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Waverley Borough Council Committee System - Committee Document

Meeting of the Development Control Committee held on 24/09/2003
Agenda


NOTE FOR MEMBERS

Members are reminded that contact officers are shown at the end of each report and members are welcome to raise questions, etc in advance of the meeting with the appropriate officer.
AGENDA

1. MINUTES

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 20th August 2003 (to be laid on the table half an hour before the meeting).

2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS

To receive apologies for absence and report any substitutions.

3. DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS

To receive from members, in relation to any items included on the agenda for this meeting, disclosure of any interests which are required to be disclosed by Section 94 (1) of the Local Government Act 1972 and in accordance with the Waverley Code of Local Government Conduct.

4. QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

5. PLANNING APPLICATIONS – SITE INSPECTIONS
(i)WA03/0150
Mr G La Costa
20.1.03		Erection of extensions and alterations at Hambledon Park (formerly Rock Hill House), Rock Hill, Hambledon (as amplified by letter dated 14.3.03 and plans received 31.3.03)
Grid Reference:E: 496751 N: 138506
Parish:Hambledon
Ward:Witley and Hambledon
Development Plan:MGB, AONB, AGLV. Outside settlement area.
Conservation Area.
Highway Authority:No requirements - Rights of Way Officer– No observations.
Drainage Authority:No requirements
Parish Council:Original Comments
“Despite the absence of any information regarding the cumulative increase, it would appear that the proposal far exceeds the permitted increase in floor space for extensions (policy RD2 Waverley Local Plan 2002). The Parish Council also objects strongly to the bulk and height of the proposal which, if allowed, will have a serious and adverse impact on the openness of the Green Belt and spoil what is presently an unobstructed view from the Greensand ridge across the Weald to the South Downs. Finally, the Parish Council queries whether what is proposed is extensions and alterations or would more accurately be described as a replacement dwelling”.
Recommend retention of the present name – Rock Hill House.
Consultations:














Representations:		Further Comments
Reiterate that the applicant’s preferred name for the property, ‘Hambledon Park’, duplicates the name of another property in the village which would cause confusion.
It is premature to make any decision at this stage before it is known whether the property will be listed.

Department of Culture, Media & Sport -
“English Heritage, the Secretary of State’s statutory advisors on the historic environment, has assessed the building and advises that it has been too altered to merit listing. Having carefully considered all the evidence, the Secretary of State has decided to accept English Heritage’s advice and will not, therefore, be adding the building to the statutory list”.

Twentieth Century Society -
“The building’s exterior is good enough to merit recording, and the Society strongly urges the Council to include this as a condition of consent, if consent is given to the application”.

17 letters have been received, objecting on the following grounds :-
- The current house, designed by Lady Casson, has architectural merit. The building is unique and fits unobtrusively into the park setting. The proposals would destroy its character. Within Conservation Area, view as to whether it is worthy of listing.
- The proposed alterations are not viewed as being an improvement over the existing building. The character of the house would be lost. It would be impossible to identify the fabric of the existing building.
- Non-compliance with Policy RD2 – disproportionate in terms of bulk, massing, floor area and height. Design does not reflect the local distinctiveness of the area and would be more intrusive within the landscape.
- Concerns over the height of the first floor/roof and impact on neighbouring amenity/ loss of privacy. The proposed roof would be more visible, affecting outlook.
- Confusion resulting from re-naming of the house to “Hambledon Park” – a property of this name already exists.
- The existing property is a long standing feature predating and included within the Conservation Area.
- Other properties nearby are not in the vernacular style but are still part of the character of the area.
- The proposed height of the building is nearly three times that of the existing, the major proportion of which has a height of 4.1 m.
- It would be more intrusive within the landscape by virtue of its bulk and height.
- It is considered to breach all the provisions of the RD2 policy, and making an exception to policy on grounds of visual improvement would represent an undesirable precedent.
- Concerns about debate at Committee.
- Extra pressure on sewerage system and concerns re: pollution in village.
- In support of demolishing Rock Hill House to build an entirely new state of the art appropriate dwelling elsewhere on the site.

Relevant History

WA95/1493Erection of a carport
Permitted
28.12.95
WA96/0664Erection of an extension to existing outbuilding to provide additional cart shed
Permitted
27.6.96
WA96/1591Erection of a carport; construction of a new access and access drive
Permitted
21.2.97

Description of Site/Background

Hambledon House, formerly known as Rock Hill House, is a substantial, detached property measuring 474 sq metres in floor area and situated within extensive grounds on the east side of Hambledon Road in Hambledon village. The property, designed by Lady Casson in the 1960’s, is of a contemporary design and distinctive example of a house of that period, characterised by flat roofs and modern materials. It is unique in Hambledon, in comparison to the more traditional style of properties within the village. The house itself and part of the garden area to the west are located within the Hambledon Conservation Area while the remainder of the site is outside.

The Proposal

The proposal involves extensions and alterations to the existing house. It will include increasing the height of the property to form a two storey pitched roof design, characteristic of a traditional Surrey property. The height of the existing flat roof is 6.5 metres in comparison to the proposed new pitched roof design, which would be 7 metres to the eaves and 11.5 metres to the ridge at the highest points. The external materials will change from that of a modern type to traditional brick and tile. The footprint will not be materially altered. The total increase in floor area will be 182 sq metres, mainly as a result of the proposed first floor accommodation.

Relevant Policies

Surrey Structure Plan 1994 – Policies PE2, PE7 and PE12
Surrey Structure Plan (Deposit Draft) 2002 – Policy LO4, SE8, SE5
Waverley Borough Local Plan 2002 – Policies C1, C3, HE8 and RD2

Main Planning Issues

The site is located within the Metropolitan Green Belt, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and an Area of Great Landscape Value, outside of any settlement, wherein rural planning policies place strict restraint upon development. The site is also within the Conservation Area wherein development must preserve or enhance the character of the Conservation Area.

