| Conditions or Reasons for Planning Application - CB/22/01491/FULL |
| Conditions or Reasons: | | 1)
The proposed development, resulting in the full development of the application site, limited and poorly sited external amenity areas and a dominance of hard surfacing and parking, would be cramped and over-intensive and would present over-development of the site. Furthermore, by virtue of its siting, excessive bulk, scale and massing, the proposed new residential development would appear overly prominent and out of keeping with the scale and pattern of surrounding development and harmful to the visual amenities and character of the street scene. The development would thereby fail to relate well to local surroundings and reinforce built local distinctiveness, resulting in less than substantial harm to the setting of the Leighton Conservation Area which would not be outweighed by public benefit. The development would thereby be contrary to Policies HQ1 and HE3 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (2015-2035) and Sections 12 and 16 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021). |
| 2)
The proposed development would fail to achieve the nationally described internal space standards within three of the units within the new residential development, thereby resulting in a cramped living environment. Furthermore, the development would fail to provide high quality, private external amenity provision to serve the occupiers of the residential units, to the detriment of the living environment created. The proposal would thereby be contrary to Policy H2 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (2015-2035) and Section 12 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021). |
| 3)
A Viability Assessment has been submitted which demonstrates that the scheme would not be viable to provide financial contributions or affordable housing provision. In the absence of financial contributions to offset infrastructure impact, and affordable housing, the proposed development would have an unmitigated and unacceptable impact on existing local infrastructure. The development would therefore not amount to sustainable development, and is contrary to Policies HQ2 (Developer Contributions), HQ3 (Provision for Social and Community Infrastructure) HQ4 (Indoor Sport and Leisure Facilities) and Policy H4 (Affordable Housing) of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (2015-2035) |
| 4)
The proposed development would make inadequate provision for the storage and parking of cycles and therefore fails to promote sustainable modes of transport. The proposal would thereby be contrary to Section 9 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021). |
| 5)
The Local Planning Authority 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 Chiltern 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. In the absence of a legal obligation to secure an appropriate mitigation strategy to the satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority, the proposal would 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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