Agenda item

Erection of an agricultural building for the keeping of Livestock. [Bishopthorpe Ward] [Site Visit]

Members considered a full application from Mr Kevin Linfoot for the erection of an agricultural building for the keeping of livestock.

Officers informed the Committee that the site appeared to be for an agricultural use which is appropriate development in the greenbelt and that details of the applicant’s landholding and stock had been provided. It was explained that the building required planning permission because it was within 400m of a protected building and was proposed to house livestock however in a different location it could be built under agricultural permitted development rights. They also advised that draft conditions 4 and 5 in the report duplicated each other and recommended that condition 4 be deleted.

Representations were received from a representative of Bishopthorpe Parish Council in objection to the application. He questioned the proposed use of the shed and hard standing stating that insufficient information had been provided by the applicant to confirm these details. He advised Members that due to lack of details there was not sufficient justification to confirm that this is appropriate development in the greenbelt and suggested that the application should be resubmitted with further clarification on the proposals. 

Officers clarified that the purpose of the building was to house livestock. They explained that the design had been amended to increase the hard standing to allow a greater turning area so that a rigid HGV could turn round on the site, and so that the building was high enough for vehicles to be able to drive through it.  

Members raised concerns that they had not been given sufficient information on the proposed use of the building and questioned whether there was sufficient space to house animals, store feed stuff and drive a vehicle through the building.  Members also raised concerns that the increase in size of the hard standing could impact on the soakaways.

Councillor Galvin proposed and Councillor Gilles seconded a motion to refuse the application on the basis that it was inappropriate development in this location. On being put to the vote, the motion was lost.

Members acknowledged that in its present site, the building would be well screened and that if they turned down the application, the applicant could put the building in the middle of his land and as long as this was 400m away from any building not concerned with farm, it could be built under agricultural permitted development rights.

Officers advised that if members were concerned about the building being used for agricultural purposes, a condition could be added to the permission to state that if the building ceased to be used for agricultural purposes, the building must be removed from the land. Members agreed to this condition.

RESOLVED:             That the application be approved subject to the conditions listed in the report, the deletion of existing condition 4 and the addition of the condition detailed below.

Additional Condition

Should the building cease to be used for agricultural purposes it shall be removed from the land within 6 months of the date of the ending of its agricultural use unless planning permission has been granted to retain the building for non-agricultural uses.

Reason: In the interests of the openness of the green belt and the purposes of including land within the green belt given the existing limited agricultural use of the site and in accordance with policy GB1 of the Development Control Local Plan and policy contained within PPG2 "Green Belts."

REASON:                  The proposal, subject to the conditions listed in the report and the additional condition above, would not cause undue harm to interests of acknowledged importance, with particular reference to the principle of the development, design and siting, residential amenity, traffic and drainage. As such the proposal complies with Policy YH9 and Y1C of The Yorkshire and Humber Plan, policy GB1 of the City of York Development Control Local Plan and Government policy contained within Planning Policy Guidance note 2 'Green Belts'.

10/02684/FUL

REASON: