The Eastern Area Planning Committee granted outline planning permission for the erection of a self-build dwelling in Seend, Wiltshire. The committee agreed that the application would make a contribution towards addressing the demand for self-build properties, and that this outweighed any visual harm. They also agreed that, while the proposed development would create a reliance on private vehicles, the presence of a regular bus service meant that the site was more sustainable than some.

PL/2024/03269: Land to the Rear of 7 The Stocks, Seend, Wiltshire, SN12 6PL

This application sought outline planning permission for a self-build dwelling at Land to the rear of 7 The Stocks in Seend.

Mr Colin Smith of Colin Smith Planning Ltd, and Mr Alan Watters spoke against the application. Ms Charlotte Watkins of LP Planning Ltd, and the applicant, Mrs Helen Robinson-Gordon, spoke in favour of it. Local ward member Cllr Tamara Reay also spoke in favour of the application.

The Senior Planning Officer, Lucy Rutter-Dowd, introduced the application. It was for a self-build dwelling, with all matters reserved except for access. She recommended that the application be refused.

The officer explained that the site was located to the south of Seend Cleeve, which is designated as a 'Small Village' in the Wiltshire Core Strategy: Core Strategy). The Core Strategy is the part of the council's Local Plan that deals with strategic planning matters in Wiltshire. The National Planning Policy Framework requires that Local Plans should identify a settlement hierarchy to plan the distribution of new development. Applications for new development in rural areas should be refused unless they are in accordance with the settlement hierarchy.

The officer argued that the principle of the development was not supported because it was contrary to the development plan. This was because the site was outside the settlement boundary of Seend Cleeve. The officer explained that:

As the proposed development was not consistent with the pattern of development in the area, it was considered to cause landscape harm and was contrary to Core Policy 51 (Landscape) and Core Policy 57 (High Quality Design and Place Shaping) of the Wiltshire Core Strategy.

The officer also said that because the site was not well served by public transport it represented an unsustainable form of development.

Some members of the committee felt that the development would represent a visual intrusion into the countryside, but others felt that the site was sufficiently well screened. There was also some discussion about whether the site was sufficiently sustainable. The committee voted against a motion to refuse the application, and then voted in favour of a motion to approve it.

The committee noted that there would need to be a legal agreement in place to ensure that the development was only occupied by the applicants, and that they would live in the property as their main residence for at least three years. This is to ensure that the development complies with the legal definition of a self-build dwelling. The committee also agreed that there should be an informative note attached to the planning permission advising that the design of the property should be such that it avoids any overlooking of the neighbouring property.

Planning Appeals and Updates

The committee noted a report on planning appeals and updates. The report included details of an appeal that had recently been allowed for 26 self-build dwellings outside Malmesbury. The inspector in that case had concluded that there was a significant shortfall in the delivery of self-build homes in Wiltshire. The inspector had also found that the Malmesbury site was reasonably sustainable. Senior Conservation and Planning Officer, Ruaridh O’Donoghue, explained that:

Although the proposed single dwelling would make a small contribution towards meeting the demand, it would cause visual harm.