Agenda item

Item 6: Material amendments to application no 18/01432/FUL to amend condition nos: 9 – landscaping; 12 – arboricultural impact assessment; 13 – approved plans (AMENDED PLANS)  

The Corner House, 15 Bereweeke Close, Winchester, SO22 6AR

Case number: 20/00949/FUL

The Service Lead - Built Environment referred Members to the Update Sheet which set out the following: an amendment that there would be no pedestrian access onto Bereweeke Road. The access on Bereweeke Close to be used for vehicular and pedestrian access; and an amendment of condition 7 to prevent the future addition of gates on the Bereweeke Avenue access.

In addition, a verbal update was made at the meeting in respect of the amendment to condition 7, to remove permitted development rights in classes A, B, C and E and to clarify that no gates are to be installed at any time to the south west facing access along Bereweeke Close.

During public participation, John MacAulay and Mr Dickens spoke in objection to the application and answered Members’ questions thereon.

During public participation, Councillor Learney spoke on this item as Ward Member.

In summary, Councillor Learney stated that this was not the first time that Ward Members had addressed the committee regarding the proposals. The main concerns are the visual impact on the surrounding area from the proposals, parking on the road and in neighbouring streets being very limited whereby legally parked vehicles obscured the view of traffic coming along Bereweeke Close.

Councillor Learney suggested that the proposed entrance encroached onto parking bays with no visibility splays provided.  In addition, she stated that vehicles in the driveway would not be able to reverse safely and also made reference to the history of the site and the developer’s approach to ignoring planning policies. Councillor Learney considered that, gate or not, the access was unacceptable without relocating the parking bays, restricting the height of the hedges on the boundary and improving the visibility splays. Councillor Learney urged the committee to refuse the application unless these issues could be resolved.

In conclusion, Councillor Learney made reference to the detrimental effect from the removal of boundary trees at Mr & Mrs Dicken’s property, where trees had been felled and shrubbery removed for the original access onto Bereweeke Road. In addition, Councillor Learney suggested that, if the entrance was to go into Bereweeke Close, the planting scheme should not only include the trees referred to in the condition, but should also include the restoration of the previous ‘garden feel’ to the Bereweeke Road frontage making the building less incongruous in its setting.

At the conclusion of debate, the committee agreed to grant permission for the reasons and subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the Report, the Update Sheet and the verbal update, subject to the following: an additional condition to remove permitted development rights under Part 2 of Class A to ensure no gates, fences, walls or other measures of enclosure; and additional informatives that the applicant discuss with Hampshire County Council access to parking bays and the height of hedges to ensure highway safety when exiting the site.