Decision details

The Committee received an application for full planning permission.

 

The application sought approval for erection of three 2xbed houses, along with cycle parking and hard and soft landscaping.

 

The Senior Planner updated his report by stating he recommended ‘Approval’ subject to conditions, and consultation with Network Rail.

 

The Committee received a representation in objection to the application from a resident of Cavendish Road.

 

The representation covered the following objections:

     i.        Three houses being built in a back garden in a Conservation Area would be out of keeping with the character of the area.

    ii.        Suggested the proposal contravened Cambridge Local Plan 2006 section 3.10 and category 3.30, plus policy 52 in the draft 2014 Local Plan.

   iii.        Raised concerns about:

·        Over development of site.

·        Overcrowding.

·        Loss of privacy.

·        Traffic flow and parking.

·        Drainage.

  iv.        Residents were prepared to accept two houses on site due to the need for more housing in the area. Three would be too many and impact on residents’ amenities.

 

Ms Brown (Applicant’s Agent) addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

Councillor Baigent (Romsey Ward Councillor) addressed the Committee about the application. He stated to the Committee:

·        He lived in Cavendish Road.

·        He had been notified of the development as a local resident, but was unaffected by it.

·        He was speaking as a Ward Councillor and expressing the views of his constituents.

 

The representation covered the following objections:

     i.        Romsey was high density development in style.

    ii.        Took issue with the application as it was over development of site that would have a negative impact on the area.

   iii.        Planning permission had been given previously for two houses on site after a third was withdrawn as a result of residents’ protests.

  iv.        Residents felt the developer had broken trust by reverting back to a three housing development. Residents had not objected to a two house development as a compromise towards housing need.

   v.        Suggested the development contravened Local Plan policies and its form was out of character with the area.

  vi.        The front of the development faced onto six car parking spaces. These were required as a result of planning permission given in 1991.

 

The Committee:

 

Unanimously resolved (by 7 votes to 0) to reject the officer recommendation to approve the application.

 

Unanimously resolved to refuse the application contrary to the officer recommendation for the following reason and subject to no formal objection being raised by Network Rail:

 

The proposed development which has a greater footprint and mass than the approved scheme, and which sub-divides the site into three separate residential curtilages, would have a harmful impact on the character of the area, which forms part of the Mill Road Conservation Area, represent an overdevelopment of the site and result in a poor standard of residential amenity for future occupiers contrary to Cambridge Local Plan (2006) policies 3/4, 3/10 and 4/11.