Agenda item

Sysonby Lodge, Nottingham Road, Melton Mowbray

Applicant: Mr Brian Henton

Location: Sysonby Lodge, Nottingham Road, Melton Mowbray

Proposal: Conversion and redevelopment of Sysonby Lodge and associated Outbuilding for residential development comprising 10no. dwellings (Use Class C3) with associated access, landscaping and car parking.

 

The Case Officer (TE) stated that there have been updates to the report and stated that:

• This application is linked to the enabling application 16/00926/OUT.
• This site is a historic lodge, and very important to the heritage of the town.
• This site was last used as offices, but is gradually falling into disrepair, and now must be occupied to be able to survive.
• The building is currently wind and weather proof, but has been empty for a long time.
• The ground floor plans are historically significant, and are currently planned to be retained.
• The current windows will be maintained.
• The building will be restored to its former grandeur, but requires significant investment, hence the enabling application.

 

Maria Boyce, the Agent, was invited to speak, and stated that:

• This building is grade 2 listed, so is of regional and national importance.
• The building must be in use to be maintained to a suitable standard.
• The original permission that was granted in 2007 has lapsed.
• The site is sustainable, as long as the enabling application is also approved.
• There are no technical objections from consultees.
• The enabling application is designed to help fund this restoration.
• The current approach is a conservation led approach, designed to maintain and restore the site as much as possible.
• The final design is now optimum, after a lot of re-designs and amendments since the application was submitted.
• The site is of great historical importance, and heritage aspects must be given significant weight.
• The building will continue to deteriorate if nothing is done now.
• Agree with the recommendation of the officer to permit.

 

Councillors had no questions for Mrs Boyce.

 

The Case Officer (TE) had no further comments.

 

The Chair opened up the application for a debate.

 

Cllr Rhodes proposed to Permit the applications, as the scheme if very impressive and we need to preserve this listed building.

 

Cllr Baguley seconded the motion to permit.

A Cllr stated that this site is a very important heritage asset, and must be preserved. Very supportive of this application.

 

A Cllr stated that even though they couldn’t attend the site visit, they are very happy that this site should be preserved.

 

A Cllr stated that this site used to be very impressive, and needs to be restored to its former grandeur.

 

A Cllr stated that the road would not be built to LCC Highways standards, so queried who would pay for maintenance of the road.

 

The Case Officer (TE) responded that this would be a legal matter, and should not be considered by the committee.

 

A Cllr confirmed that this application is for the restoration and conversion of the building only, and does not consider the proposed 22 new dwellings in the grounds.

 

A Vote was held on the motion to Permit.

 

10 Members supported to motion.

0 Members voted against the motion.

0 Members abstained from the vote.

 

The motion passed unanimously.

 

DETERMINATION: PERMIT applications 16/00929/FUL and 16/00930/LBC subject to the respective conditions as set out in the report, for the following reasons:

 

The application will address the principle concern raised by the building’s status as a heritage asset ‘at risk’. The historic significance of the building has been undermined by its previous commercial use, in which most of the important internal features were lost, while the historic plan form was diminished by the cellular partitioning of rooms.

 

As such the building’s principle historic significance is now derived by its external appearance and its prominent aspect above Nottingham Road, as well as its evidential values which relate to the Melton’s heritage as a destination for aristocratic hunting pursuits.

 

The remodelling of the internal space through the conversion of the building to residential use will not result in any further harm to the historic significance of the building, while the restoration of the external elevations, most significantly the removal of the unsightly dormer windows, will enhance the character of the building.

 

The proposal to convert the building into 10 new dwellings on the fringes of Melton Mowbray is not considered to be an isolated rural development, primarily because the urban boundary has recently been extended following the consent to build 85 new dwellings adjacent to the site and the proposals within the new Local Plan for the North ‘Sustainable Neighbourhood’. The location is considered to be sufficiently sustainable and the impact on neighbour amenity is low, as there are no parking or access issues and there will be no new built form as part of this application.

 

Applying the ‘test’ required by the NPPF that permission should be granted unless the impacts would “significantly and demonstrably” outweigh the benefits; it is considered that on the balance of the issues, permission should be permitted.