Great Yarmouth Borough Council Portal
No.Condition Text
1.The site lies more than 400m but less than 2.5Km from an internationally protected wildlife site. The applicant submitted a Shadow Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA). The size of the application site was clarified including the proposed open space provisions. Further, the applicant has added to the HRA an assessment of the impact on the Breydon Water SPA. At the time of determining this application this additional information had not been reassessed and therefore could not be agreed as being suitable for the Borough Council as competent authority to use as the HRA record for the determination of the planning application, in accordance with the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. The HRA submitted with the application has not provided sufficient evidence to rule out a significant effect from associated recreation on protected habitats and not demonstrated that there would be no unacceptable harm to contrary to policy CS11.
2.This proposal is located on land outside development limits. It is considered contrary to Great Yarmouth Borough Council saved policy HOU10 where permission for dwellings in the Countryside will only be given where required in connection with agriculture, forestry, organised recreation or the expansion of existing institutions. It is also contrary to Adopted Core Strategy policy CS1 where growth is required to be sustainable by ensuring that new development is of a scale and in a location that complements the character and supports the function of individual settlements; and policy CS2 where in the countryside, development will be limited to conversions/replacement dwellings/buildings and schemes that help to meet rural needs; and the NPPF paragraph 73 which requires that housing supply be assessed on the basis of the local housing need (LHN). At present, the Council is able to demonstrate a 6.51 year supply of deliverable housing sites calculated using the national standard methodology set out in the NPPG. Under this, the housing requirement for the five-year supply is 2,142. The Council's 2020 Five-Year Housing Land Supply Position Statement indicates a supply of 2,797 homes over the five-year period (2020-2025). Therefore, against this updated local housing need target, the Borough Council has a demonstrable five-year supply. There is therefore no demonstrable need for residential development of the site contrary to the aspirations of the local community.
3.Policy H13 "Housing Supply and Delivery" of the Draft Local Plan Part 2 states that Outline planning applications for major housing development should provide evidence on how the site will be delivered to give confidence that completions can occur within five years of consent. In this case no evidence has been provided and is therefore contrary to that policy.
4.The proposal falls within affordable housing sub-market area 1. Policy CS4 indicates that this would require a minimum on-site contribution of 20% affordable homes, or approximately 30 dwellings on this proposed site. The planning application indicates that up to 75 units (50%) affordable homes would be provided. This is a significant uplift on current policy requirements, and whilst welcomed there is no evidence accompanying the planning application to suggest that this is realistically achievable, therefore reduced weight has been given to the proposal's compliance against Policy CS4.
5.The proposal is sited within the area categorised by DEFRA as high quality Grade 1 agricultural land (best and most versatile), and therefore contrary to Great Yarmouth Borough Council Core Strategy policy CS6(j), CS11(j) where the protection and where possible enhancement of high quality agricultural land is cited and Policy CS12 (g) Recognising the need to protect the best and most versatile agricultural land as a valuable resource for future generations and NPPF paragraph 170(b)
6.The application is not supported by sufficient highways and transport information to demonstrate that the proposed development will not be prejudicial to the satisfactory functioning of the highway / highway safety. Contrary to Development Plan Core Strategy policy CS16(c)
7.STATEMENT OF POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT (REFUSALS): In accordance with the NPPF, in determining this application for planning permission, the Borough Council has approached it in a positive and proactive way and where possible has sought solutions to problems to achieve the aim of approving sustainable development. Unfortunately, despite this, in this particular case the development is not considered to represent sustainable or an acceptable form of development and has been refused for the reasons set out above.
8.NOTES - Please read the following notes carefully:- In relation to reason 6 the applicant is referred to the letter from Norfolk County Council Community and Environmental Services dated 3 February 2021.