S Bottomley
Site:
Puddavine House, Ashburton Road, Dartington, Totnes, TQ9
6EU
Application No:
14/0610/01/F
Date Received:
9th April 2001
Agent:
Martin Cox 7 Fortescue Road Paignton Devon TQ3 2BZ
Applicant:
The Court Group
Development:
Provision of twelve close care units
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Case Officer:
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This map is reproduced from the Ordnance Survey material with the
permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her
Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised
reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution
or civil proceedings. South Hams District Council. LA 079391. 2001
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For internal reference only – no further copies to be made
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Policies
Countryside
Consultations
Devon County Council – County Highways Authority
No objection
South West Water
No objections
Environment Agency
No objections
Environmental Health Section
Prefer a package treatment system to the proposed septic tank
Parish
Dartington Parish Council make the following observations:No objections - tree protection regulations to be observed
Letters of representation are included in the Members’ bundle
Case Officer Report
The Application Site and the Proposal
Puddavine House is situated on the A385 Road between Totnes and Dartington. It is in
open countryside as the Totnes development boundary ends at Dartington Lane, 190m
south of the site.
Puddavine House comprises an old country house which has been extended and
converted into a residential and nursing home for the elderly. It is owned and managed
by a company whose offices are in a converted outbuilding (Puddavine Cottage) at the
rear of the house. There is an access off the A385 road into a car parking area at the front
of the house from which a private drive runs through landscaped grounds to the rear.
The proposal is to erect a new building at the rear (north) side of the house. The new
building will be 3 stories in height and will provide 12 close care apartments. Each
apartment would have a lounge, kitchen, hall, bedroom and bathroom accessed from
landings served by staircases and lifts with a communal rest room on the ground floor.
Two hard standings for 12 cars and 4 cars are proposed off the access drive. A septic tank
and land drainage system is proposed in the grounds on the west site boundary.
The intention is to sell/lease or rent the units to persons with a minimum age of 55
upwards who may or may not be self sufficient. The existing residential home will
provide meals and any nursing care should this become necessary with the opportunity
for residents to progress to the residential/ nursing home at a later date. A letter from the
agent which explains the intentions is in the Member’s bundle of letters together with two
letters, one in support and one objecting.
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Analysis
This is an application for housing development in the countryside outside the Totnes and
Dartington development boundaries. The determination of the application should be
made in accordance with the development plan policies unless there are material
considerations which indicate otherwise.
The Structure Plan policy S4 requires development in the open countryside to be strictly
controlled and only provided for where consistent with the plan. The Structure Plan
housing policy for the countryside is policy H4 which only permits residential conversions
or agricultural dwellings. The Local Plan policy is SHDC3. This lists 11 categories of
development which are permitted in the countryside with a requirement that these must
have little impact on the character appearance, wildlife or amenities of the area. The only
categories of residential development permitted under this policy are conversions and
agricultural dwellings. The proposal is therefore contrary to these policies and should be
refused unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
The material considerations put forward by the applicants are that the site is already in
use for elderly residential care and that these flats will be restricted to sale or let to those
aged 55 and over. These residents would be able to take meals in the main home and
would be able to call on the medical and social facilities offered by the main home. When
the time came they would then be able to move into the main home.
This is a good concept and if the site was in a development boundary, or if at some future
date it was to be included within a development boundary, then the application would be
supported. However, these considerations do not justify making an exception to policy to
accommodate an age group which in today’s society is still active, mobile, and could
reasonably be expected to find appropriate accommodation within Totnes or Dartington.
The same could not be said for elderly people needing nursing care which justified the
extension to the original home.
The erection of a 3 storey high building of 12 apartment flats will be visible from the A385
past the site and from the open field crossed by a public footpath on the north west side of
the site. There is a line of trees (mainly Eucalyptus) adjacent to the site which are
proposed to be retained to screen the building from this direction. There are also walnut,
horse chestnut and smaller trees and shrubs within the site affected by the parking
proposals. The tree and wildlife officer is concerned about the effect of the building and
parking areas on the trees on the site. Most importantly, he considers that the Eucalyptus
trees are likely to be damaged during construction and under pressure in the long term
to remove them because of their proximity to the apartment flats.
The impact of the building on the appearance of the locality will be significant if the tree
screen is lost.
In conclusion, there is a fundamental objection to the application on policy grounds
irrespective of the amenity objection, but the likely loss of the tree screen and the
exposure of this high building to the open fields and A385 road is a second valid
objection to the proposal.
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Human Rights Act
The development has been assessed against the Human Rights Act, and in particular the
applicant’s rights as property owners. These rights have been balanced against the
wider community interest in the need to protect open countryside.
Recommendations
Refusal
Reasons for refusal
1 – The proposed development is contrary to Structure Plan policies S4 and H4 and
South Hams Local Plan policy SHDC3.
2 – The proposed development will have an adverse impact on the appearance of the
locality.
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