Planners reject proposals for nine new homes at rear of pub

PLANNERS have rejected proposals for nine new homes on vacant land at the rear of the Rose Inn Pub at Great Sankey, Warrington.

The application site involved an area of land located to the rear of the Rose Inn public house, Hood Lane. There are no buildings on the site, which consists of hard standing enclosed by a concrete fence to the west and south.

The northern boundary of the plot faces onto the A57 Sankey Way and it is separated from the pavement by a low brick wall. With the exception of the public house, the area surrounding the site is predominantly residential.
The proposed development involved the erection of an apartment building containing nine 1 and 2-bedroom apartments. The building would be 2.5 to 3 storeys with a maximum height of approximately 10.3m. There would be two three-storey elements with a front-to-rear gable end, each with a 2.5-storey side projection with a side-facing gable end. They would be joined in the
middle by a covered stairwell. The building would be faced with brick and the roof would tiled.

How the new homes would look

Car parking would be provided along the northern boundary of the site which would be accessed via the existing vehicular entrance from Hood Lane. Pedestrian access would also be gained via Malpas Drive, and a shared garden would be provided to the rear of the apartment block.

There were two objections received, with the concerns raised over highway safety and congestion and insufficient parking within the application site.
It was also felt the development would not be in keeping with local character and the entrance from Malpas Drive would encourage parking outside of the site. Bin collection would cause obstruction and there would also be loss of privacy.

In a planning statement the applicants,, Square One Homes (Warrington) Ltd, said the proposed development is in accordance with the relevant spatial development, housing and general development management policies of the adopted Warrington Local Plan 2021 – 2038 viewed as a whole, and Government policy aimed at boosting the supply and delivery of new housing; meeting housing needs; widening housing choice; recycling previously-developed urban land and using it efficiently; and, achieving sustainable development.
The development would provide a unique concept in modern urban living as a specialist developer of high-quality, entry-level market housing which is aimed at helping a range of homebuyers access local housing markets at affordable prices.

But Warrington Borough Council planners rejected the application on the following grounds:
1. The proposed development, by virtue of its layout, proportions and elevational details, would not reinforce or enhance the established local character, nor would it create a safe and welcoming environment. As such the proposals would conflict with Policy DC6 of the Warrington Local Plan and the Draft Warrington Design Guide (2023).
2. Plots 3 and 4 of the proposed development would not meet the minimum requirements of the Nationally Described Space Standards (NDSS) so would not comply with Policy DEV2 of the Warrington Local Plan, nor would it provide an acceptable standard of amenity for future occupants in conflict with Policy ENV8.
3. It has not been demonstrated that the development would provide “Accessible and Adaptable dwellings” in accordance with Building Regulation Standard M4(2), or that the standards would genuinely not be viable or technically feasible. Therefore, the development does not comply with Policy DEV2 of the Warrington Local Plan.
4. There is insufficient information to sufficiently demonstrate how the proposed development would incorporate sustainable drainage in accordance with the surface water drainage hierarchy, consequently, the proposals would not comply with Policy ENV2 of the Warrington Local Plan.
5. There is insufficient information to demonstrate that the proposed development would be sustainable from a travel and transport perspective and that it would comply with the general transport principles set out under Policy INF1 of the Local Plan. As such it has not been demonstrated there would be no unacceptable impacts on the local highway network and would conflict with Policy INF1 of the Warrington Local Plan.