Planning Applications - Hyndburn Borough Council

Additional information since 18 th July 2007
Since the application was deferred I have received an e-mail from a local resident supporting the
applicant. The writer states that, while he was not aware of the detail of the scheme, he accepts that
“whatever it was, it would not have eroded the common good”.
I have also received two letters. The first letter states:
• A separate dwelling is not required.
• We have asked the Planning Department for advice on how to extend the granny flat which
is too small for any current use.
• The existing flat is separated from the existing dwelling by a door. The enlarged structure
would be similarly separated by a door into the existing garage. How does this make it a
separate dwelling?
• Various amendments could be made to this part of the property including the removal of the
garage which would remove hazardous reversing movements.
The second letter adds the following information:
• The proposals will provide a small retirement cottage for Mr and Mrs Ashburner as the
present farmhouse has six bedrooms.
• Only a small amount of building work is required – raising a section of the roof – and this
will be within the existing footprint of the building.
• There have been no objections from any neighbours.
Recommendation
Refuse for the following reasons:
Reasons for refusal
1 The proposed development is located within the Green belt as defined in the Hyndburn Borough
Local Plan. Within the Green Belt planning permission will not be given except in very special
circumstances for development other than for the purposes of agriculture, forestry, outdoor sport
and recreation, cemeteries and institutions standing in extensive grounds, or other uses appropriate
to a rural area.
Therefore the proposed development is contrary to Policy 6 of the Joint Lancashire Structure Plan
and Policies S1, S2 and Appendix One of the Hyndburn Borough Local Plan. The proposal
constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt and the applicant has not put forward
sufficient very special circumstances as to why this policy should be set aside.
2 There is currently an adequate supply of housing land within the Borough as demonstrated in the
Council's adopted Supplementary Planning Guidance for New Residential Developments in
Hyndburn. In addition, the formation of an additional dwelling outside the urban area would add to
the number of housing completions within the Borough which is already exceeding significantly
the completion rates as set out in Policy 12 of the Joint Lancashire Structure Plan 2001/16.
Therefore there is not a need to allow this development at the present time.
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