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Residents may remember that Sara Saund (one of the plot holders in The Coombes) submitted an application for a “forestry building” which was refused by WBC and then went to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate where it was also refused.
The applicant has submitted a new (revised) shed planning application. This appears to be nearly the same as the previously rejected application. It is 7m x 4m but with no windows this time (to reduce the “domestic” appearance). Details can be found on the WBC website here:
https://planning.wokingham.gov.uk/FastWebPL/detail.asp?AltRef=201836&ApplicationNumber=201836&AddressPrefix=&Postcode=&KeywordSearch=&Submit=Search
Comments must be received by WBC by 14 August 2020.
It is worth reviewing the Inspector’s reasons for refusing the previous application when deciding what comments to make on this revised version. They can be found in the Appeal Decision notice here:
https://www.barkham.org.uk/development-watch/listid-7/mailid-189-bvra-development-watch-alert-the-coombes-sara-saund-shed-appeal-decision
We have extracted the Inspector’s key points below for the convenience of interested residents:
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Main Issue
The main issue is whether the siting, design and external appearance of the proposed building would be acceptable.
Reasons
8. The development would be located within an area of woodland to the south of Coombes Lane, a public byway connecting the southern end of Gravelpithill Lane with Bearwood Road in Barkham. The woodland has recently been added to Natural England’s Ancient Woodland inventory and is covered by a Tree Preservation Order1 which protects all trees of all species.
9. The appellant controls a parcel of woodland comprising 0.5 ha. The boundaries are not marked on the map submitted with the application for prior notification, but the approximate extents of the land were pointed out at the site visit. Much of the understory, which I understand included Rhododendron plants, has been stripped out, leaving the trees as the main landscape features. Notwithstanding the clearance works, the appellant’s land make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the wider woodland of which it forms a part.
10. The proposed shed would be positioned approximately 60m from the byway and on lower ground. The submitted plan is indicative and does not identify the relationship of the building to trees. It is therefore impossible to draw any reliable conclusions regarding the appellant’s assertion that no trees would be damaged or otherwise harmed. This weighs against the proposal.
11. The building would be single-storey and modest in footprint with timber clad walls and a dark bitumen felt tiled roof; these materials are compatible with the woodland setting. However, the large windows on the north and west elevations would give a domestic appearance which is uncharacteristic of a forestry storage shed. I note that the windows are intended to provide light, and that the siting away from Coombes Lane is deliberate to minimise the visual impact.
12. Some parts of the site are better screened than others. Nonetheless, based on the limited information before me, there is significant potential for the shed to be visible from public vantage points and in these views the design and external appearance of the building would appear incongruous and out of context with the natural woodland setting.
13. The Council raises additional concerns regarding the remote location of the shed in relation to the access track, which I have interpreted to mean the public byway. It could be argued that the building would be impractical due to the lack of vehicular access. However, that is a matter for the appellant and should not count against the scheme from a siting perspective.
14. Notwithstanding this, I conclude that the proposal is unacceptable in terms of its siting, design and external appearance.
Conclusion
15. For the reasons set out above, and having regard to all matters raised, I conclude that the appeal should be dismissed.
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Also, most of the issues we identified in the previous application alert still apply and can be found here
https://www.barkham.org.uk/development-watch/listid-7/mailid-164-bvra-development-watch-alert-another-coombes-planning-application-192803-sara-saund:
Kind Regards
BVRA
Please note all previous development watch alerts can be viewed on the BVRA website at https://www.barkham.org.uk/index.php/development-watch
WBC is an abbreviation for Wokingham Borough Council
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