PLANNING AND HERITAGE STATEMENT

Submission to Swale Borough Council for Full Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent

Proposal: Proposed holiday let accommodation within a converted horse box and two purpose built holiday pods (temporary structures) with external hot tubs, pergolas and BBQ area, and two overnight caravan hook up points

Land adjacent to The Rose and Crown Public House

Perry Wood Selling

ME13 9RY October 2021 Job no. 3652

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CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction

2.0 Site Location and Description 3.0 Planning History 4.0 Proposed Development 5.0 Development Plan and Planning Policy 6.0 Planning Analysis

7.0 Appearance

8.0 Heritage Statement 9.0 Conclusion

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1.0 INTRODUCTION This planning statement has been prepared on behalf of Mr Tim Robinson and Mrs Kate Gibson (‘the Applicants’) in support of a submission for Full Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent for the Proposed holiday let accommodation within a converted horse box and two purpose built holiday pods (temporary structures) with external hot tubs, pergolas and BBQ area, and two overnight caravan hook up points submitted in respect of the “Land adjacent to The Rose and Crown Public House, Perry Wood, Selling, ME13 9RY” (hereafter referred to as the “Site”), as shown on the site location plan. The description of development is as follows: ‘Proposed holiday let accommodation within a converted horse box and two purpose built holiday

pods (temporary structures) with external hot tubs, pergolas and BBQ area, and two overnight caravan hook up points’.

Full planning permission and listed building consent is sought for the erection of three holiday let facilities within temporary/removable structures in the land between the Rose and Crown Public House and the pub/public car park. The proposal would include amenity areas for holiday lets with two hot tubs, one shared by the holiday pods and one for the private use of the converted horse box, both covered by a traditional timber pergola, and a brick built BBQ area for the two holiday pods to share. In addition, the applicant would like to apply for two overnight caravan hook up points within their portion of the car park. The pods would be let for a couple of nights/long weekend to visitors to the area and is largely targeted at cyclists and walkers who often frequent the pub on their way past. The proposal therefore is directed at single occupancy or couples, however the designs are flexible and can therefore accommodate young families through the use of sofa beds. The proposal will help to diversify the pubs income, offering additional income through providing a service which the local area is currently lacking.

i) Preparation of submission of Supporting Documents This application is accompanied by a series of drawings, including proposed floor plans, elevations, a proposed block layout and details of the proposed hot tub and BBQ areas, to provide a full suite of information to present the proposed development on the Site, including the siting, location, and position of the new facilities. 2.0 SITE LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION

i) The Site The Site comprises a small rectangular shaped parcel of land to the South East of the public house, The Rose and Crown, which is Grade II listed, and North West of the car park which is shared between the public house and the council, offering parking for Perry Wood visitors. The site is located within the administrative area of Swale Borough Council. The Site is relatively flat in terms of its topography, and has been previously used as private garden space for the applicants who live above the pub. The site is separated from a smaller private

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courtyard, used by the applicants, and the pub garden by a 1.8m close boarded fence and hedgerow to the North. There is a 1.8m high close boarded fence to the eastern boundary and a small hedge separating the Site from the car park to the South, to the West of the site is Round Wood. The site is well enclosed, with trees, fencing and hedgerow aforementioned to all of the boundaries and separating the Site from any publicly accessible areas. The site has an existing means of access via a shared access track which runs along the frontage of the pub to the rear car park. Part of this car park is owned by the applicant, the remainder belongs to the council as parking for visitors to Perry Wood.

ii) Immediate Surroundings The site lies to the South of the existing listed public house, which is situated within a small cluster of residential properties. The pub is well situated within a network of cycling and walking routes, drawing visitors and tourists to the pub as they pass through. The Site is located within the countryside, for development management purposes. It within close proximity of a Local Designated Site of Biodiversity (Perry Wood). 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY Apart from a few minor alterations to the pub, including replacing a door with a window and kitchen extract, and internal toilets there is no relevant planning history for the site. 4.0 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT Full Planning Permission is sought for: ‘Proposed holiday let accommodation within a converted horse box and two purpose built holiday pods (temporary structures) with external hot tubs, pergolas and BBQ area, and two caravan hook up points’. The application is accompanied by a series of plans, including:

• Site Location Plan • Existing Site Plan • Proposed Block Plan • Proposed GF Plans • Proposed Elevations • Proposed Pergola and BBQ designs • Details of the proposed hot tubs

The following section provides an overview of the development proposals. The proposal would be for the erection of two purpose-built holiday pod structures. These structures will be secured on environmentally friendly ground screws and therefore require no foundations. This enables the building to be temporary structures which can easily be removed without any disturbance to the site.

