F/YR09/0535/F
26 August 2009
Applicant : Mr D Housden / Agent : Brand Associates
All Saints Church Hall,Main Road, Elm, Wisbech
Change of use of church hall to 2 x 2-bed and 1 x 3-bed dwellings involving part demolition of building and demolition of outbuilding
F/YR09/0536/CA
26 August 2009
Applicant : Mr D Housden / Agent : Brand Associates
All Saints Church Hall, Main Road, Elm, Wisbech
Demolition of part of existing building and outbuilding

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This proposal is before the Planning Committeedue to the views of the Parish Council being contrary to the Officer recommendation and the level of objections received.

These applications are aminor and other.

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SITE DESCRIPTION

The application site is located adjacent to the junction of Main Road and Rose Lane in Elm. The All Saints Church Hall currently occupies the site and is boarded up. The southern, northern and eastern boundaries all abut the highway. To the west of the site is a mix of dwellings with the 2 pairs of semi-detached dwellings directly adjacent being relatively new. Opposite the site are further residential developments and the All Saints Church.
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HISTORY

Of relevance to this proposal is:

F/YR08/0591/CA

/ - / Demolition of part of the existing building and outbuilding – Refused 22 September 2008

F/YR08/0590/F

F/YR06/0370/F / -
- / Change of use of church hall to 2 x 2-bed and 1 x 3-bed dwellings involving part demolition of building and demolition of outbuilding – Refused 22 September 2009.
Change of use of Church Hall to 2 x 3-bed dwellings involving part demolition of building – Refused 26 May 2009 – Allowed on Appeal 27 December 2006.
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CONSULTATIONS

Parish Council: / Strongly recommend refusal. Concerns over flooding, site is unsuitable for 3 dwellings and will be a detriment to the Conservation Area. Hazardous bend with little visibility and there are existing overcrowding and parking problems in the area.
FDCTree Officer / Not received at the time of producing this report
FDCConservation Officer / F: The site is historically important being surrounded by Listed Buildings, in the core of the village and on a visible site. Would recommend that the front windows be timber, sliding sash windows. The amenity space appears limited.
CA: No objection to the demolition of the rear extension and outbuilding which appear to be 1920s and later.
FDC Scientific Officer / The site is not on the database of potentially contaminated land therefore no objections.
FDC Environmental Protection / No objections.
CCC Highways Authority / Not received at the time of writing this report.
Middle Level Commissioners / Expect test results to show that the surface water disposal system will work efficiently.
Local residents/interested parties: / 6 Letters of objection and 1 petition comprising 16 signatures, received raising the following concerns (in summary):
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- / Village hall has been a big part of community life and its conversion would be a loss.
Church Hall in its current state is better than shoe-horning another 3 dwellings into an already built-up part of the village.
Are more houses necessary along Rose Lane
Parking and access is already a struggle in this area.
Concerns over the safety of children playing in the area when construction is underway.
Would be better to re-instate the Hall for community uses.
Proposal is far too dense for the site and should be converted to only one dwelling.
Parking would be difficult as the site is in a dangerous location.
Proposal is overdevelopment.
Potential issues of overlooking and loss of privacy.
Design is not sympathetic to the character of the building.
Garden space will be very small.
Concerns over the numbers of bins and collection arrangements.
The exit of Rose Lane involves a blind corner.
Concerns over children crossing the road in this area.
Loss of further pavements resulting in a loss of pedestrian safety.
Vehicles use the Rose Lane junction to turn around in.
Concern over the demolition of the old barn that is of historic value.
Concern over the impact upon the Conservation Area.
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POLICY FRAMEWORK

FDWLP Policy
H3 / - / To resist housing development outside DABs. To permit housing development inside DABs providing it does not conflict with other policies of the Plan.
E8 / - / Proposals for new development should:
Allow for the protection of site features;
Be of a design compatible with their surroundings;
Have regard to the amenities of adjoining properties;
Provide adequate access.
E12 / - / Proposals will be favoured for developments in Conservation Areas which protect and enhance the character of the area, provided certain criteria are met.
East of England Plan
ENV7 / - / Seeks to ensure that new development:
is of an appropriate scale;
makes appropriate use of land;
achieves the highest density appropriate to the character of the area;
provides a mix of building types and uses where appropriate;
has regard to the needs and well being of all sectors of the community;
use suitable materials.
Planning Policy Statements
PPS1 / - / Delivering Sustainable Development
PPS3 / - / Housing
PPG15 / - / Planning and the Historic Environment
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ASSESSMENT

