Decision requested by decision maker: Agreement to issue Enforcement Notice for Escape Down The Rabbit Hole, 1 Garoncrest House, Market Street, Barnstaple, EX31 1BX

BACKGROUND / REASONS FOR THE DECISION REQUEST/BREACH OF PLANNING CONTORL
1.1. The breach of planning control alleged that is within the last 4 years unauthorised development consisting of structures in the courtyard area.

1.2. An Enforcement Notice should be issued to remedy the alleged breach of planning control. The Council considers it expedient to issue this notice for the following reasons:

1.3. The number of unauthorised structures, adhoc placement, poor design and materials utilised, unacceptably impacts on the setting of the immediately adjacent historic assets, Grade II Listed Buildings and furthermore erodes the character and appearance of the designated Barnstaple Town Centre Conservation Area whereby the public benefits of the scheme do not outweigh the harm identified and as such the development is contrary to the provisions in the National Planning Policy Framework Chapter 12, paragraphs 131, 135, 139 Chapter 16 paragraphs 206, 208, 212 and Policies ST04, ST15, DM04, DM07 and DM19 of the North Devon and Torridge Local Plan.

There are no other actions the Council can take to remedy this breach of planning control. The owner has not willingly complied with requests to remedy the breaches by removing all the structures although one structure has been removed. No planning application has been submitted to regularise the structures.