Issue - meetings
Meeting: 19/02/2026 - Planning Committee (Item 63)
PDF 312 KBConversion of existing barns into a residential dwelling.
Minutes:
The Committee was informed that this application sought outline planning permission with all matters reserved for the conversion of two existing barns into a single residential dwelling. The site lay outside of any settlement development boundary but was considered by Officers to be acceptable subject to conditions.
It was reported that the proposal involved the reuse of existing rural buildings within an established residential curtilage and, having regard to national and local planning policy, was considered by Officers to represent a sustainable form of development that would not result in an unacceptable harm to the character of the countryside, highway safety, residential amenity, or ecological interests. Matters relating to protected species, biodiversity enhancement, trees, drainage, parking, and detailed design could be appropriately addressed through planning conditions or at the reserved matters stage.
Overall, the development was considered by Officers to comply with the relevant provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework and the Tendring District Local Plan 2013–2033 and beyond, subject to conditions which included securing the necessary Recreational disturbance Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy (RAMS) contribution. Accordingly, the application was recommended by Officers for approval.
The Committee had before it the published Officer report containing the key planning issues, relevant planning policies, planning history, any response from consultees, written representations received and a recommendation of approval.
At the meeting, an oral presentation was made by the Council’s Planning Officer (CC) in respect of the application.
No updates had been circulated to Members in relation to this application.
No one had registered to speak on this application.
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Matters raised by members of the Committee:-
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Officer response thereto:- |
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Could Officers explain how this satisfies the sustainable strand? |
It actually fails the social objective due to the isolated nature of the site but Officers feel that this is outweighed by the economic and environmental benefits the proposal would bring. |
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How is that the case? The economic and work benefit would only be from a single dwelling and therefore would be relatively small and the ecological benefits uncertain. The weighting is subjective. |
Members need to weight that for themselves during the debate. Also need to weight the NPPF – avoid isolated homes in the countryside unless the development would reuse redundant or disused buildings or enhance its immediate setting. We are looking here at an existing building for reuse and that would obviously be a material consideration for Members’ weighting as well. |
It was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Alexander and:-
RESOLVED that, contrary to the Officers’ recommendation of approval, planning permission be refused for this application on the following grounds:-
“The development, if approved would result in total reliance on access by private vehicle in an area lacking any local facilities, fails to support local services, fails to maintain vitality or enhance a rural community contrary to NPPF paragraph 83 and fails to meet all tests of sustainable development therein.
Furthermore, the development is contrary to the local plan Policy SPL2 that provides that when development is outside the settlement development ... view the full minutes text for item 63