Agenda item

Change of use of agricultural land to the siting of 118 storage containers (use class B8) – retrospective. [Strensall Ward]

Prior to the consideration of the item 4c, Cllr Fenton was elected as Vice-Chair for the remainder of the meeting.

Members considered a full application by Mr Simon Dunn for retrospective permission to change the use of agricultural land to the siting of 118 storage containers (use class B8) at Moor Lane, Strensall.

The Head of Planning and Development gave a presentation on the plans and clarified them for Members in response to their questions.  Officers reported that the site was adjacent the special area of conservation at Strensall Common and the area under consideration was all laid to hard standing. The 118 containers were situated on the external land, outside the farm buildings.

Public Speaker

Simon Dunn, the applicant, spoke in favour of the application.  He outlined the importance of having an additional revenue stream and explained how the storage business provided funds for other areas of his business.

Killian Gallagher, the agent for the applicant, was in attendance to answer Member’s questions.  They confirmed the following:

·       There were two storage sites in operation.

·       The hardstanding was installed in 2009.

·       The site was on agricultural land.

·       An enhanced planting scheme had been submitted.

The Head of Planning and Development showed Members some recent photographs of the site and Officers responded to further questions from Members as follows:

·       The officer recommendation was based on the information submitted at the time of the application.

·       It was possible to tie the planning permission to the applicant, rather than the property.

Following debate, Cllr Steward proposed the officer recommendation to refuse the application, this was seconded by Cllr Ayre.  Following a vote, with eight Members in favour and one against, it was;

Resolved: That the application be refused.

Reason:

i.                The application site is located within the general extent of the York Green Belt and serves two of the Green Belt purposes set out in the NPPF - protecting the countryside from encroachment and to preserve the setting and special character of the city. As such it falls to be considered under paragraph 147 of the NPPF which states inappropriate development is, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances. Very special circumstances will not exist unless the potential harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness and any other harm are clearly outweighed by other considerations. National planning policy dictates that substantial weight should be given to any harm to the Green Belt.

ii.               In addition to the harm to the Green Belt by reason of inappropriateness, it is considered that the proposal would have a harmful effect on the openness of the Green Belt when one of the most important attributes of Green Belts are their openness, and that the proposal would undermine the Green Belt purposes.  Substantial weight is attached to the harm that the proposal would cause to the

Green Belt. The harm to the Green Belt is added to by the harm to visual amenity and  character, and the lack of drainage information identified in this report.

iii.             It is not considered that there are benefits arising from the proposal that clearly outweigh these harm so as to amount to very special circumstances necessary to justify an exception to Green Belt policy.