Council and democracy
Home > Council and Democracy > Issue
94 19/0651/FUL - 23 Barrow Road PDF 118 KB
Minutes:
Councillor
Thornburrow left the table to speak to the Committee as a Ward Member; she took
no part in the determination of the application.
The Committee received
an application for full planning permission.
The application sought
approval for erection of a bike store.
The Committee received a representation in objection to the application
from a local resident:
i.
Spoke on behalf of a substantial
number of residents whose objections centred on the protection of the unique
qualities of the Barrow Road Conservation Area.
ii.
All houses on Barrow Road are
situated on substantial plots, bike stores did not need to be sited forward of
the building line.
iii.
A recent survey of residents
showed that most were enthusiastic cyclists and had bike storage at the back or
side of the house or a simple rack at the front and not a built store in the
front garden.
iv.
The original application to
refurbish the property included a bike shed at the front of the property but
this was removed on the advice of the Planning Officer at the time. The bike store could have been included
within the envelope of the property but the owner chose not to do this.
v.
Granting permission on the
condition that the bike shed was hidden behind a hedge was relying on nature to
conceal the permanent structure. Questioned how the Planning Officer would
monitor this condition in the future.
vi.
Expressed concerns that this
application would set a precedent for future development of permanent
structures forward of the building line, contrary to planning guidance.
vii.
Barrow Road was modelled on the
open streetscape of the garden suburb movement.
viii.
The proposal had the potential to
adversely harm the character and appearance of Barrow Road. It did not comply with policy 61 of the Local
Plan.
ix.
Asked the Committee to maintain
the protection afforded by the Conservation Area guidelines and refuse the
application.
Graham Riley (Applicant’s
Agent) addressed the Committee in support of the application.
Councillor Thornburrow (Ward Councillor) addressed the Committee
about the application:
i.
Neighbours had referred to
previous planning application, the previous works undertaken were a direct
reason for this application.
ii.
This was development which
required planning permission and should comply with Conservation Area
Appraisal.
iii.
Buildings and structures should
not come forward in front of the building line as it would detract from the
Conservation Area.
iv.
Hedges in a Conservation Area were
not protected and could therefore be removed at any time and would leave the
bike store looking quite prominent.
v.
The bike store materials should be
similar to those used in the area.
vi.
The justification for the
application was to encourage cycling in Cambridge. However she referred to the
resident’s survey which showed that half of resident’s already used bikes and
that there was a trend for young families to have bike stores at the rear of
the property or in the garage or a bike rack at the front of the house. She
disputed the contention that putting a bike shed at the front of the house
would encourage people to use bikes.
vii.
The application had to be
considered against the public benefit. There
was no public benefit to have the bike shed at the front of the site.
A condition was proposed
that the hedge be retained at a minimum height whilst the bike store was in
situ and that it would have to be replaced if the hedge become damaged or diseased. The exact wording would be delegated to
officers.
This
amendment was carried by 3 votes to 0 with 1 abstention.
The Committee:
Resolved (2
votes to 2 – and on the Chair’s casting vote) to
grant the application for planning permission in accordance with the Officer
recommendation, for the reasons set out in the Officer’s report, subject to:
i.
the planning conditions set out in
the Officer’s report; and
ii.
the following additional condition
requiring retention of the hedge at a minimum height of 1.5 metres, and its
replacement if it dies, or becomes damaged.