®Planning appeal decision
The Elm Tree Inn, 25 High Street, Staveley, Chesterfield, S43 3UU
change of use of existing drinking establishment to residential with two storey extension (Block A) and phased construction of two new build units (Block B and Block C) forming 20 self-contained apartments with associated landscaping, bin store and cycle stands and partial demolition of low brick wall with picket fencing on east boundary of site to facilitate new access to site
- Authority
- Chesterfield Borough Council
- Appeal type
- major · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- residential · Major dwellings
- Inspector
- Morgan R
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- The effect of the proposed car free housing on highway safety, taking into account the particular circumstances of the scheme and the surrounding area
- Whether the proposal would preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Staveley Conservation Area (SCA), including the effect on 23 High Street as a non-designated heritage asset
- Whether the proposal complies with policy requirements for affordable housing
What decided it
The harm to the Staveley Conservation Area and its significance from the scale and appearance of the proposed new buildings, combined with the failure to secure affordable housing contributions and the highway safety concerns from car-free parking, outweighed the benefits of bringing a vacant town centre site back into use.
The significant benefits of bringing a vacant town centre site back into active use, providing 20 dwellings in a sustainable location, and supporting local economic vitality were outweighed by the great weight to be given to conservation of the designated heritage asset and the less than substantial harm to the conservation area's significance, together with highway safety harm and affordable housing policy non-compliance.
Framework references: 205, 208
Plan policies cited: Policy CLP22, Policy CLP20, Policy CLP4, Policy CLP21
The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.