4:00pm Thursday 18th March 2010
The benefits of more housing would not outweigh the damage to the landscape of the planned site in Glusburn, a planning inquiry heard this week.
Landscape architect Graham Woodword told the inquiry into the building of 74 homes off Green Lane that the damage to the landscape would be permanent.
Mr Woodward, for Craven District Council, said the development would mean the loss of landscape characteristics, drystone walls and a sycamore tree protected by a preservation order.
And he said the impact could only be mitigated to a small degree by the replacement of walling and planting of trees.
Planning inspector Mark Dakeyne told Tuesday’s opening of the three-day inquiry that he would be taking into account the impact of the development on the character and appearance of the area.
He said the second main issue would be whether any possible impact could be outweighed by the benefits of more housing – and there was currently no five-year supply of housing sites in Craven.
Mr Dakeyne said the inquiry was being held as a result of an appeal by Muir Group Housing following the failure of Craven District Council to issue a planning decision notice within the given time.
Martin Carter, counsel for the council, said the authority had refused the scheme on seven grounds in November 2008, but a decision notice was not issued and an appeal followed.
In March 2009, the council’s planning committee refused an identical application for the second time, but reduced the reasons to just one – that the siting, layout and scale of the development would have a significant, detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the landscape.
Mr Carter said the council accepted it did not have a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites as advised by Government planning policy PPS3.
He said the council also accepted there was a need for more housing in Craven and in Glusburn, but that did not necessarily mean planning permission should be granted.
“The lack of a five-year land supply does not raise any presumption in favour of being granted,” he said.
“PPS3 sets itself against approving designs which are inappropriate in their context or which fail to take opportunities for improving the character and quality of an area.”
He said the relevant policy also encouraged schemes which had their own distinctive identity and which maintained and improved local character.
“Schemes should also relate well to their surroundings,” he said. “It is Craven District Council’s case that the siting, layout and scale of this scheme would not be well-related to the character and appearance of the surroundings.”
David Manley QC, for Muir Group Housing, did not present an opening statement and went straight into cross-examination of Mr Woodward.
He questioned how he was able to form an opinion on the impact of the landscape before he had actually visited the site.
He also produced evidence that the protected sycamore tree on the site had been described as having a limited life span and was showing a lack of vitality.
But Mr Woodward replied that the tree was currently an amenity and should be judged on that.
The inquiry will hear evidence from several Glusburn residents, ward councillor Philip Barrett and chairman of Glusburn and Cross Hills Parish Council, Roger Nicholson.
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