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The pods are modest in scale and design and will be clad with composite timber shingles to blend seamlessly into the woodland setting of the site, whilst ensuring they are low maintenance. The two pods will be located to the South West boundary of the site with a small amenity area to the front for users to enjoy. This amenity area will include a shared hot tub, with a traditional timber pergola structure built over to enable soft planting and climbers to be grown over, providing privacy to users and an attractive setting. A small brick double sided BBQ stand is also proposed to ensure a safe and suitable area for preparing food is offered. The BBQ stand will consist of low height brick walls, with a metal grate to support disposable BBQs and the like. The North Eastern part of the site will be used by a horse box, converted into an additional holiday let facility. Externally it will remain as existing, apart from a new lick of paint in a shade of green to enable it to blend into its setting. The drop-down ramp at the rear of the horsebox will open to offer an external dining area which flows directly from the internal space but will be closed when the horsebox is not being used. Inside, a new shower room area will be created, with a small kitchenette, sofa space which doubles as a secondary sleeping area and a main sleeping area above the Luton. A second hot tub and pergola area is proposed for the private use of the Horse Box. The holiday Pods and Horse Box will be separated by a line of native hedge and shrubs to offer privacy should all three units be booked at the same time. The nature of the Horse Box conversion also enables the structure to be classified as temporary, as it can easily be driven off site at any stage with little to no ground disturbance. The Horse Box has been in situ for a number of years as the proposals have developed and work to the interior has commenced. In addition to the fixed facilities the applicants would like to provide two caravan hook up points within their portion of the shared car park to provide additional overnight facilities. 5.0 THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN & RELEVANT PLANNING POLICY

Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires that where the Development Plan contains relevant policies, applications for development which are in accordance with these policies should be allowed unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) are material considerations.

The Development Plan comprises the following documents:

• Bearing fruits 2031 The Swale Borough Local Plan (adopted July 2017)

National – NPPF (Feb 2019)

The NPPF sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and puts “the presumption in favour of sustainable development” at the heart of the planning system. The following chapters are relevant to the proposal:

Chapter 2 – Achieving Sustainable Development Chapter 4 – Decision Making Chapter 12 – Achieving well-designed places Chapter 15 – Conserving and Enhancing the Natural Environment Chapter 16 - Conserving and enhancing the built environment

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NPPG

The National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) builds on principles within the NPPF and provides further detailed technical guidance.

Para. 106 – Guidance relating to the application of conditions upon planning permissions.

Local - Bearing fruits 2031 The Swale Borough Local Plan (adopted July 2017)

The Development Plan for Swale borough comprises the Swale Borough Local Plan 2031 (adopted July 2017), the plan sets out the vision and objectives for the Borough up to 2031. The relevant Policies are:

CP1 – Building a strong, competitive economy.

In particular the following points;

2. Bring forward an increase in homegrown business creation and inward investment

9. Safeguard or enhance Swale's 'Principal Tourism Assets' and consolidate or widen the Borough's tourism potential, particularly where embracing principles of sustainable tourism;

CP2 – Promoting sustainable transport

CP4 – Requiring good design

CP7 – Conserving and enhancing the natural environment – providing for green infrastructure

CP8 – Conserving and enhancing the natural environment

DM3 – The rural economy

DM 7 – Vehicle parking

DM14 – General development criteria

DM19 – Sustainable design and construction

DM 24 – Conserving and enhancing valued landscapes

DM26 – Rural lanes

DM28 – Biodiversity and geological conservation

DM29 – Woodland, trees and hedges

DM32 – Development involving listed buildings

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6.0 PLANNING ANALYSIS

This section of the report sets out an assessment of the proposed development against the relevant planning policy and guidance. A topic-based approach is taken in respect of the prevailing planning considerations, with due regard to the planning polices at National and Local level.

i) Principle of Development

Statement of Intent

Prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, the applicants noticed a requirement for suitable short term, overnight accommodation in the area. Many of the people who frequent their pub are visitors to the area who are there to enjoy the walking and cycling routes, and they regularly received enquiries of suitable places to stay. They therefore began to explore the options available to them to provide such as service. The applicants live and work at the pub, with their accommodation being on the first floor, therefore the were not able to offer overnight board within the pub, nor did they want to take on the level of commitment or loss of privacy that would come with it. They therefore began to look at their redundant piece of land and the opportunities this would provide. They did not want to make any significant changes, such as erecting a new permanent building, as they are keen to ensure that the Site remains appropriate for its setting on the edge of the Woodland and adjacent to the listed pub. Therefore, they came across options for temporary/removable accommodation which could be erected on site, remain disconnected and cause very little disturbance to the daily running of their existing business.

During lockdown, when the pub was closed, they took the opportunity to renovate the building and carry out necessary repair works, adding a significant investment into their business, putting the diversification on hold. Now that they are back up and running again, they are looking to enhance the business to provide a greater level of financial security through alternative means.

