Agenda item

Proposal Description: Item 12: (AMENDED DESCRIPTION) Change of use of land farm agriculture to provide 3 no. shepherd’s huts for tourism use (class C3); the self-build conversion of a redundant barn to provide accommodation in the form of a single storey two bedroomed facility to enable the running of a business

 

The application was introduced. During public participation, Rob Medway spoke in support of the application and answered Members' questions thereon.

 

Councillor Pett spoke as Ward Member (also on behalf of Meonstoke and Corhampton Parish Council) in support of the application. In summary,      

 

Councillor Pett raised the following points:

1.    He was speaking as both the Ward Member and the Chair of the local Parish Council. He stated that the case was unique as the proposal had been carefully crafted by the applicant, lifelong resident of the farm, rather than by a commercial developer.

2.    The proposal was a realistic and well-researched plan to meet a demonstrable market need for tourist accommodation, given the site's proximity to the South Downs Way where existing accommodation was in high demand.

3.    He disagreed with the officer's report, which he believed had incorrectly characterised the proposal as being principally for market housing and therefore contrary to policy SD25. He argued that the report's premise, that there was no justification for the operator to live on-site, was subjective and not supported by policy.

4.    He contended that policy SD41, concerning the reuse of redundant agricultural buildings, was of greater importance. He highlighted that this policy made provision for "succession housing" for former agricultural or forestry workers, a category the applicant fell into.

5.    The proposal also met two exceptions within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) for development in the countryside: the reuse of redundant buildings that enhance their immediate setting, and the essential need for a rural worker to live at or near their place of work.

6.    While the officer's report noted the design would have a "benign effect," he suggested that constructing a small bungalow within a derelict barn constituted the "required enhancement of the setting" as stipulated by policy.

7.    He explained that the Parish Council had not formally commented due to some members' anxiety about setting a precedent for new development. However, several members had submitted individual statements of support, and the wider village community was fulsome in its support for the applicant's family.

8.    The applicant would be happy to be conditioned to ensure the conversion remained an essential part of the business and was not disposed of separately. He would also be proactive in providing transparent updates on the business's progress.

9.    Councillor Pett concluded that to characterise the application as "new market housing in the countryside" was factually incorrect. Instead, it was a prime example of the intent behind policies SD23 and SD41, creating a new tourism business, reusing redundant buildings, and providing employment and accommodation for a lifelong local resident.

 

The Committee proceeded to ask questions and debate the application.

                       

            RESOLVED

                       

                        The committee agreed to grant permission for the following               reasons and subject to the following conditions:

 

(i)            Policy SD41 (operational need; the need for farm and rural diversification and accommodation to service this; and succession planning for former farm workers).

 

(ii)          SDNP legal agreement for completion within 6 months of the permission being granted and suite of conditions:

 

1.         The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

 

Reason: To comply with the provisions of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended).

 

2.         The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the plans listed below under the heading "Plans Referred to in Consideration of this Application".

 

Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

 

3. The shepherds huts hereby permitted shall be used for holiday accommodation only and shall be used for no other purpose (including any other purpose within Class C3 of the Schedule to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, or any Order revoking and re-enacting that order with or without modification.)

 

Reason: To maintain the availability of the site as short term holiday tourist accommodation.

 

4. Holiday occupancy:

(i) the holiday accommodation units (shepherds huts) shall be occupied for holiday purposes only.

(ii) the holiday accommodation units (shepherds huts) shall not be occupied as a person's sole or main place of residence

(iii) the owners shall maintain an up-to-date register of the names of all occupiers of the individual holiday accommodation units (shepherds huts) on the site, their arrival and departure dates and their main home addresses, and shall make this information available at all reasonable times to the Local Planning Authority

(iiii) the holiday accommodation units (shepherds huts) shall be limited to occupation of any unit for a maximum period of 4 weeks and for no more than 3 times per year, with a break between each occupation, by the same occupier, of 4 weeks.

 

Reason: The site is outside defined settlement limits in the open countryside, where permanent dwellings with unrestricted occupation would be contrary to adopted planning policy, however the application is considered to be in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

5. No development shall be carried out above ground floor slab level until a schedule of external materials finishes and samples to be used on the development hereby approved has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter the development shall be carried out in full accordance with the approved schedule and samples.

 

Reason: To safeguard the appearance of the building and the character of the area and to enable the Local Planning Authority to properly consider the development. It is considered necessary of this to be a pre-commencement condition as these details need to be agreed prior to the construction of the development and thus go to the heart of the planning permission.  

