Planning Department 30th March 2022
Herefordshire Council
Planning Services
PO Box 4
Hereford
HR1 2ZB
Dear Sir/Madam
P220527/F The Pavilion, Hill Road, Breinton
Breinton Parish Council considered this repeat application at the meeting on 16th March 2022. In the opinion of the Councillors there is nothing in this rapid re-application that makes it any more acceptable in planning terms than its recent predecessor. Put simply it is the wrong development in the wrong place, it goes against a raft of county wide and local planning policies with those in the Breinton NDP continuing to be largely ignored.
Breinton Parish Council maintains its original objections that should be re-read. They apply equally well to this current application.
Few, if any, changes are discernible from previous application 211939. The buildings footprint has been reduced marginally to 73.5m2. The proposed building will now only be 95% larger than at present rather than over 100% bigger. This slight decrease makes no material difference to the principle of development on this site in the Council’s opinion.
Also, there is now a structural engineers report (dated March 2020) amongst the supporting documents which was not available previously. Presumably, this is intended to address some of the original reasons for refusal. Again, the Council does not believe that something being possible in engineering terms makes it desirable or indeed acceptable in planning terms.
Councillors were also made aware of the applicants e-mail dated 16th September 2021 seeking to rebut some of the objections made to their original application including some elements of the Parish Council’s submission. In relation to this: –
- As far as the site is concerned, Breinton Parish Council is being consulted as the local or neighbouring parish council. The site is on the boundary, split between Breinton and Hereford City. Traffic to or from the site must travel along lanes within Breinton to reach Hereford.
- As far as habitats are concerned the question on the application form is about species, habitats, and biodiversity within the site, adjacent or near to it. The applicant’s consultants have relied on HBRC records to cover land outside the site. These records are likely to be incomplete. Since they are now only accessible to fee payers and work done to support the NDP, the Parish Council understands a number of local findings have not been submitted for inclusion for some years now. In an area that is so ecologically noteworthy as Breinton, it is unlikely that HBRC records are a complete representation of what is present.
We also note that the applicants Ecological report is dated June 2019 and its findings are valid for two years. During this period, a lot of work has apparently been done on the site. The report’s authors say that it may be necessary to update its findings.
- As far as this conversion being an affordable dwelling is concerned the Parish Council believes that whatever the conversion costs or methods employed that this application would result in an open market house. Once the principle of development is established more proposals may follow. The Council does not believe that this site is an acceptable building plot, that NDP policy B3 applies and is not capable of being satisfied by this application.
Kind regards
Emily Godsall
Breinton Parish Council Clerk