The facilities would be available mainly to single occupants and couples; however, flexibility has been factored into the designs with the option of using a sofa bed if there are young children or a couple of friends staying. It is envisaged that people staying in the holiday pods would also provide a boost to the public house, with additional food and drink sales.

They previously won 2009 Kent Environment Business of the Year and are keen to ensure that the proposals take an eco-friendly approach. They will be looking into ways to ensure the proposals meet these credentials should approval be granted.

Countryside

The Site is located in the countryside, i.e., an area outside of the settlement boundaries.

Notwithstanding the above status or policy position, the site is part of an existing business which is looking to diversify to maximise the opportunities provided by the excellent network of footpaths and cyclists and the many visitors they bring. There are no other facilities providing overnight accommodation in the area, the site is well screened and the impact on the countryside will be negligible. The existing public house facility provides for locals and visitors alike however being remotely located provides a number of challenges for the business thus enhancing the requirement to maximise on the positive features of their rural location.

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Visual Location

The Site is well located, directly adjacent to the public house. It is formed of an entirely separate parcel of land which was previously an extended area of the pub garden, however, due to its divorced positioning it was found to be a difficult area to manage. Customers would come and go at any time they wanted so it created a security issue with staffing, health and safety and damage issues. With the advent of the Coronavirus Pandemic the applicants realised they would need to change the flow of customers to implement government measures and at the same time manage the customers better in a smaller area. The land has therefore been redundant for some time and is now separated from the main pub garden by a small private courtyard used by the applicants.

The site also lies adjacent to a Perry Wood, and is accessed via a shared track which runs in front of the pub to a car park at the rear, part of this car park is owned by the application and the remainder is owned by the council.

In this sense and as set out above, based on the built form, spatial context and its surroundings, the Site is not visually isolated in spatial terms.

Sustainable Location

The Site is situated in a rural lane in Perry Wood within a small cluster of residential properties and the Rose and Crown Public House. It is not part of a wider transport network. It is therefore not considered to be a sustainable location; however, the proposals are part of the expansion and diversification of an existing employment and public facility. The target audience will be visitors to the public house, cyclists and walkers who are utilising the public network in the area. It is not therefore envisaged that the proposals will require an intensification of use of the surrounding road network but will offer extended opportunities to existing users.

Other Material Considerations

The proposed holiday Pods and converted Horse Box are all removable structures. Therefore, any potential impact is temporary. The structures are able to be moved or removed if required with very little disturbance should the venture prove unsuccessful.

In light of the above, it is considered there are material considerations which indicate the support for the development as applied for, in association with the site’s specific merits.

ii) Visual Amenity

Planning Policies CP4 , CP7, CP8, Dm14, DM24 and DM32 seek development to be of a high-quality design and to respect the character and appearance of the landscape, natural environment and the historic asset.

The proposals would sit comfortably within the Site and represent a minor level of development in the area. The holiday let facilities are grouped together within close proximity to the existing pub so as to contain the built form within one area and ensure there is no sprawling or sporadic development. The holiday lets and the public house will be closely linked, both in visual terms and via their use, with users of the pods enjoying a meal and a drink in the adjacent pub of an evening.

The size and scale of the proposals would sit comfortably within their surroundings and represent a visually different form of development entirely suited to their use when compared to the

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surrounding residential properties or the pub itself. The proposals make use of a redundant parcel of land belonging to the pub which is located away from residential properties and amenity areas.

The siting ensures the development does not visually encroach into, or erode, the countryside.

In light of the above, in respect of the layout, design and appearance, the scheme is considered to be acceptable and would comply with the objectives in design terms.

ii) Residential Amenity

Existing occupiers

Careful consideration has been given to the layout, scale, design and position of the proposed holiday let facilities, to ensure the scheme preserves the amenity of the locality. The proposal relating to three individual holiday lets facilities would be sited away from the nearest neighbouring properties behind the public house, where the careful orientation, number of units and existing boundary screening would offer a sufficient level of amenity (in terms of safeguarding against overlooking and any loss of light) for all neighbouring occupiers.

Future occupiers

The facilities would be classified as a temporary structure, therefore should the requirement for holiday lets in the area cease, the pods and horse box can be removed from site and the land returned to garden.

iii) Parking and Highways

Access

The development uses an existing means of access taken from the lane to the North, along the front of the pub to the car park at the rear.

Impact on Highway Network

The scale and amount of development would not result intensification in terms of trip generation on the local highway network. The car park is often used by walkers and visitors to the adjacent Perry Wood.

Parking

The scheme would require 3no. spaces, one for each holiday facility if they were all rented out individually.

There would be sufficient onsite parking to comply with the parking standards, where the accompanying Block Plan shows the area of land owned by the Rose and Crown pub directly adjacent to the site . There is also sufficient turning and manoeuvring space to service the development and ensure vehicles can exit the Site in a forward gear.

