Planning Appeal in relation to Land Off London Road And Owles Lane, Buntingford, Hertfordshire

Planning Appeal Reference: APP/J1915/W/24/3353714

Planning Application Reference: 3/23/1390/FUL

 

Description of Development:

Demolition of no. 16 London Road and alterations to no. 18, including demolition of garage and amendment to parking arrangements and access, and erection of 68 dwellings with associated parking, landscaping, refuse and ancillary works.

 

Introduction

A planning appeal has been lodged with the Planning Inspectorate by Wheatley Group Developments Ltd against the refusal of East Hertfordshire District Council to grant planning permission for the above development.

This page has been set up to allow interested parties to view and make any comments on additional information associated with the planning appeal.

This additional information includes revised information that was submitted during the course of the application i.e. prior to its determination; and information that has now been prepared and submitted alongside the planning appeal to address some of the reasons for refusal as listed on the planning decision notice.

 

Revised Information Submitted Prior to Determination of the Application

This consultation relates to the following additional information that was submitted to East Hertfordshire District Council during the course of the application:

  • Updated Transport Assessment and Layout Drawings

In March 2024, a suite of revised layout plans and an updated Transport Assessment (Revision C) were submitted to East Hertfordshire District Council in response to comments received from the Highways Authority. The updated Transport Assessment and revised plans were published on the Council’s website

 

With regard to the changes, the updated Transport Assessment (Revision C) included calculations on new traffic input data to correspond with changes in junction geometry as requested by the highways Authority. This document can be downloaded directly from this webpage for viewing.

 

The revised layout drawings incorporated the following minor internal changes to the proposed layout:

  • EV charging point provision provided for each dwelling;
  • At the rear of the site, the link connection to Owles Lane is a minimum 3.0 metres; and
  • Vehicle Swept path analysis for plot 68, with the turning head confirming a refuse vehicle can enter and exit in a forward gear

The following layout drawings were revised to reflect the above minor changes and can be downloaded directly from this webpage for viewing:

  • Planning Layout Rev B (dwg no: 18924-1001B), dated March 2024;
  • Car Parking Strategy Rev B (dwg no: 18924-1002B), dated March 2024;
  • Refuse Collection Strategy Rev B (dwg no: 18924-1003B), dated March 2024;
  • Fire Vehicle Strategy Rev B (dwg no: 18924-1004B), dated March 2024;
  • Affordable Housing Plan Rev B (dwg no: 18924-1007B), dated March 2024.

The Highways Authority were consulted and confirmed in their follow-up response on 4th April that the revisions and updated Transport Assessment (Revision C) were acceptable in terms of their highway impact, and advised they had no objection to the proposal.

 

Additional/Revised Information Submitted with Planning Appeal

The application was refused on 24th May, with the decision notice setting out there were unresolved matters on flood risk and drainage as well as introducing previously unraised concerns by the Council on agricultural land quality (amongst other reasons for refusal).

 

The unresolved matters on flood risk and drainage relate to comments received from the Lead Local Flood Authority in their response to the application on 17th May. The short time between receiving this response and the determination of the application did not allow the applicant sufficient time to address the issues raised.

 

Accordingly, a revised Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy (Revision B) has subsequently been produced and submitted to the Lead Local Flood Authority in August 2024 together with a covering letter comprehensively setting out the changes to this document from the previous version. Both the covering letter and the Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy (Revision B) can also be downloaded directly from this webpage for viewing.

 

Lastly, an Agricultural Land Classification & Considerations report was produced in relation to the matter raised on agricultural land quality within the decision notice. This report has been submitted directly to East Hertfordshire District Council and the Planning Inspectorate given there were no comments from the statutory consultees raising concerns on the matter prior to the decision, and therefore this document and its findings also forms part of the appellant’s case. It can be downloaded directly from this webpage for viewing.

 

The report confirms that detailed testing of the appeal site has been undertaken has revealed that the site comprises part ‘best and most versatile’ (BMV) agricultural land, and part urban or grade 3b agricultural land.

 

The report demonstrates that, in the local context where the vast majority of land surrounding Buntingford is indicated to be BMV, the site presents an opportunity for development on land that would align with the lower end of the agricultural grading scale and therefore would have a much lower impact than other potential sites within the vicinity of Buntingford, and further sets out that the economic benefits for farming this quantity of BMV land on the site as compared to non-BMV land is moderately limited.

 

How To Comment

The new and amended plans and documents can be accessed from this webpage and are available for comment from Monday 28th October until Sunday 17th November.

Please submit any comments you may have on the above amendments and additional information within the consultation period either through the comment box, by e-mail to planning@woodshardwick.com or by post to Wheatley Group Developments Ltd, c/o Woods Hardwick Planning, 15-17 Goldington Road, Bedford, MK40 3NH.

 

All comments will be reported to the Planning Inspectorate and will be publicly available.

 

 

Revised Information Submitted Prior to Determination of the Application

18924 1001B – Planning Layout 68 Units

18924 1002B – Car Parking Strategy

18924 1007B – Affordable Housing Plan

Transport Assessment (Rev C) – London Road, Buntingford (19249)

18924 1003B – Refuse Collection Strategy

18924 1004B – Fire Vehicle Strategy

 

Additional/Revised Information Submitted with Planning Appeal

FRA and DS – London Road Buntingford Rev B (19249)-Text + App A+B

KCC3743 ALC&C Oct 24

Covering Letter FRA&DS Rev B

FRA and DS – London Road Buntingford Rev B (19249)-App C-L