06/01213/FUL CHANGE OF USE FROM AGRICULTURAL LAND TO PRIVATE CAR PARK AND NEW FENCING. AT Land To The South of Perceval Almhouses, Lower Weald, Calverton FOR Calverton Parochial Church Council INTRODUCTION The eight-week period for this application expires on 5 October 2006. The application site is an area of open countryside and forms a small section of a large open field used for grazing. To the north the site are the rear gardens of the three almshouse cottages, which are grade II listed. Access to the site is via a single-track road leading to an unmade access track into the field through a five bar gate. The main access route is also used by the occupiers of the 3 almshouses, visitors to Calverton Church, the Old Rectory and Manor farm. The application site is located just outside the Conservation Area and archaeological notification area although the access point is location within these areas. CURRENT APPLICATION The application seeks planning permission for the change of use of a relatively small area of the open field for use as a private car park to serve the church. The car park would measure 40 metres by 25 metres and would be enclosed by a 1.2 metre high post and rail fence with stock netting provided on the lower part. The existing mature hedgerow along the rear boundary of the Almshouses would remain. The ground surface of the site will be fitted with 'Netpave25' turf paving system to allow use of the site by vehicles. The applicant advises that in particular situations such as weddings and funerals parking is a significant problem with the access road often blocked to the detriment of highway safety and causing an inconvenience to the occupiers of the adjoining properties. The applicant considers that the requirement for the parking and the improved highway safety is sufficient justification for this application. PLANNING HISTORY None. PLANNING POLICIES The most relevant policies in the adopted Milton Keynes Local Plan 2001-2011 are: D1 HE5 Impact of development proposals on locality Development affecting the setting of a listed building
HE6 NE4 S10 T10 T15 Conservation Areas Conserving and enhancing landscape character Open countryside Traffic Parking provision. Also relevant are: PPS1 'Delivering Sustainable Development' PPG15 'Planning and the Historic Environment' Milton Keynes Council adopted parking standards. MAIN ISSUES The key issues in this application are: 1 Compliance with adopted policies 2 Impact upon the open countryside 3 Highway safety. CONSULTATIONS Ramblers' Association confirm no objection to the scheme subject to no obstruction to the public footpath. One letter of support from an adjoining residential property confirming that this car parking facility has been long required. Often when a wedding or a funeral is taking place residents are unable to access our property by car, due to the road being blocked by vehicles. Furthermore due to the blockage to the Church, emergency vehicles would be unable to have access to adjoining properties. During the annual Church open day a considerable number of visitors tend to park along the narrow village roads, the car park would also alleviate this problem. With the number of parishioners likely to rise with the coming of the proposed western expansion scheme, (most of the proposed development is in All Saints Parish boundaries), a car park will be essential. Highway Engineer Development Control confirms no objection to the application. Design and Conservation Manager comments are awaited. CONSIDERATIONS As the site is located within the open countryside, the type of development permitted within this area under policy S10 is restricted to development that is essential for agriculture, forestry, countryside recreation or other development which is wholly appropriate to a rural area and cannot be located within a settlement. As such this proposal would not strictly comply with this policy unless parking for a village church is considered to be essential. It is clear that there is no on site parking available for the church and so during weddings and funerals parking takes place along the main road through Calverton, the
access track leading to the church and round the Almshouses. The result of this parking is an increase in congestion within this part of the village to the detriment of highway safety. For this reason it is accepted that the applicants justification for the proposal is valid and that the car park proposed is a necessary requirement for the church to function. An exception to the restrictive policy relating to development within the open countryside is therefore accepted in this instance. On the second issue of impact upon the countryside, the main changes are the boundary fence around the site to ensure that the car park is contained and the provision of a surface treatment to allow vehicles to drive and park on the site. The boundary fencing will be in the form of an open post and rail style fence to a maximum height of 1.22 metres with a metal gate at the main entrance to the car park. The type of fencing used is normally found within a rural area and will not result in any significant harm to the open countryside. The surface treatment will be 'Netpave25', which is a product laid directly onto the grass to provide a protective layer to the grass but allows vehicles to be driven onto the surface without sinking or rutting the area. This product allows the grass to grow through the layer leaving the appearance of a grass field. As such the impact upon the open countryside will be reduced to a minimum. With regards to highway safety, the proposal aims to reduce the level of onstreet parking both on the main road through the village as well as the private access track leading to the church so will improve the highway safety within this part of Calverton. RECOMMENDATION As the proposal would allow for improved parking and highway safety for the use of the church, an exception to policy S10 can be made in this instance. The recommendation therefore is that planning permission be granted.