Due to the extent of the work proposed, it should be noted that planning permission is sought for extensions and alterations only. Following consultation with the Building Control Section, officers consider that the alterations could be carried out without demolishing the building and that the proposed scheme would be feasible in a structural capacity.

The following factors are material considerations :-

1. Compliance with the rural extension Policy RD2 of the Local Plan is a fundamental consideration;

(a) The proposal amounts to an increase of some 38% over the size of the original dwelling. Therefore, the proposal falls below the recommended upper limit of 40% increase in floor area within the Policy.

(b) However, there would be a significant change to the scale and character of the building as a result of the proposal. Visually, the proposal is dramatically different in design and size and the overall massing and height would be much greater than the original dwelling. The addition of more substantial first floor accommodation and a pitched roof increases the height by 5 metres. The height of the original flat roof at its highest point is 6.5 metres compared to 11.5 metres to the ridge of the proposed pitched roof. In view of this, the proposal would arguably appear disproportionate in size in relation to the original dwelling.

2. In the case of this particular scheme, Officers consider that there are very special circumstances which outweigh the concerns in terms of the increased bulk, scale and height. The proposed alterations would result in the removal of a non-vernacular building from the Conservation Area and the rural landscape. The scheme is considered to be of a more appropriate and traditional in design for the area, reflecting the local “Surrey” vernacular style and would be more in keeping with the character of the area.

3. The proposed scheme would be a larger building, the result of which would arguably make it appear more prominent within the landscape. However, the property is positioned on an area of lower land within a dip in the park. It is not visible from the main road and there are no public footpaths/bridleways within the site. As a result, even the increased size and height, would not make the building any more intrusive than the existing dwelling. It is arguable that the proposed extensions and alterations to the dwelling would result in an improvement over the original building The more traditional style of architecture would visually enhance the landscape of the park and, moreover, be more in keeping with the character of the landscape in this area.

4. The proposal will involve a major re-modelling of the existing building to the extent that the existing design and form would be radically changed. Concerns have been expressed that this may be an inappropriate treatment of a building of merit by a known architect. As members are now aware, the property has been considered by English Heritage but the Department for Culture Media and Sports has confirmed that it does not merit listing. The judgement remains as to whether this proposal satisfactorily enhances the character and appearance of the Conservation Area. It is a matter of visual judgement but the Officers’ consider that the proposal would meet the statutory test. The proposal would provide an attractive replacement of the existing building which would satisfactorily enhance the landscape and Conservation Area.

5. The Officers do not have any overriding concerns in relation to trees on the site. However, it is recommended that general tree protection measures are carried out, if permission is granted.

6. The concerns raised by neighbouring occupiers are noted. However, it is considered that there would be no material impact upon residential amenity nor upon the character of the area.

Conclusions
RECOMMENDS that

2. subject to the completion of departure procedures, permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions :-

1. Standard approval of materials (4.4)

2. Standard larger sites where trees may or may not be affected (25.7)

3. Standard services (25.4)

4. The extended garage, hereby permitted, shall only be used for purposes of parking and domestic storage and shall not be used for habitable accommodation without the prior written approval of the Local Planning Authority.

5. The new roof area, hereby permitted, shall not be converted to habitable accommodation without the prior approval of the Local Planning Authority.

6. No new windows, including roof lights shall be inserted into the new roof without the prior written approval of the Local Planning Authority.

7. Standard (23.6) (Recording). No works authorised by this consent shall take place until a) a programme of building recording has been undertaken in accordance with a written scheme approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reasons

1. Standard (RC12)

2&3 Standard (RC4) - *(long term health of the tree or trees concerned in order to protect visual amenity)

7. Standard (RC27) (Inspection and recording). To secure and safeguard the provision for inspection and recording of features of architectural historic importance associated with the building or site which may be lost in the course of works in accordance with Policy PE12 of Surrey Structure Plan 1994, Policy SE5 of Surrey Structure Plan 1994 (Deposit Draft) 2002 and Policy HE8 of the Waverley Borough Local Plan 2002.

Informative

6. AREA DEVELOPMENT CONTROL SUB-COMMITTEE REPORTS

To receive reports from the Area Sub-Committees as follows:-

(a) Southern - 27th August 2003 (Appendix A)
(b) Eastern - 3rd September 2003 (Appendix B)
(c) Western - 10th September 2003 (Appendix C)
(d) Central - 17th September 2003 (Appendix D)
(to follow)
7. ACTION TAKEN SINCE LAST MEETING

To note any action taken by the Chief Executive since the last meeting of the Committee, following consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman. The Register of Decisions will be laid on the table half-an-hour before the meeting.

8. EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

To consider the following recommendation on the motion of the Chairman:-

Recommendation

That pursuant to Procedure Rule 20, and in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during the item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information (as defined by Section 100I of the Act) of the description specified in Paragraph 12 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, namely:-

Item 9

Any instructions to Counsel and any opinion of Counsel (whether or not in connection with any proceedings) and any advice received, information obtained or action to be taken in connection with:-

(a) any legal proceedings by or against the authority; or

(b) the determination of any matter affecting the authority

(whether, in either case, proceedings have been commenced or are in contemplation).

9. LEGAL ADVICE

To receive and consider any legal advice relating to any applications in the agenda.

For further information or assistance, please telephone Anna-Marie Davis, Trainee Committee Secretary on extension 3492 or 01483 523492.
comms/development/2003-04/021 37878