Agenda item

In respect of application numbered S/19/1186/CHHO - Erection of 2no. dwellings with vehicle parking and associated works, Hillsborough, Marlborough Road, Chiseldon) the Committee considered: -

          Name                                 Address/Organisation

          Glen Mills                           Agent                   

Councillors Stan Pajak, Carol Shelley and Peter Watts spoke in respect of this application.

Submissions in support of the application can be broadly summarised as:

·       There should be a presumption in favour of the grant of the application as the Council could not demonstrate a five year supply of housing land in accordance with Paragraph 11 of the NPPF.

·       That the proposed development was sustainable and helped address the shortfall in the five year housing land supply and in accordance with the NPPF should be considered as sustainable development.

·       The dwellings proposed were designed to minimise any overlooking of adjoining properties including the inclusion of a blank gable wall.

·       The proposed development was not out of character with nearby properties.

·       That backland developments to existing properties by their nature can add value to local communities.

·       No response had been received from representations made to the Council’s AONB officer.

·       The size and materials of the proposed development were in character to the existing dwelling.

·       Houses on the other side of the road should be of more concerns due to their nature and also because they were on a plateau of the AONB whereas the proposed development would not affect the AONB as it was part way down Plough Hill and consisted of mature planting.

·       A five bedroom development including dormer windows had been given retrospective planning permission despite having no resemblance nearby dwellings.

·       The nearby Manor development of 11 dwellings offered resemblance to nearby dwellings.

·       The cedar tree which is a metre and a half from the dwelling was only made the subject of a TPO following the application being submitted.

Submissions opposing the application can be broadly summarised as:

·       The application before Members had previously been refused and had subsequently been resubmitted and was broadly similar to the refused application.

·       The application was for 2 pitched roof residential dwellings, 1.5 storeys in height within the residential curtilage of the existing residential site.

·       The site which formed the garden curtilage of the host dwelling at Hillsborough was located outside but adjacent to the defined Chiseldon settlement boundary as identified within the Swindon Borough Council Local Plan 2026 Polices Map.

·       The site was also located within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Down Plain Landscape Character Area.

·       The development if permitted would be out of character with the residential dwellings on Marlborough Road and would have a negative impact on the amenity of the existing property and upon neighbouring properties including the loss of privacy arising from the removal of trees overlooking and an increase in the level of noise.

·       The development would give rise to harm to a cedar tree on site which is the subject of a Tree Preservation Order and did not meet Policy SD2 as it was located outside the Chisledon (rural settlement boundary).

·       The loss of landscaping would be contrary to Policy EN5 of the Adopted Swindon Borough Local Plan 2026. The application was not supported by an Arboriculture Impact Assessment as required by Policy EN1.  Pruning to accommodate the development would significantly reduce screening to nearby properties

Resolved – That application S/19/1186/CHHO be refused for the reasons set out within the report.

Councillor Jenny Jefferies joined the meeting following the consideration of this item having taken no part in the discussion or voting thereon.