Agenda item

To determine a full planning application from Northumbria Vehicles for the erection of 5no three bedroom houses and 5no four bedroom houses at the site of the former Drift Inn public house.

The Committee considered a report from the planning officers, together with an addendum circulated prior to the meeting, in relation to a full planning application from Northumbria Vehicles for the erection of 5no three bedroom houses and 5no four bedroom houses at the site of the former Drift Inn public house.

A planning officer presented details of the application with the aid of various maps, plans and photographs.

In accordance with the Committee’s Temporary Speaking Rights Scheme, Mr & Mrs Hogg of Meadow Cottage, Seaton Burn had been granted permission to submit a written statement setting out their objection to the application. This was read to the Committee. Mr & Mrs Hogg stated that by virtue of the size and location of the proposed 2½ storey townhouses, Meadow Cottage would be overwhelmed and overlooked, causing a loss of light and privacy. Mr & Mrs Hogg operated dog kennels at Meadow Cottage and they were concerned that the dogs barking would cause a noise nuisance to residents of the houses which would result in complaints.

Valley Environment Consulting submitted a written statement on behalf of the applicants, Northumbrian Vehicles, in response to Mr & Mrs Hogg’s comments. The statement was also read to the Committee. The applicant commented on the planning history of Meadow Cottage and rebutted some of the points raised by Mr & Mrs Hogg. The scale of the proposed townhouses were considered to be reasonable and their impact on Meadow Cottage would not result in a loss of daylight or privacy. Every effort had been made by the applicant to provide an acceptable noise survey and this had concluded that on average noise generated from the kennels would not be unacceptable to residents and mitigating measures had been suggested. 

Resolved that planning permission be refused on the following grounds:

1. The proposed layout results in an unacceptable form of development. Units 1-4 would be provided with limited outdoor amenity space and would be sited in close proximity to Meadow Cottage. The siting of these units results in an unacceptable impact on the residential amenity of this neighbouring property by virtue of their height and proximity to this shared boundary. The units would appear visually dominant when viewed from this neighbouring property. As such, the proposed development is contrary to the NPPF, policy DM6.1 of the North Tyneside Local Plan (2017) and the Design Quality SPD.

2. Insufficient information has been submitted to demonstrate that appropriate mitigation could be secured to protect the amenity of future occupants of this development in terms of noise, prevent unreasonable restrictions being placed on Meadow Cottage and whether any such mitigation would be acceptable in terms of its impact on Meadow Cottage and visual amenity of the area and future occupants. As such, the proposed development is contrary to the NPPF and policy DM5.19 of the North Tyneside Local Plan (2017).

3. The legal agreement has not been signed. Without a signed agreement the council cannot secure the contributions that it is seeking to mitigate against the impacts of this development contrary to Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document LDD8 (2018), the Coastal Mitigation SPD (July 2019) and Policies S5.4, DM5.5, DM5.6, S7.1, DM7.2 and DM7.5 of the North Tyneside Local Plan 2017.