Decision details

DECISION: REFUSE (PLANNING PERMISSION)

REASONS FOR REFUSAL:

1.   The proposed development by reason of its size, scale, design, position and extent of car parking, access road and turning head would result in an incongruous development that would erode the spaciousness of the locality and have an unacceptable impact on the character, layout and visual amenity of the area and wider context of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The proposal would represent an undesirable overdevelopment of the site, which would result in a cramped development with inadequate outdoor amenity space that is out of character with and detrimental to the amenity of the locality and future occupiers of the proposed semi-detached houses. As such the proposal would be contrary to Policies OSS4 and EN3 of the Rother Local Plan Core Strategy (2014), Policies DHG7(i), DEN1 and DEN2 of the Development and Site Allocations Local Plan (2019), objectives S2 and S3 of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management Plan, the High Weald Housing Design Guide and paragraphs 70, 127 and 172 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

2.   The proposed semi-detached houses by reason of their close proximity to the neighbouring residential properties, combined with their associated activity (particularly vehicular movements) along with their proposed height and bulk, would result in an unneighbourly development that would introduce intrusive noise and disturbance along with an unacceptable loss of privacy and overbearing effect, contrary to Policy OSS4 (ii) of the Rother Local Plan Core Strategy (2014).

3.   Policy DHG (iv) (b) of the Rother Development and Site Allocations Local Plan requires 40% on-site affordable housing on schemes of 0.2 hectares or more. The submission indicates that two units would be self-build but there is no evidence to suggest that any initial owners have had any input into the design of the semi-detached houses. In any event, affordable housing provision is housing for sale or rent and would be expected to be secured by way of a legal agreement. The requirement for affordable housing to be a part of new developments is a recognised means whereby the planning system can contribute to improving access to housing for households not able to purchase or rent on the open market. In this way it promotes balanced and inclusive communities. With affordable housing not secured, the proposal fails to meet the policy requirements, contrary to Policy DHG (iv) (b) of the Rother Development and Site Allocations Local Plan and paragraph 62 and the definition of Affordable Housing in Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

4.   The design and scale of the proposed detached house, particularly the front bay and single storey additions, does not reflect the established character of the area and would detract from rather than enhance the appearance of the area within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The two-storey appearance of the semi-detached houses appears at odds with the hierarchy of the site having a chalet bungalow at the front. As such the proposal is contrary to Policy OSS4(iii) of the Rother Local Plan Core Strategy (2014) and Policies DEN1 and DEN2 of the Development and Site Allocations Local Plan (2019) and paragraphs 127 and 172 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

NOTE:

1.    This refusal relates to the following plans/drawings/documents:

Existing block plan (SS/201561/1) (received 25 January 2021)

Location Plan (received 25 January 2021)

Revised block Plan (1x unnumbered) (received 12 April 2021)

Proposed elevations (SS/201561/3) (received 25 January 2021)

Front & Rear Elevations (drawing no.19-036-E1-E) (received 19 February 2021)

Side elevations (Drawing No. 19-036-E2-E) (received 19 February 2021)

Ground Floor Plan (Drawing No. 19-036-GF-E) (received 19 February 2021)

First Floor Plan (Drawing No. 19-036-FF-E) (received 19 February 2021)

Roof Plan (Drawing No. 19-036-R-E) (received 19 February 2021)

Basic Sections (Drawing No. 19-036-SEC-E) (received 19 February 2021)

Design and Access Statement (received 9 February 2021)

Planning Statement by Sonnex Building Surveyors Ltd (dated 28 November 2020) (ref: SS/20561)

Arboriculutral Survey and Planning Integration Report by Quaife Woodlands (dated 26 November 2020) (ref: AR/4046/jq)

NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK:  In accordance with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework (paragraph 38) and with the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015, the Local Planning Authority has acted positively and proactively in determining this application by identifying matters of concern. However, the issues are so fundamental to the proposal that it has not been possible to negotiate a satisfactory way forward and due to the harm which has been clearly identified within the reasons for the refusal, approval has not been possible.