Agenda with Maps and Applications (21Mb) - pdf - Selby District ...

the building would be partly built into the hillside. In relation to the potential impact on
openness resulting from the alteration of the distribution of mass within the site, Planning
Committee considered that this was sufficiently offset by the creation of space between the
proposed care home and the dwelling as to have no significant harmful effect on
openness. Weight was also given to the fact that the proposed building would not by any
higher that the adjacent listed church.
As such Planning Committee concluded that the proposal would not be harmful to the
openness of the Green Belt.
In considering whether the proposal conflicted with the five purposes of including land
within the Green Belt, Planning Committee acknowledged that the development would be
confined within the boundaries of the existing site. Given that the building occupied only a
small part of the application site, and that the application site occupied only a small
proportion of the wider historic park it was concluded that the proposal would not result in
any significant encroachment into the countryside. Furthermore weight was given to the
fact that the proposal would involve the reuse of an existing developed site, in itself being
a form of recycling.
In addition to the above it was considered that the proposal, by virtue of its size, scale and
design, together with the particulars of the development site and its rural setting would not
contribute to the sprawl of large built-up areas or result in neighbouring towns from
merging into one another. Furthermore it was considered that the proposal would not
have a neutral impact on the objective of preserving the setting and special character of
historic towns; and assisting in urban regeneration, by the encouraging the recycling of
derelict and other urban land.
As such Planning Committee concluded that the proposal would not conflict with the five
purposes of including land in Green Belts.
Impacts on the Listed Church and Scarthingwell Park
In respect of the impact on the listed church, Planning Committee considered that the
existing Highfield Nursing Home was of such poor architectural merit that is significantly
detracted from the setting of the listed church. The proposed scheme by moving the
building further way would increase views of the church. Furthermore the traditional style
of the proposed building and use of sympathetic materials also added to the improvement
to the setting. Planning Committee noted that although the proposed building was in part
three-storeys, the three-storey element was limited and the building stepped down in
height as it approached the listed building. In addition the building had been carefully
designed to ensure that it was not any taller than the highest point of the church. In
conclusion Planning Committee considered that the proposal brought about significant
improvements to the setting of the listed building and therefore of the wider Scarthingwell
Park.
Impacts on European Protected Species
In relation to bats Planning Committee noted that the significant improvements to care
provision and improvements to the setting of the listed building were sufficient to outweigh
the limited harm to bats resulting from the mitigated and compensated scheme. As such
in the absence of any satisfactory alternative and that the proposal would maintain the
species at a favourable conservation status Planning Committee concluded that the
proposal met the requirements of the Habitats Regulations 1994 and PPS9.
360