling to the primary property.”

“Councillor J. Barnes moved an amendment to the original motion to replace the proposed Condition 4 set out in the report with the completion of a Section 106 Agreement, and this was seconded by Councillor Stanger.”

Minutes

The votes

Members rejected a site-visit deferral, then approved the revised motion by five votes to three.

“Before the vote had taken place, Councillor Prochak moved the motion to DEFER the application until the Planning Committee had completed a site visit, and this was seconded by Councillor Gray.”

“Both Councillors Stanger and Chowdhury agreed to withdraw their motion, in order that the deferment motion could be voted on.”

Minutes

Final decision

Permission was granted subject to a Section 106 Agreement and the remaining planning conditions.

“Councillor Stanger re-moved the revised substantive motion to GRANT (Full Planning Permission), subject to the completion of a Section 106 Agreement, wording of which to be delegated to officers, including the remaining Conditions 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, and this was re-seconded by Councillor Chowdhury.”

“NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK: In accordance with Paragraph 39 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2024), the Council has worked in a positive and pro-active way and has imposed planning conditions to enable the grant of planning permission.”

Minutes