Agenda item

Variation of conditions 2, 3 and 4 on planning permission 12/01547/MAJ (use of land for stationing of static caravans for holiday use all year round) to provide an alternative landscaping scheme.

The Planning Officer circulated copies of the landscaping proposals and appraisals for the previous application and also for the current application. Further to the updates document the following have been received:  an additional 14 representations of support; 1 comment relating to the validity of the application; and 6 objections of which comments included: no substance for support, the site is an eyesore, and enforcement action has not been taken.

Public speaker, objector – objected on the grounds of: the holiday park has encroached onto his land and part of the site depicted on the plans is not within the boundary of the Park; the proposal will place a concrete base and chalet within the Devon hedge bank; trees have been removed on site in relation to the 2012 application which were conditioned to be protected and to remain; an Ash tree on his land had been felled by the applicant; and trees conditioned to be planted to screen the site from his property have not been planted.

Public speaker, objector – objected on the grounds of: Condition 4 of the previous application for landscape screening to protect the view from his property has not been implemented; why were the conditions not enforced; he has lost land in order to protect his privacy.

Public speaker, supporter – the application will enhance and achieve the original conditions and protect the landscape; all development has planning approval, but appreciates any inconvenience to neighbours during development as a result of earth works and machinery noise; permission was granted without fixed locations for the units, and the previous landscape plan would not work with the layout; the number of units is not excessive and the proposed landscaping scheme, of some 75 specimen trees, will work with the existing layout of the chalets; the facilities at the 5* Park were open to the public and it provided local employment.

Comments made by Members included: the proposed scheme would enhance the situation; concern about the chalet being set within the Devon hedge bank, and that efforts be made that the hedge bank is not compromised.

The Business Manager advised that the dispute over the application boundary arises following the serving of Certificate A as part of the planning process.  However, the affected neighbour has not been disadvantaged by the use of Certificate A as they are aware of the proposals and their detail.  The current proposal is not a lesser scheme but a different scheme. The chalets would be conditioned for holiday accommodation only, and some landscaping has already taken place

It was proposed by Councillor Bullivant, seconded by Councillor Winsor and

Resolved

1. Development in accordance with approved plans.

2. Landscaping shall be carried out and thereafter maintained in accordance with the Landscaping Details and Landscape Plan, including on a rolling basis after 5 years.

3. The number of static caravans in areas 2, 3 and 4 shall be limited to 20, 50 and 60 respectively.

4. The static caravans shall be occupied for holiday purposes only and shall not be occupied as a person’s sole, or main, place or residence; the owners/operators shall maintain an up-to-date register of the names of all owners/occupiers of individual caravans on the site, and of their main home addresses, and shall make this information available at all reasonable times to the Local Planning Authority.

5. No external lighting shall be installed on the site other than mounted on static caravans, or under 1.5 metres in height, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

6. No gates or fences adjacent to Picket Head Hill are approved under this consent.

(9 votes for and 7 against)