There is insufficient justification for the change of use that would see the loss of a Class E unit at ground floor within an identified district centre that would have an unacceptably detrimental imapct on the community that the district centre serves. No evidence has been submitted of any marketing exercise of the property, or any further justification for the loss of the unit. In the absence of sufficient evidence to support the proposed change of use the principle of the proposal is contrary to policy D18 Sedgemoor Local Plan 2011-32.

The application site lies within Band A and the Juvenile Sustenance Zone of the Bat Consultation Zone for the North Somerset and Mendip Bats SAC. A Preliminary Roost Assessment supports the application, which identifies the need for a minimum of three further activity surveys are required during the bat survey season (May to September, inclusive) and the building being identified as having a high otential for bats to roost. In the absence of such surveys having been conducted, there is insufficient evidence to determine that the proposed development would not give rise to an unacceptable harm to protected species or that such harm could be sufficiently mitigated. As such the proposal fails to comply with the requirements of policy D20 Sedgemoor Local Plan 2011-2032.

The applications fails to provide any parking nor has it sufficiently demonstrated that the site would be an appropriate location for a zero car development. The supporting information provided is anectodal only, with no locational evidence of the reduced car ownership referred to, or site specific assessment of availability of parking for residents in the immediate vicinity or of sufficient, reliabile connectivity through public transport links to avoid the need for private car ownership for the 6 potential occupiers. In the absence of such evidence, the proposed development fails to comply with adopted parking standards and fails to evidence that the development if permitted would by virtue of the lack of parking provision not result in an unacceptable impact on highway safety and fail to provide an adequate standard of amenity for future occupiers by virtue of the pressure from uncertaninty or anxieties of competing for parking. As such the proposal is contrary to policies D14 and D25 Sedgemoor Local Plan.