Issue - meetings

Construction of 2 new 4 bedroom dwellings and alterations to the existing dwelling. As amended on 28/10/2019.

The Committee considered an application at The Orchard, 13 Beverly Heights, Reigate for the construction of 2 new 4-bedroom dwellings and alterations to the existing dwelling, as amended on 28/10/2019.

Mr. Michael Keep, a local resident, spoke in objection to the application on the grounds that the proposal would harm the neighbourhood amenity, the new road would cause disruption to local residents, the mass of new buildings would be overly dominant, wouldn’t reflect existing street context and local plot sizes, and wouldn’t respect the characteristics of the Residential Area of Special Character.

Mr. Aron Turney, an agent for the applicant, spoke in support of the application on the grounds that the scheme was previously dismissed at appeal only on grounds of a proposed element of the development on the amenities of 2 Beverly Heights, and that the new scheme did not contain this element. He also stated that the applicant had worked to develop an acceptable scheme and had made additional improvements from the previous scheme.

It was identified and supported that condition 16 would be amended to refer to waste collection, rather than waste storage and collection.

Councillor R. Absalom proposed a motion to refuse the application on the grounds that:

The proposed development would, by virtue of the elevated position, height, scale and massing of the dwellings and their plot sizes, fail to make a positive contribution to the character of the surrounding area, does not respect the local topography and would cause significant harm to the verdant, open and spacious character of the area including the Alma Road and Alders Road Residential Area of Special Character, contrary to policies DES1, DES2, DES3 of the Reigate and Banstead Development Management Plan, Policy CS44 of the Reigate and Banstead Core Strategy and the provisions of the Reigate and Banstead Local Distinctiveness Design Guide.

The motion was seconded, but upon a vote the motion to refuse the application was not carried.

RESOLVED that planning permission be GRANTED with conditions, as per the recommendation and addendum, and including the supported amendment to condition 16.