Agenda item

PROPOSAL: Outline planning application for the erection of up to 90 houses, a care home, community land and associated works. 

OFFICER RECOMMENDATION: Delegated Permit

28.14        This was an outline application for the erection of up to 90 houses, a care home, community land and associated works.

28.15        The Planning Officer reminded Members that, at the meeting of the Planning Committee on 16 July 2019, it was resolved to delegate permission of this application to the Technical Planning Manager, subject to a number of matters which included the completion of a Section 106 Agreement, the drafting of which was well advanced. Since the Committee resolution, which also included associated contributions, the County Council’s Section106 Officer had provided further evidence to justify the requested education and library contributions and thus the required tests set out in Paragraph 5.1 of the report had been met. In respect of education, the Council had been informed that the proposed development would give rise to a pre-school pupil yield of 27, a primary yield of 36.9 and a secondary yield of 27.9. Similarly, the development would generate a need for extra library resources and therefore the update report set out the associated Section 106 contributions towards the provision of these extra facilities. Other updates in relation to the application included the Council’s Environmental Health Officer confirming that there was no need for further restrictions to construction hours beyond those set out in Condition 23 of the Committee report, but that an extra condition be added to provide for mitigation measures from the nearby shooting range if necessary. The Lead Flood Authority had raised no objections to the proposed development and relevant conditions were awaited and the Local Highway Authority had agreed with the request from Members for the provision of electric vehicle charging points which would be secured by condition. There had been no material changes in circumstances since the previous resolution and therefore the application was recommended for a delegated permit.

28.16        The Chair indicated that there were no public speakers for this item. In proposing the Officer recommendation, a Member sought confirmation that the pupil yield had been provided by the Local Education Authority as he was aware that there had previously been problems with the provision of sufficient finance to provide the required education facilities. The Planning Officer confirmed that this was the case. The proposal was seconded and the seconder indicated how great it was to see that additional electric charging points would be provided, there were conditions in connection with noise levels and construction hours and that the Section 106 covered serviced land for community use which should provide a guarantee that the land would be passed to the community. Another Member wished to flag up some concerns about recycling and waste bins and the cost of £73 per household included in the Section 106 Agreement. He felt that a more strategic view of this matter was required, as more and more houses were built there would become a need for new rounds with additional vehicles and additional staff and this needed to be taken into consideration going forward. The Planning Team Leader (North Area) indicated that the £73 was intended to cover start-up costs and going forward these properties would be paying Council Tax which would then contribute to any additional services required for those new developments. The Chair asked the Lead Member for Built Environment if, when the seminar on retrospective planning consent was arranged, it could include an update on how services such as education, refuse etc. would be paid for arising from all the new developments that were taking place. The Lead Member confirmed that she would arrange for this subject to be added to the Agenda for the seminar.

28.17        Upon the proposal being put to the vote, it was

RESOLVED          That authority be DELEGATED to the Technical Planning Manager to PERMIT the application subject to the resolution of outstanding matters relating to surface water drainage; imposition of/amendments to appropriate planning conditions including a condition requiring electric charging points to be provided throughout the development; a condition in respect of noise levels/mitigation and construction hours and completion of a Section 106 Agreement to secure affordable housing, on site Public Open Space including a local equipped area for play (LEAP), off site playing pitch contribution, serviced land for community use, recycling and waste bins, pre-school contribution, primary education contribution, secondary education contribution and library contribution as set out in the Planning Officer’s update report.

28.18        The meeting adjourned at 11.15am for a comfort break.

28.19        The meeting reconvened at 11.30am with the same Membership present.