The big planning applications decided in the Daventry district

The authority’s planning committee met virtually on Wednesday (June 10), and on a night of debate and split opinion, the councillors approved only three of the six applications they heard.

Here’s a rundown of their decisions:

REFUSED: Change of use of existing buildings, construction of reception building and additional parking area – all for use for wedding venue – at Staverton Hill Farm.

The applicants wanted to turn the existing buildings at the farm, on Badby Lane, into use for a wedding venue. Four neighbours were backed up by the parish council in objecting to the scheme, which they said would result in ‘unacceptable’ levels of noise.

Proposing to refuse the application, Councillor Rupert Frost said: “We know we’re going to be tied up for years with complaints and enforcement issues.”

It was a close decision however, with eight councillors voting in favour of refusal, with six disagreeing with the decision.

APPROVED: Conversion of outbuilding to form self-contained residential annexe including construction of single storey side extension to outbuilding at Manor Farmhouse, Little Brington.

The scheme had been amended to deal with overlooking of neighbouring properties. But the parish council still objected as it felt that the ‘potentially dangerous access and congestion at the blind junction with Blacksmiths Lane’ had not been addressed.

But Councillor Ian Robertson said: “I was wondering whether we were talking about Little Brington or Marble Arch. There’s no traffic issue here.”

All councillors except one – Cllr Jonathan Harris abstained – voted in favour of approving the scheme.

REFUSED: Demolition of public house and construction of new retail unit at The Red Lion, Harborough Road, Brixworth.

Arguably the most controversial application of the night, councillors refused plans from the Co-Op to build a new supermarket on the old pub site for a second time.

A previous refusal had been upheld by a Planning Inspector last year, but the revised scheme was deemed acceptable by officers.

But members still refused it – this time saying it would have a ‘harmful impact’ on the Conservation Area.

Councillors went against officer advice again, this time deciding to approve an application that had been recommended for refusal.

Planning officers at DDC said: “The applicants have provided insufficient information to demonstrate the justification for an additional freestanding building within the open countryside.”

But councillors could not see no reason why they should turn it down, and instead voted in favour of approving it, with only two councillors abstaining.

REFUSED: Construction of dwelling on footprint of former demolished barn at Millers Barn, Welford Road, Spratton.

Members went along with officer advice for this application, refusing plans for a new build residential dwelling in the open countryside. Planning permission was previously granted back in 2015 for the former agricultural barn to be converted into a single residential dwelling.

Officers said: “The previously approved scheme of conversion would have allowed the historic integrity of the former agricultural building to be retained and the historic fabric of the previous building would have blended-in more harmoniously with the surrounding rural setting – whilst a newly built stone barn would not blend-in as well in the landscape.”

Councillor John Shephard ‘called in’ the decision to refuse, saying it was ‘inconsistent’ with approving the 2015 scheme for a building that appeared ‘identical’.

But the committee sided with the officers and voted to refuse it.

APPROVED: Construction of nine dwellings with associated parking, access and landscaping on land to west of Station Road, Long Buckby.

The development of nine detached and semi detached and terraced properties would be accessed from Bakers Lane, which is the main route into the Buckby Meadows development, which has now been completed.

The proposed scheme follows on from an approval in 2019 for ten units on the same site, but will not now incorporate four affordable units with the applicant arguing it was too high a figure.

There were no objections from any consultees, so councillors followed the officer advice and approved the plans.