| Conditions or Reasons: | | 1)
The site lies within the South Bedfordshire Green Belt and the proposal would fail to meet with any of the listed exceptions to inappropriate development within paragraphs 154 and 155 of the NPPF. The proposal therefore represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt, which is, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt. The proposal would also result in a harmful loss of openness to the Green Belt and would conflict with one of the 5 purposes of the Green Belt - to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment (paragraph 143c). No factors which could amount to very special circumstances to clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt, and other harms to the character and appearance of the area, to the amenity and living conditions of neighbouring/future occupants, to highway safety, and to statutory protected species are evident. The proposal is therefore contrary to policy SP4 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (2021), and Section 13 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2023). |
| 2)
The proposal, by reason of its siting, scale and unsatisfactory layout would result in the creation of an urban form of development in a backland location that would erode the site's spacious qualities and the visual separation between the settlement 'ends' of Witts End and Higher Rads End. In addition, the development - due to the coverage of built form and the poor spatial separation from its boundaries - would result in the harmful overdevelopment of the site and would impact on the future longevity of natural landscape features, thereby resulting harm to the character of the rural setting and wider settlement pattern of Eversholt. As such, the proposal would not be considered to be of high quality design which reinforces local distinctiveness, nor would it be sensitive to the key characteristics of the surrounding area, and would be considered to be in conflict with policies HQ1, HQ8, EE4, and EE5 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (2021) as well as sections 12 and 15 of the NPPF (2023). |
| 3)
The proposal is of a layout and design which, if permitted, would result in an unsatisfactory relationship between the proposed dwellings and adjacent development by way of harmful overbearing impact and mutual overlooking concerns. In particular, the siting and location of plot 2, and the positioning of the bedroom window in the south elevation of this dwelling would result in a harmful overbearing impact and harmful mutual overlooking concerns with the dwelling to the south approved under application reference CB/21/04980/FULL. In addition, the bedroom window to the north elevation within plot 1 - without adequate boundary screening - would create harmful overlooking concerns with the amenity space associated with Witts End Farm to the north. As such, the proposed development fails to demonstrate a satisfactory safeguard against harm to the amenity and living conditions of adjacent residential occupiers and would not provide a suitable living environment for future occupants of the dwellings proposed by way of safeguarding against harm to privacy. The proposed development is therefore in conflict with point 11 of policy HQ1 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan and section 12 of the NPPF. |
| 4)
The proposed development has not been supported by accurate and up-to-date ecological information to indicate potential protected species interest within the site and to enable an assessment of the potential impact of the development on such species in accordance with industry guidelines and standards. The proposal thereby fails to demonstrate that the proposed development has been informed and designed to prevent adverse impacts on protected species. The development is thereby contrary to the aims and objections of Policy EE3 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan and Section 15 of the NPPF. |
| 5)
Insufficient information has been submitted to allow an accurate assessment of the proposal in terms of the area available for parking provision and manoeuvring as well as on site turning for service/delivery/emergency vehicles. The proposed development therefore fails to provide workable arrangements for parking and turning space for the vehicles likely to use it and, as a result, could lead to vehicles having to manoeuvre from or to Higher Rads End in reverse gear leading to additional hazards for highway users. As such, the proposal would be in conflict with policy T2 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (2021) and section 9 of the NPPF. |
| 6)
The proposal, if permitted, would impede the parking provision and manoeuvring area for the planning permission approved under application reference CB/21/04980/FULL, leaving the development with insufficient and unworkable parking provision which could lead to ad hoc parking that will affect the access and manoeuvring areas for the rest of the site, thereby resulting in unacceptable traffic congestion and additional hazards. The proposed development would therefore be in conflict with policies T2 and T3 of the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (2021) and section 9 of the NPPF. |
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