Nature of Application

These applications seekFull planning permission and Conservation Area Consent for the conversion of an existing disused Church Hall into 3 dwellings, consisting of 2 x 2-bed dwellings and 1 x 3-bed dwelling. This application involves the demolition of the existing rear extension and outbuilding. The site was subject to a previous application to convert the Church Hall to 2 x 3-bed dwellings which was allowed on appeal. This application has been accompanied by a Tree Survey, Survey of the ExistingBuilding and Protected Species Report.
The application is considered to raise the following key issues;
- Principle and policy implications
- Site History and the Historic Character of the Hall and Surrounding Area
- Layout and density
- Design
- Access
- Parking
- Visual and Residential Amenity
Principle and Policy Implications
The application site is within the Development Area Boundary of Elm and therefore the principle of residential development is considered to be acceptable. The proposal has been considered in line with the Development Plan Policies and National Guidance.
Policy E8 of the Fenland District-Wide Local Plan 1993 seeks, amongst other things, to protect the amenities of adjoining residential properties and ensure that development is in keeping with the character of the surrounding area.
Policy E12 seeks to ensure that the proposals for development continue to protect and enhance the Conservation Area by retaining buildings which are important to the character of the area, ensuring new buildings are in keeping with the area and ensuring appropriate materials are used, amongst other things.
Policy H3 of the Fenland District-Wide Local Plan 1993 supports new residential development within the Development Area Boundaries.
Policy ENV7 of the East of England Plan requires development to be of a high quality which compliments the distinctive character and best qualities of the local area and provide buildings of an appropriate scale whilst making efficient use of land.
PPS3 seeks to shape places where people live and to improve the character and quality of an area. PPS3 also sets out guidance on density with 30 dwellings per hectare used as a national minimum.
PPG15 seeks to protect the historic environment including historic buildings and conservation areas.
Site History and the Historic Character of the Hall and Surrounding Area
The All Saints Church Hall forms a historic central part of the village of Elm and has obvious links with the Church to the South. Despite not being a ListedBuilding, the hall is of considerable architectural and historic merit. These key characteristics are heightened when setting the Hall in a prominent location such as this. The location coupled with the architectural merits makes the Hall a significant landmark building within the village.
Planning Policy Guidance 15 (PPG15) states that new development should enhance the quality and distinctiveness of the historic built environment. The sensitivity of the location of the Church Hall is underlined by a number of Grade II Listed Buildings in the nearby vicinity. The most prominent of these buildings is the All Saints Church to the South of the site, and in addition to this Halfpenny House, Corner Cottage and Elm House directly to the North and East of the Hall are all Listed.
Layout and Density
Density
The proposed development seeks to convert the existing Church Hall to 3 dwellings. The site area is 0.0518hectares and the proposed density therefore equates to approximately 57 dwellings per hectare. PPS3 states that a minimum of 30 dwellings per hectare should be achieved, however it does not give guidance on a maximum density. The proposed density of 57 dwellings per hectare is felt to be acceptable in this location given the mixed densities in the surrounding area.
Layout
The layout of the proposal will utilise the majority of the existing Church Hall building which has been vacant for some time. The proposed layout will involve the demolition of the rear extension and outbuilding to allow parking to the rear of the building, off Rose Lane.The layout of each dwelling involves a living/dining and kitchen area to the ground floor along with a downstairs WC, with bedroom and bathroom facilities to the first floor. Each proposed dwelling will have a garden area to the rear, with a small garden to the front and 2 parking spaces each within the rear communal parking area. The layout has largely been dictated by the form of the existing building.
Design
The proposal is to create 3 dwellings within the existing Church Hall building, comprising of 2 x 2-bed dwellings and 1 x 3-bed dwelling. The proposal has been designed to respect the existing character of the area and street scene. The design seeks to retain the important characteristics and architectural features of the building. The design of the proposal still takes the form and characteristics of the existing Church Hall and it is considered that the removal of the rear extension and outbuilding will have no detrimental impact upon the design and appearance of the Church Hall. The extension and outbuilding are not original features.
The alterations to the roof of the Church Hall with the incorporation of a series of rooflights on the North and South elevations will somewhat alter the appearance of the building however these rooflights are required in order to provide a useable first-floor and make the change of use to residential viable. It is considered that the inclusion of the rooflights would not have a detrimental impact upon the character of the building or area.
The Conservation Officer has advised that the front elevation windows be timber sliding sash windows rather than the historically inaccurate unsympathetically styled uPVC windows proposed. This can be dealt with by condition on any planning permission given.
Access and Parking
The proposal includes the provision of 6 parking spaces to the rear of the site on an existing area of hard standing/parking area. The proposal allows for 2 spaces per dwelling. This parking area is to be accessed off Rose Lane which is an existing small cul-de-sac serving a number of existing dwellings. Rose Lane is not a classified road and therefore there is no requirement for turning space to be provided however the Design and Access statement advises that the layout of the parking area will allow for at least 5 of the 6 cars to be able to turn to exit the site.
The previous applications (F/YR08/0590/F and F/YR08/0591/CA) were refused on highways grounds with the reason being that vehicles reversing onto Rose Lane would prejudice highway safety. This application now allows for parking and turning on the site and in addition to this alteration the access point has been moved further away from the junction. It is also noted that some existing properties along Rose Lane have to reverse out onto the road.
County Highways have been consulted on the proposal however their advice has not yet been received in relation to the proposed scheme.
Visual and Residential Amenity
The proposal will utilise the existing vacant Church Hall building. The existing building consists of the Church Hall building which is currently boarded up, with a rear extension and outbuilding. The proposal is considered to improve the appearance of this site by bringing the existing building back into use and improving the overall visual appearance of the site as a whole through the demolition of the later extensions to the rear of the building. It is considered that the impact upon neighbouring residential amenity is minimal due to the building remaining largely the same and the use of rooflights will minimise any potential for overlooking.

