Agenda item

Item 12: Application Reference Number: 17/00907/FUL

Date of Decision: 15/06/2017Condition Number(s): Condition 9

Adjustment to condition 9, following consultation with HCC and the assigned Civil Engineers, to avoid any conflicts with neighbouring land. Proposal to reduce the 'x' distance for visibility splays at the access to Hambledon Road to 2m

The Haven, Hambledon Road, Denmead

Case number: 20/01383/FUL

The Service Lead Built Environment referred Members to the Update Sheet          which set out the following: full additional conditions 2 to 4 to be added to the decision, if the committee were minded to approve the application; and five additional letters of objection and one additional letter of support had been received. 

During public participation, Sandra Wakefield and Councillor Kevin Andreoli (Denmead Parish Council) spoke in objection to the application and Jane-Anne Coulter and Jonny Ribbans (agent) spoke in support of the application and answered Members’ questions thereon.

During public participation, Councillors Clementson and Brook spoke on this item as Ward Members.

In summary, Councillor Clementson stated that she was speaking in support of the application having seen the development prolonged due to a number of factors. She refuted the comments made in objection and concurred with the views of Hampshire County Council and the assigned Civil Engineer that the ‘x’ distance for visibility splays at the access to Hambledon Road could be reduced from 2.4 metres to 2 metres and would not significantly cause risk to road safety. She agreed that Hambledon Road was a busy ‘B’ road, along with others in the area but traffic was not excessive in this location.

In conclusion, Councillor Clementson stated that she had been involved with the site since 2019 and had seen completion delayed. She stated that she had arranged a meeting with the adjacent landowners, the developers and other parties in order to address concerns regarding visibility splay, flooding and drainage and concluded that the cutting and continued maintenance of the hedgerow on the adjacent landowner’s boundary would resolve the need for this application.

In summary, Councillor Brook stated that she was speaking in objection to this application as Ward Member and also referencing the points made by Mr Wakefield, the adjacent neighbour. She advised that she became aware of this proposal four years ago in respect of the need for the 2.4 metre ‘x’ distance for visibility splays at this access in order for the development to meet the planning permission given with any reduction to this distance putting public safety at risk with vehicles protruding onto the main carriageway. She explained that Hambledon Road was positioned on a hill with cars travelling downhill often exceeding the 30mph speed limit and speed watch patrolling this site regularly with previous studies indicating 3,800 vehicle movements per day. She considered that developers had neglected the need to cut back or remove existing vegetation or to achieve a resolution with Mr & Mrs Wakefield as owners of the neighbouring property on this matter.

In conclusion, Councillor Brook stated that Hambledon Road was not a typical residential road. There were already existing difficulties with passing traffic without a limited visibility splay. In addition, she considered that although 2 metre visibility splays were usual on an urban residential street, Denmead was a rural location with no street lighting for half a mile in either direction so could not be treated as such and she urged the committee to support the objections raised by the Parish Council and local residents and refuse the application. 

For clarification, the Public Law Manager reminded the committee that many of the issues raised were not material planning considerations and that this application should be determined on its planning merits which in this case related to highway safety. 

In response to questions, Mr T Fisher, Senior Transport Planner, Hampshire Highways confirmed that the advice of the Highways Authority was that a 2 metre set back in this instance was considered acceptable and achievable. There was contentment with the characteristics and access of the road with a precedent of existing street frontages along the road evident and it was reported that there were no recorded accidents over the past five years in the vicinity.

In respect of the vegetation concerns, he clarified that the Highways Authority did have the ability to request and enforce vegetation trimming where it encroached upon public highway land and this would be concluded by Highways local area office who were responsible for local maintenance if it was deemed in the best interests of highway safety.

At the conclusion of debate, the committee agreed to grant permission for the reasons and subject to the updated conditions and informatives set out in the Report and the Update Sheet.

RESOLVED:

That the decisions taken on the Planning Applications in relation to those applications outside the area of the South Downs National Park be agreed as set out in the decision relating to each item above.

The virtual meeting commenced at 9.30am, adjourned between 11.52am and 2pm and concluded at 3.45pm.

Chair