| Conditions or Reasons for Planning Application - CB/22/00052/FULL |
| Conditions or Reasons: | | 1)
The proposed development, due to the constrained nature of the site and the number of units proposed, would fail to provide adequate living standards for future residents if permitted. It would fail to meet with the floorspace requirements within the National Space Standards in the case of unit 3, would fail to provide adequate outlook and light to habitable rooms in the case of units 1 and 2, and would fail to provide adequate outdoor amenity space for all of the units in line with the Central Bedfordshire Design Guide. Overall, it is considered that both individually, and cumulatively, the instances of poor standards of amenity created by the conversion would result in unacceptable living standards for future residents, and are demonstrative that the site is not appropriate for conversion into 5 no. self-contained residential units. As such, the proposal is contrary to policies H2 and HQ1 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (2021), the Central Bedfordshire Design Guide, and section 12 of the NPPF. |
| 2)
The Council considers that the proposed development would, by reason of its proximity lying within a 12.6k metre linear distance of the Ashridge Commons and Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest within the Chilterns Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation, add to the recreational disturbance in this area, likely to harm the integrity of the conservation purposes of the Chiltern Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation. A Strategic Solution to ensure that adequate mitigation is provided for new housing development within this 12.6km area has yet to be adopted. As such, in the absence of an adopted (or interim) mitigation strategy, and based on the evidence submitted, it has not been demonstrated that the development proposal would avoid an adverse effect on the integrity of the SAC. The proposal would therefore be contrary to the Habitat Regulations and paragraphs 180 and 181 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2021 and policy EE3 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan 2015-2035. |
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