- TP Editorial Team
Appeal allowed for 4 dwellings in Northamptonshire village
The Tyler Parkes team is delighted to have won an appeal on behalf of our client Delisle Estates for the erection of four detached dwellings and the provision of open space in the centre of the village of Crick in Northamptonshire. The Council refused the scheme contrary to an Officer recommendation for approval on the basis that it was considered the proposal involved the loss of an important open space, had a negative impact on archaeological remains and the setting of the nearby Grade I listed Parish Church.
The site consists of two paddocks in the middle of the village of Crick which is currently fenced off and surrounded by existing residential properties. Adjacent to the south of the site lies the cemetery of the Parish Church St. Margaret of Antioch.
The successful proposal, designed by the Malcolm Payne Group Ltd, proposes the erection of 4 two-storey 5-bedroom detached houses in the north-western corner of the site. Private access will be provided off Church Street to the west, adjacent to the existing property ‘Elms Farm’. To achieve the access, a more modern barn at ‘Elms Farm’ will be demolished. The new dwellings will benefit from relatively large gardens which will provide good separation and avoid overlooking with neighbouring properties. The dwellings have been carefully designed to respect the scale of adjoining houses and take account of the difference in site levels, the setting of the listed Church and the presence of archaeological remains. The large remaining balance of the site is to be dedicated to the Parish Council as public open space. The proposal was supported by detailed archaeological, heritage and ecological reports. The proposal includes provision for Great Crested Newts on the site due to the presence of a population in the area.
Tyler-Parkes argued that the appeal site is in a highly sustainable location and the proposal will create an attractive development that will enhance the village and assist in the retention of local services. The Planning Inspector agreed and considered that the proposal will create significant public benefits in that it improves the setting of the Grade I Listed church; gives the opportunity to research, leave intact and provide interpretation of the most significant archaeological remains on the site; and improves the biodiversity of the site.
The process involved detailed and extensive discussions with the Council, the holding of a public consultation event with the community, liaised with the Parish Council and responding positively to the suggestion to the possibility of reducing the number of houses and their positioning. The application was subsequently recommended for approval by the planning officers but refused at the Council’s Planning Committee. The appeal was submitted shortly after and allowed just before Christmas