Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director Planning – Community Development Services

Application: 2023/0095/HPA

Location: 26 Merlin Way, Brayton, Selby

Proposal: RAISE HEIGHT OF EXISTING ROOF TO CREATE ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATION, SINGLE DORMER WINDOW TO REAR, ROOF LIGHT TO FRONT AND SINGLE DORMER WINDOW TO THE FRONT

The Planning Officer presented the application which had been brought before the Selby and Ainsty Area Constituency Planning Committee as the previous application (2022/0941/HPA) for a similar development had previously been requested to Committee by the Head of Planning given the level of objection and Councillor involvement and was recommended for approval.  This was overturned by Members of the Selby District Council Planning Committee on the 11.1.23 and subsequently refused.  It was therefore appropriate to return the matter to Committee as the officer recommendation was for approval.

Members noted that the application was for a planning application to raise the roof height of existing property to create additional accommodation in the roofspace, and the erection of 2 dormer windows and a roof light at 26 Merlin Way, Brayton.

Members noted the Officer Update Note which noted that there had been an additional application ZG2023/0387/CPP for a Lawful development certificate for a proposed dormer to the rear of 26 Merlin Way. The Officer Update Note also detailed that there had been a further representation that had been sent directly to Councillors with additional information to support a previous objection. This raised similar issues found in the report and mentioned the additional application subsequently submitted but did not change the recommendation.

The Committee asked the Planning Officer to clarify how this application was sufficiently different from the previous application which had been refused in January 2023 and whether the reasons for refusal had been sufficiently addressed notably the impact on privacy for neighbouring properties.

The Planning Officer detailed the alterations to the application and explained that the previous application had been recommended for approval by Officers. The Planning Officer explained that this was a new application and was also recommended for approval as detailed in the report and had only been brought before Committee at the request of the Head of Planning due the refusal by Selby District Council Planning Committee in January 2023.

Planning Agent, Terry Prideaux, was in attendance and spoke in favour of the application.

Objector, Carla Cox, resident local to the application, was in attendance and spoke against the application.

Members debated the application expressing that they had read the report and listened to the presentation and speakers with no preconceptions but still felt the new application was only minimally different from the one refused in January 2023. Members stated that they agreed the application was compliant with Development Plan policies SP1 and SP2 of the Core Strategy but disagreed with the Officer that it was compliant with policy H14 of the Selby District Local Plan. Councillors expressed opinions that the development would be visually intrusive and out of keeping with the surrounding area and  would negatively impact local amenity, particularly Manorfeld.        

It was proposed and seconded that the application be REFUSED contrary to the Officer recommendation on the following grounds:

The proposed development would be visually intrusive and out of keeping with the area and have a detrimental impact on living conditions and amenity of neighbouring occupants from increased overlooking, including Manorfeld. The proposal is therefore considered to be contrary to policy ENV1 and H14 of the Selby District Local Plan 2005 and SP19 of the Selby District Core Strategy Local Plan 2013.

A vote was taken on the Proposal and was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED:

That the application be REFUSED on the following grounds:

The proposed development would be visually intrusive and out of keeping with the area and have a detrimental impact on living conditions and amenity of neighbouring occupants from increased overlooking, including Manorfeld. The proposal is therefore considered to be contrary to policy ENV1 and H14 of the Selby District Local Plan 2005 and SP19 of the Selby District Core Strategy Local Plan 2013.