 

6. The occupation of the barn conversion for staff accommodation to service the tourist accommodation (shepherds huts) hereby permitted shall be limited to a person / or persons solely or mainly employed, or last employed in connection with the land shown edged red on drawing 'Site Location Plan' received 23/05/2025 , or a widow or widower of such a person, or any resident dependant.

 

Reason: To accord with the terms of the application since the site lies within an area where additional residential properties would not normally be permitted.

 

7. Before the development hereby approved is first brought into use, a minimum of 5 car parking spaces shall be provided within the curtilage of the site and thereafter maintained and kept available.

 

Reason: To ensure adequate car parking provision within the site in accordance with the standards of the Local Planning Authority.

 

8. Cycle storage shall be provided as shown on drawing 'Parking Plan' and retained in perpetuity.

 

Reason: To ensure a satisfactory development and in the interests of amenity.

 

9. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the measures, conclusions and recommendations and to the timeframe for implementation as set out within 6.1.1 and appropriate mitigation measures are required which is provided in section 6.1.2 of the Preliminary Bat Roost and Barn Owl Assessment (Phillips Ecology, May 2024) regarding timing of construction and ensuring that any lighting during construction and operation should be in accordance with best practice guidance. Thereafter, the compensation measures shall be permanently maintained and retained in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: To provide adequate mitigation and enhancement for protected species.

 

10. The actions outlined within the eco systems services statement, submitted 25/06/2024, shall be implemented within one month of the completion of the development hereby approved and thereafter retained. In the case of soft landscaping, this shall be implemented during the next available planting season following the completion/occupation of the development.

 

Reason: To protect and enhance biodiversity in accordance with Policies SD2 and SD9 of the SDNP Local Plan.

 

11. Details of any external lighting of the site shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to the occupation of the development. The lighting scheme should be in accordance with Guidance Note 08/18 produced by the Bat Conservation Trust and Institute of Lighting Professionals. This information shall include a layout plan with beam orientation and a schedule of equipment in the design (luminaire type, mounting height, aiming angles and luminaire profiles). The lighting shall be installed, maintained and operated in accordance with the approved details unless the Local Planning Authority gives its written consent to the variation.

 

Reason: To protect the appearance of the area, the environment and protected species from light pollution.

 

12. Prior to the commencement of the development of the 2 bedroom conversion hereby permitted detailed information in a design stage sustainable construction report in the form of:

a) design stage SAP data

b) design stage BRE water calculator

c) product specifications

d) building design details

e) layout or landscape plans demonstrating that the dwelling has:

a) reduced predicted CO2 emissions by at least 19% due to energy

efficiency and;

b) reduced predicted CO2 emissions by a further 10% due to on site renewable energy compared with the maximum allowed by building regulations

c) EV charge point

d) predicted water consumption no more than 110 litres/person/day

e) separate internal bin collection for recyclables

f) private garden compost bin and providing evidence demonstrating:

g) sustainable drainage and adaptation to climate change

h) selection of sustainable materials shall be submitted to and

approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be built in accordance with these agreed details.

 

Reason: To ensure development demonstrates a high level of sustainable performance to address mitigation of and adaptation to predicted climate change.

 

13. Detailed proposals for the disposal of foul and surface water shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority before the commencement of the development hereby permitted. The approved details shall be fully implemented before the development is occupied.

 

Reason: To ensure satisfactory provision of foul and surface water drainage.

 

14. Notwithstanding The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 and The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (or any order revoking and/or re-enacting those orders with or without modification), the development shall not be constructed other than as self-build or custom build dwelling as defined under the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as amended by the Housing and Planning Act 2016) and shall be occupied by the person/s implementing the planning approval as their sole or main residence for a period of 3 years from completion of the dwelling.

 

Reason: To maintain control of development and to ensure development proceed in line with Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as inserted by Schedule 14 of the Environment Act 2021).

 

15. The development hereby permitted shall NOT BE OCCUPIED until:

a) A water efficiency calculation which demonstrates that no more than 110 litres of water per person per day shall be consumed within the development (each shepherds hut and 2 bedroom dwelling), and this calculation has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority

b) The mitigation package addressing the additional nutrient input arising from the development addressing all of the additional nutrient load imposed on protected European sites by the development shall be implemented in full prior to first occupation in accordance with the agreed details in the section 106 agreement.

 

Reason: To accord with the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, and Policy SD1, SD2, and SD9 of the South Downs Local Plan (2014-33