Full Application - Erection of Mono Pitch Lean-To Building to House ...

Planning Committee – Part A8 February 2013Item 9Page 4In response to DS1 and L1 it is considered that the building’s siting has been well consideredand is logical in terms of the layout of the existing buildings on the holding as it is adjacent to themain group of existing buildings and is of the same scale and design. As the proposed building isto be attached to the east elevation of one of the buildings within the main group it minimises anypotential visual impact.Due to the topography of the land there is a change in level across the site. The piggery hasbeen designed around the level change and therefore the piggery will be set at a lower groundlevel from the adjacent existing agricultural building. As the change in level is existing, there willnot be any need to excavate any substantial amount of earth. Officers consider that as theproposed building will be set at a lower level it will reduce the visual impact of the building. It willalso split up the large massing of the existing agricultural building. As the proposed building is ofthe same materials, similar design and elevation treatment as the existing building which it will beadjacent to, any potential visual impact will not alter from the existing.There will be no change in view from the west as it will be screened by existing agriculturalbuildings. From the north and north east, the applicant has proposed to provide an area of treeplanting which is considered acceptable as it will reduce the massing of the proposed andexisting agricultural buildings on site. This can be required by condition.The proposed building is not visible from the edge of the village due to the settlement’s distanceaway from the site and intervening landscape features and the development does not havesignificant impact on the surrounding setting and does not intrude upon views into and out ofGrindon’s Conservation Area.There is a public footpath that lies approximately 200 meters to the east of the site but due to itsdistance away from the proposed building, the sloping topography of the site, and as the eastelevation will not be to dissimilar from the existing, it is considered that the building would bebarely visible from the path and when seen it would not cause any increased impact compared tothe existing.It is considered that the size and scale of the proposed building is sensible, suited for its purposeand proportionate to the stock numbers and storage requirements of the business. Given thecontext of the existing farm buildings the external appearance of the building does not give rise toany overriding objections. The proposed colours of the slate blue fibre cement roof sheeting andYorkshire cladding on the elevation assimilate into the existing group of buildings.In regard to issues raised in representations about waste management and drainage, theproposed building is to re-house pigs which are already kept on site; therefore the total numberof pigs would remain the same. Currently the pigs are kept on straw and the submittedapplication states that this would remain the case. Any bedding would therefore be disposed of toa muck store, as at present, without the need for any drainage or slurry storage, It is thereforeconsidered that the proposal is not likely to give rise to any significant noise or smell issues overor above the existing situation.In this case, there is no requirement for an additional access track or hard standing. As theproposal is for an extension to an existing agricultural building it is considered to be ancillary tothe existing use and buildings on the site. Therefore it is unlikely to raise any highway safetyissues.ConclusionConsequently it is considered that the proposed building is of appropriate design and scale,would not harm the amenity of the surrounding area and is located in the least damaging locationreasonable on the holding. The detailed treatment and the design of the building are consideredacceptable. Therefore, the application is considered to accord with the relevant policies in theDevelopment Plan.