| Conditions or Reasons: | | 1)
The site is within the Green Belt, The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and an Area of Great Landscape Value. The proposed development, involving four static caravans, one touring caravan, and associated hardstanding, is an encroachment into the countryside and fails to preserve the openness of the Green Belt. The proposal is therefore inappropriate development in the Green Belt, which is by definition harmful to the Green Belt. The laying of hardstanding and stationing of caravans in advance of submitting an application for planning permission constitutes intentional unauthorised development which adds weight to the argument that the proposal is inappropriate development. Some weight can be given to the best interests of the child. However, the Council has a very healthy five year supply of Gypsy and Traveller pitches for travelling Gypsies and Travellers. Further harm is apparent as the proposal does not conserve or enhance the landscape and scenic beauty of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Area of Great Landscape Value. There are no considerations present to clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt, and other harm, so as to constitute very special circumstances to justify the grant of full planning permission. The proposal is therefore contrary to Sections 13 (Protecting Green Belt land) and 15 (Conserving and enhancing the natural environment) of the National Planning Policy Framework, February 2019, the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites, August 2015, and Policies NE3 and BE8 of the South Bedfordshire Local Plan Review, January 2004. |
| 2)
The proposed layout shown on submitted block plan BP-01-2020 is unacceptable due to static caravans not being positioned three metres from the boundary of the site, and insufficient information in terms of whether the siting of private vehicles would cause obstructions and whether the touring caravan would have an amenity block. The proposal therefore amounts to an overdevelopment and has an unacceptable adverse effect on residential amenity to the occupiers contrary to Section 12 (Achieving well-designed places) of the National Planning Policy Framework, February 2019, and Policy BE8 of the South Bedfordshire Local Plan Review, January 2004. |
| 3)
The proposed development is unacceptable as in the absence of details of area of hardstanding, drainage, soakage ability, discharge of surface water or any other control, there is no assurance that the proposal would not result in surface water flooding. The proposal is therefore contrary to Section 14 (Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change) of the National Planning Policy Framework, February 2019. |
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