Issue - meetings

[NOTE 1: The Planning Officer advised the Committee that three additional letters of objection had been received which mainly reiterated the comments already summarised within the representations section of the report.]

[NOTE 2: The Planning Officer advised the Committee of an additional informative as detailed below;

‘The applicant is advised that in the event the finished levels, as shown and annotated on the approved plans listed within condition 02 of this notice, alter for any reason that further planning permission is likely to be required. In such event advice should be sought from the Local Planning Authority at the earliest opportunity’.]

The Committee considered an application for the erection of a two storey detached dwelling (3 x bedroom) on land south of Little Ponds. The proposal included an associated vehicular access onto Mouth Road along with three off-street parking spaces and landscaping.

The Chairman queried whether the flooding and pond ecology issues had been considered appropriately. The Planning Officer confirmed that the Case Officer had been in close contact with the applicant on these issues and that the applicant had agreed to make a financial contribution towards the Great Crested Newt pilot project in accordance with the Woking Borough Natural Woking Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure Strategy (2016). It was noted that the Surrey Wildlife Trust had raised no objections. The Councils Drainage and Flood Risk Engineer also raised no objections subject to a condition securing a sustainable drainage scheme.

Councillor S Ashall, Ward Councillor, raised concern that the proposed plots would be too small and contrary to the density of 5-10dph specified in policy BE1 of the Hook Heath Neighbourhood Plan. The Planning Officer advised that there was some commentary in the report on plot shape and size under paragraph 4. It was noted that The Planning Inspectorate comments on a recent appeal decision for an application nearby had referenced Policy BE1 which stated ‘where possible’ plot sizes should be similar to those adjacent and in other cases within 5-10dph. The Inspector had taken the word ‘where possible’ to determine that this would not be achievable in all cases and that there would be cases where differing from this would occur. The Planning Officer advised that this application was only slightly below the plot size threshold and that it was unlikely that refusal would stand up on appeal. It was also important to consider how an Inspector would be likely to interpret Neighbourhood Plan Policy. Councillor S Ashall commented that the Hook Heath Neighbourhood Plan would be undermined on the approval of this application although agreed with the Planning Officers view that refusal of the application was unlikely to stand up on appeal.

RESOLVED

That planning permission be granted subject to conditions, additional informative as noted in these minutes and S106 Agreement.