Farmhouse gets go ahead in Christchurch despite officer concerns

Councillors have approved plans for a new farmhouse despite strong opposition from their own planning officers.

Planning officer David Rowen advised members of Fenland’s planning committee they needed to be “cold” and not think with their hearts when discussing an application by Roger Gladwin to build a four-bedroom house at the Hole in the Wall Farm in Padgetts Road, Christchurch.

The committee heard the house was wanted for Mr Gladwin’s son and his family to live-in with the agent, Matthew Hall of Morton and Hall, arguing there was a need for the property as the farm had over 1,050 pigs which needed constant attention and therefore needed people living on site.

However, the officers pointed out that both Mr Gladwin and his son already live in separate properties on the farm and therefore there was not, as was being argued, an agricultural need for a new house.

Mr Rowen described the application as being for the applicant’s son’s “ease and quality of life” and that an independent report had shown the need for additional supervision on site was marginal at best as it was already being met by the accommodation already there that not only included the main farm house, plus Mr Gladwin junior’s home, but also five tenanted cottages.

A report by officers to Wednesday’s planning meeting, which recommended refusal, said: “The application fails to fully consider the availability of existing accommodation at the site for occupation by an additional rural worker.

“In addition, it is considered that the proposed design, scale and massing of the intended dwelling, would adversely impact the street scene, settlement pattern and landscape character of the area.”

The officers also pointed out that the site included areas that were predominantly in flood zone two.

Mr Rowen said it was difficult to justify allowing the house in higher risk flood area when there was other land on the farm that was lower risk being flood zone one.

He said guidance was to not allow development in areas at risk of flooding both for the sake of future occupants of those houses, and also for the sake of those living in existing properties that are at risk of flood.

Mr Rowen pointed out there were limited rescue resources and they were needed for those already at risk and should not be being spread more thinly by adding new properties in danger of flooding.

Having listened to the arguments Councillor Jan French proposed the committee go with the officer’s recommendation to refuse.

She said: “Having listened to the advice I don’t think we have a choice, it is difficult to overturn the officer’s recommendation.”

However, she got no seconder and so the proposal fell, as did another proposal by Councillor Paul Hicks who suggested the application be deferred to allow the applicant to produce a business plan to show the farm was set to expand and therefore there would be more need for onsite supervision.

However, the third proposal by Councillor Charlie Marks to go against the officers and approve the application did succeed by six votes to one against.

Cllr Marks wanted to see conditions in place limiting its occupation to someone with a connection to the business and that there was mitigation against flooding.