Agenda item

The Development Management Officer (DMO), Be First Development Management Team, introduced a report on an application for the demolition of existing buildings and the erection of a new residential scheme comprising seven new dwellings made up of three x 4 bedroom and four x 3 bedroom, and utilisation of existing vehicular access at Fels Farm, Dagenham Road, Rush Green, Romford.

In addition to internal and external consultations, a total of 2,438 notification letters were sent to neighbouring properties together with the requisite statutory site and press notices. In total 13 objections were received including from the three Eastbrook ward councillors, the material planning considerations concerning which were set out in the planning assessment detailed in the report.

Two representations were made at the meeting by the ward councillors, who objected to the application for the following reasons:

·  The proposed development would be an eye sore and would adversely affect the visual amenity of the surrounding Country Park.

·  It would create increased traffic movements at a road junction/roundabout, near a blind bend, known for accidents.

·  The belief that the existing outbuilding was a symbol of the Borough’s agricultural heritage and consequently should be retained.

·  Approval to this application in the Green Belt would set a dangerous precedent for future developments in the area. 

Responding to the objections the planning agent representing the applicant briefly went through the history of the site including that there was an existing certificate of lawfulness for a storage and skip depot with a height limitation imposed of seven skips. The site was occupied by two permanent structures, with several smaller storage units and a large part of the site covered by a yard. Consequently, it would be highly unlikely for the area to be returned to the Green Belt, and it was the view of the planning agent that the proposed residential development was a far better use of the site in all aspects. There had been no objections from Highways on traffic and safety grounds, whilst given the site’s present use and status, the proposed development would not create a precedent within a Green Belt setting.

A number of observations were made on the application both for and against, and questions were raised by the Committee, firstly why was it that the temporarily skip stacking had been considered to form a permanent structure on the site? Secondly it was noted that a previous submission had proposed nine residential dwellings and an office space. On that basis seeing the generous external spacing included in the current application, would it not have been possible with better planning to have achieved 10 units on the site; that being the threshold for providing an element of affordable housing?

The planning agent stated that the stacking of the skips was considered to have an impact on the openness of the Green Belt and was visually unattractive and was therefore regarded as a relevant consideration for the purposes of the application. He acknowledged that whilst the earlier application included more units, it had been subject to a number of objections based on over development, and this had resulted in the submission of the current application to create more openness in a Green Belt location. 

Given the concerns expressed, and at the suggestion of the Deputy Chair, it was agreed to defer a decision pending a site visit by the constituted Planning Visiting Sub-Committee which would be convened, subject to any Covid restrictions. The purpose of the visit being to review the impact of the proposed development on the openness of the setting in the Green Belt, so as to enable the Committee to make an informed decision.