Central Bedfordshire Council Planning Pages

Conditions or Reasons for Planning Application - CB/16/00592/FULL

Conditions or Reasons:

1) The proposed development would, by reason of its location outside any designated Settlement Envelope, introduce a residential use into the open countryside. Notwithstanding the extant approved conversion of the existing barns (granted on the basis of a previous prior notification approval), the proposal to extend and alter the existing building to provide two new dwellings would be contrary to the governments objectives to avoid new homes in the open countryside, other than where there are special circumstances. There are not considered to be any special circumstances in this case. The enlargement of the building would enhance its prominence in the landscape to an unacceptable degree which is harmful to the character of this rural area.

The intention of the government in giving greater flexibility to the reuse of redundant agricultural buildings does not support the extension and alteration of such buildings to create dwellings.

Therefore the proposed residential development, by nature of its location well beyond any defined Settlement Envelope, would represent new isolated homes in the countryside, harmful to the rural character of the area. As such the proposal is contrary to policies CS1, CS14 DM3 and DM12 of the Central Bedfordshire Core Strategy and Development Management Policies, and the National Planning Policy Framework.

2) The proposed development would, by virtue of its increased scale and bulk, result in an overly prominent building sited close to existing dwellings which would detrimentally harm the amenity of the occupiers of the adjacent dwelling by virtue of a loss of light and having an overbearing impact. As the result the development is therefore contrary to Policy DM3 of the Core Strategy and Development Management Policies (2009) and the advice within the National Planning Policy Framework.

3) The applicant has failed to demonstrate that the proposed development can provide an appropriate level of amenity and living conditions of future occupiers. The proposed development proposes a number of bedrooms served only by rooflights and which appear to be installed as high level openings. Therefore 4 of the bedrooms proposed in the two dwellings is unlikely to have an acceptable outlook. The proposal is therefore contrary to Policy DM3 of the Core Strategy and Development Management Policies (2009) and the advice provided within paragraph 9 of the National Planning Policy Framework which recognises that pursuing sustainable development involves improving the conditions in which people live.

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