Land at Pilgrim Cottage, 15 Back Street, Ashton Keynes, SN6 6PD

1. 1.The site is within the Ashton Keynes conservation area and the existing dwelling on the site (No.15 - Pilgrim Cottage) and neighbouring dwelling to the west are considered to be non-designated heritage assets. Furthermore, the existing front boundary wall makes a significant and positive contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area. The proposed development would result in the subdivision of the curtilage of No.15 and it is indicated that two 3 metre sections of the existing front boundary wall are proposed to be removed to achieve required visibility and the remaining walling will also be reduced in height to 600 millimetres. It is concluded that the proposed development would appear cramped and the modern design of the proposed dwelling would not reflect the prevailing character. The alterations to the existing front boundary wall would also be detrimental to the character and appearance of the area. The development would harm the character and appearance of the conservation area and setting of adjacent non-designated heritage assets including the parent dwelling. With reference to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the degree of harm is considered to be less than substantial. It is not considered that the minor benefits arising from a single dwelling would outweigh the identified heritage harm. Consequently, the application is contrary to Core Policy 57: Ensuring High Quality Design and Place Shaping and Core Policy 58: Ensuring the Conservation of the Historic Environment of the Wiltshire Core Strategy, and paragraphs 8, 135, 139, 202, 210, 212, 215 and 216 of the NPPF and the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.
2. 2.The site lies within the 4.2km buffer for the North Meadow Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and has potential to lead to a significant adverse effect on the SAC on account of additional recreational pressure. This is likely to detrimentally impact qualifying features of the SAC. The application must be screened into Appropriate Assessment and adequate mitigation is required before the assessment can be concluded favourably, and the application can be lawfully approved. In the absence of appropriate mitigation secured under the joint Interim Recreation Mitigation Strategy, the proposals would be likely to harm the SAC. Paragraph 195 of the NPPF is clear that “The presumption in favour of sustainable development does not apply where the plan or project is likely to have a significant effect on a habitats site (either alone or in combination with other plans or projects), unless an appropriate assessment has concluded that the plan or project will not adversely affect the integrity of the habitats site”. Consequently, the application is contrary to Core Policy 50: Biodiversity and Geodiversity of the Wiltshire Core Strategy and paragraphs 187, 192, 193, 194, and 195 of the NPPF.
3. 3.3. Approximately half of the proposed new dwelling would be in flood zone 2. A flood risk sequential test has not been submitted to demonstrate that there are no reasonably available sites appropriate for the proposed development in areas with a lower risk of flooding. In applying policies in the NPPF, the conflict regarding flooding provides a strong reason for refusing the development proposed. Therefore, paragraph 11d(ii) of the NPPF is not engaged. Consequently, the application is contrary to Core Policy 67: Flood Risk of the Wiltshire Core Strategy and paragraphs 170, 172, 173, 174, 175 and 181 of the NPPF.

From the council's decision notice.

Postcode

SN6 6PD

Application type

Full planning permission

Scale / size

Medium

Parish

Ashton Keynes CP

Date validated

22 August 2022

Consultation expiry

22 September 2022

Consultation end

22 September 2022

Target decision date

21 October 2022

Statutory period

60 days

Documents

37