On Thursday, January 14, Test Valley Borough Council’s Southern Area Planning Committee will decide whether a house can be built on the site of a mobile home by James Barney.
The application site straddles the eastern boundary of Sandhill Farm, adjacent to Newtown Road on its western side.
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(Image: Promap) The wider site has large agricultural buildings, some of which have benefitted from planning permission for change of use to Class B2 and B8 uses.
According to the planning officer’s report, the mobile home is currently on site and in situ hardstanding allows it to be stationed on the land.
The report said: “The current application seeks to trade off the mobile home, lawfully permitted to be on the site for residential purposes and its replacement with a permanent residential dwelling.”
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Concluding the report, the case officer, Mark Staincliffe, said: “The proposed development is a departure from the Test Valley Borough Revised Local Plan (2016) in that it is contrary to policy COM2.
“However, the provision of a mobile home on the site, for which planning permission has been granted is clearly more than a theoretical prospect.
“The likely residential use of the site is a significant factor in determining this application and weighs significantly in favour of the principle of development and the grant of permission.
“Considering this, coupled with the proposals not resulting in any adverse impacts on the character and appearance of the surrounding area, amenity, highways or ecology, permission is recommended subject to conditions, contrary to the provisions of the Development Plan.”
In its previous objection to the development, Sherfield English Parish Council said: “Whilst a new development of this kind in the countryside would normally be precluded by Policy COM2, the applicant argues that the proposed building should be treated as an exception under Policy COM2(a), a replacement dwelling as described in Policy COM12.
“However, Policy COM12 relates to replacements for existing dwellings, and in this case, there is no existing dwelling on the site, as the mobile home has never been installed.
“Our objection therefore is under Policy COM2 and a new development in the countryside, outside of any settlement areas should not be permitted.”