Agenda item

Erection of a bespoke designed wheelchair friendly bungalow and associated ancillary works – 49 St Neots Road, Eaton Ford PE19 7BA.

(Councillor D Laycock, St Neots Town Council, addressed the Committee on the application).

that the application be refused for the following reasons:

a)  It is considered that the proposed development of one dwelling would fail the sequential test for flooding contrary to Policy LP5 of the Huntingdonshire’s Local Plan to 2036 (2019), Section 4 of the Cambridgeshire Flood and Water SPD 2017, Paragraphs 159 and 162 of the NPPF 2023 and Policy A3 of the St Neots Neighbourhood Plan to 2029 (2016). The proposed development is therefore unacceptable in principle as it would place people and property at an unwarranted risk of flooding. The principle of the proposed development is therefore unacceptable.

b)  The erection of a dwelling within this small site within the St. Neots Conservation Area would infill a historic landscape and would be an obvious contrast to historic back of pavement development, and would result in loss of views through the site and closing off the historic right of way between the terraces. The proposal would represent overdevelopment of the plot further compromising green space and failing to respect existing views, street patterns and historic building lines. The proposal is thereby contrary to Policies LP34 of Huntingdonshire’s Local Plan to 2036 (2019), Policy A3 of the St Neots Neighbourhood Plan to 2029 (2016), the objectives of the NPPF 2023 set out at paragraphs 130 parts a-d, 200 and 202 and Section 72 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

c)  The large footprint and siting of the dwelling creates a cramped form of development which will lead to overbearing impacts to the rear gardens of Nos. 1 and 2 Davey Mews and Nos 47A and 49 St Neots Road contrary to Local Plan Policy LP14 part B Amenity. By virtue of this cramped form of development, it is considered that the proposal would have a significant adverse impact on the amenity standards of Nos 1 and 2 Davey Mews to the rear of the dwelling and Nos. 47a and 48 St Neots Road due to overbearing impacts and so has failed to be designed in a way that does not detrimentally impact neighbour amenity. Overall, it is considered that the proposal fails to demonstrate that it responds positively to its context and has drawn inspiration from the key characteristics of its surroundings to help create distinctive, high quality and well-designed places that successfully integrate with adjoining buildings, contrary to Local Plan Policies LP11, LP12 and LP14 of Huntingdonshire’s Local Plan to 2036 (2019) and paragraph 130 part F of the NPPF 2023.

d)  The proposed dwelling would be located in close proximity to a tree within the site which is legally protected by virtue of its siting within St. Neots Conservation Area. It has not been demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority that the proposal would not cause harm to trees of value, or that the development would not result in future pressure to fell trees, if not part of the development, in the future by the occupiers of the development due to shading or fear of damage contrary to Policy LP31 of Huntingdonshire’s Local Plan to 2036 (2019) which requires that proposals demonstrate that the potential for adverse impact on trees be investigated, assessed, and mitigated with any loss of trees justified.

e)  The application has failed to incorporate adequate provision for refuse (wheeled bins) by virtue of the omission of a completed unilateral undertaking contrary to the requirements of the Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning Document 2011, and Policy LP4 of Huntingdonshire’s Local Plan to 2036 (2019).