Gilbert Scott House, Flax Bourton PROFESSIONAL PLANNING APPRAISAL
3.6 The use of the site for care purposes has now ceased, and although not an
‘economic’ use, the LPA may want evidence that efforts were made to reuse the
property for its intended care use (Use Class C2), prior to allowing any conversion to
residential purposes. This can form a marketing appraisal or statement by
past/current property Agents regarding unsuccessful attempts to sale or let the
premises as a care home. Once again, this information was provided for the
neighbouring former care home planning applications.
3.7 Finally, the private access “Cambridge Heights” provides dedicated access to
three existing properties plus the application site. Although not a dogmatic
standard, the Council’s best pr actice for private accesses notes that they should
only serve up to 6no. properties. With that in mind, there is a long planning history
on the gap site to the east of the access drive for infill housing. Two unsuccessful
planning applications for 2no. new houses and, at the time of writing, a live planning
application (under assessment) for a single infill house (LPA ref. 20/P/0721/FUL 6
refers). The outcome of this application, the general arrangements of the private
access, and the stance of the Local Highway Authority, may limit the number of
units achievable on this site.
4. OPPORTUNITIES
4.1 Policy DM12: Development within the Green Belt, like national guidance, controls
development in these protected areas. However, it allows specific types of
development that are not considered to be inappropriate, which provide
opportunities for the site. As such, the main development opportunities are: -
• Redevelopment of the site, replacing the existing building with one or more
residential buildings, and
• Conversion of the building into one or more dwellings.
6 https://planning.n-somerset.gov.uk/online- applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=Q7LJ16LPIOI00
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