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iv) Drainage

Surface Water

The rainwater from the roof areas will run off onto the surrounding lawn areas. Due to the small scale and surface area of the facilities this will not cause any localised flooding. The land naturally falls to the South West into the adjacent woodland where is joins an existing watercourse.

Foul Water

The holiday pods would connect into the existing pub facilities which is served by a Cess Pit. A new pumping station will connect the proposed holiday let facilities to the original drainage system.

vii) Other Issues

Landscaping

The proposal would retain all existing trees and hedges on site. As the proposals are secured with ground screws there would be no disturbance to any roots. The proposal seeks to enhance the existing landscaping with additional native hedge and shrub planting.

Lighting

To provide a safe a secure access, solar lights on ground spikes will be installed along the footpaths, with downlights added to the front of the holiday Pods. The proposed elevations and site plan provide further details.

7.0 APPEARANCE

+ Existing Horse box prior to completion of the conversion and repainting

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+ Proposed Holiday Pods

The holiday Pods will be finished in a composite shingle to ensure they have a natural appearance but are low maintenance. The applicants are proposing ‘Smoked Oak’ colour finish to provide a finish which blends comfortably into the woodland setting.

+ Example of shingle cladding for the holiday pods and colour swatch

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8.0 HERITAGE STATEMENT

i) List Description

Grade: II List Entry Number: 1069100 Date first listed: 10-Nov-1986 Statutory Address: ROSE AND CROWN AND WOOD COTTAGE, CROWN HILL Description: 1/3 Rose and Crown and Wood Cottage Public House and cottage. C18. Painted brick and plain tiled roof. Two storeys and attic on plinth with corbelled brick eaves and stacks to end left and end right. Two hipped dormers. Three wooden casements and central double sash on first floor, and 1 wooden casement and 1 tripartite sash on ground floor. Projecting single storey slated extension to left with 2 sashes, central glazed door with sidelights and gabled hood, and single storey tiled extension to right, with 2 wooden casements and central boarded door.

ii) Heritage Impact

The proposals have been designed to respond to their edge of woodland setting, maximising on the potential offered by the Site’s location. As a result, they respond well to their natural context which in turn ensures they are of a suitable design within the proximity of the Grade II listed pub which also enjoys this setting. The designs are of a modest scale and only the top of the horse box will be seen above the existing close boarded fencing. They are separated from the pub both physically and visually and do not try to mimic or replicate the character of the listed building, rather offering a complimentary design which is suitable alongside the heritage asset.

As discussed above, the holiday Pods are constructed on ground screws, and the horse box was driven into its location, therefore, they can easily be removed, thus reverting the grounds of the pub back to its original state.

It is therefore considered that the proposals have no detrimental impact on the Grade II listed building yet seek to ensure its preservation by maximising on income generating opportunities to ensure the pub remains in a good condition and suitable for use by the public.

9.0 CONCLUSION

Full planning permission and listed building consent is sought for an extension to the existing business at The Rose and Crown Public House, to provide holiday let facilities by way of two purpose built holiday pods and one converted horse box. The scheme would relate to a Site that closely lies within a small cluster of development consisting of residential properties and the public house itself. The parcel of land is now redundant, being previously used as an extended pub garden, however it is separated from the main pub garden by a small private courtyard used by the applicants. The proposals have been developed as a direct result of a lack of holiday let facilities in the area which is well connected and well used by walkers and cyclists.

The proposed scheme has been well designed to respond to its specific purpose and sit comfortably alongside the Grade II listed pub. The pods are, by their very construction, temporary structures which could be easily removed from site should their need desist. The additional paraphernalia,

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namely the two hot tubs, timber pergolas and BBQ stands will enhance the users enjoyment of the facilities and the site, and also allow the applicant to boost their income from the proposal. The design of the Pods and the revamp of the horse box will ensure that the structures fit comfortably into their woodland edge context, with an appropriate colour pallet and appearance which would respect the character and feel of this locality.

The proposal would not result in any harm to neighbouring occupiers or result in future amenity issues, nor would it result in any highway safety matters or harm. There would be no harm to the landscape or biodiversity, due to the fact that the structures do not sit on solid foundations and there is therefore very minimal ground disturbance.

The site is well connected to the necessary infrastructure due to its proximity to the pub, for example, water, foul drainage and electricity.

Given the above, the scheme would be compliant with the objectives of the adopted development plan and the wider aims of the NPPF. Moreover, there are significant benefits/merits that weigh in favour of approving the proposal in terms of supporting an existing business and boosting tourism possibilities.

In light of the above, it is requested that the proposed scheme should be positively viewed in the context of the NPPF and the Local Plan and that planning permission and listed building consent should be granted without delay.