Conclusion

It is considered that in light of the issues discussed in this report the proposed conversion of the existing Church Hall for 3 dwellings is acceptable. Consideration has been given to the previous proposal for the conversion of the Church Hall to 2 dwellings and it is considered that 1 additional dwelling remains acceptable given the level and arrangement of parking facilities provided. The proposal is considered to comply with Local and National Guidance.
The scale and overall design is felt to reflect the character of the existing building and enhance the locality by bringing a prominent building back into use.
Alignment to the Council’s Corporate Objectives
The release of this land will therefore provide additional housing for Fenland which will enhance the local area and quality of life for residents. It is therefore considered that the proposal is in line with this Council’s mission which is:-
“ To improve quality of life for people living in the Fenland District”
The scheme also aligns with the following Council’s Corporate objective as a result of the proposed scheme:-
Shaping Fenland’s Future - To help shape the future of the district to improve local quality of life
Sustainable Environment - To ensure a clean and green environment for residents and minimise impact of the Council’s activities and the local community on the environment
The recommendation therefore is to grant planning permission for the development.
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RECOMMENDATION

F/YR09/0535/F
GrantSubject to:
i) THE RECEIPT OF SATISFACTORY HIGHWAYS COMMENTS
Ii) APPROPRIATE CONDITIONS

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1. / The development permitted shall begin before the expiration of 3 years from the date of this permission.
Reason
To ensure compliance with Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
Prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved full details of the materials to be used for the external walls and roof shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall then be carried out in accordance with the approved particulars and retained in perpetuity thereafter.
Reason
To safeguard the visual amenities of the area.
Prior to the commencement of the use hereby approved the permanent space shown on the plans hereby approved to be reserved on the site to enable vehicles to:
•park clear of the public highwayshall be levelled, surfaced and drained and thereafter retained for no other purpose in perpetuity.
Reason
In the interest of satisfactory development and highway safety.
Prior to the commencement of development full details of both hard and soft landscape works shall be submitted to and proved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Subsequently these works shall be carried out as approved. The landscaping details to be submitted shall include:-
a) hard surfacing, other hard landscape features and materials
b) existing trees, hedges or other soft features and materials
c) planning plans, including specifications of species, sizes, planting centres number and percentage mix
Reason
The landscaping of the site is required in order to protect and enhance the existing visual character of the area and to reduce the visual and environmental impacts of the development hereby permitted.
All hard and soft landscape works including any management and maintenance plan details shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details. All planting, seeding or turfing and soil preparation comprised in the above details of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding seasons following the occupation of the buildings, the completion of the development, or in agreed phases whichever is the sooner, and any plants within which a period of five years from the completion of the development die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species, unless the Local Planning Authority gives written consent to any variation. All landscape works shall be carried out in accordance with the guidance contained in British Standards, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.
Reason
To ensure proper implementation of the agreed landscape details in the interest of the amenity value of the development.