Agenda item

PROPOSAL: Approval of reserved matters (appearance, landscape, layout and scale) for Phase 7 comprising development of new homes, landscape, open space and associated works.

OFFICER RECOMMENDATION: Delegate Approve.

20.40        This was an approval of reserved matters application (appearance, landscape, layout and scale) for Phase 7 comprising development of new homes, landscape, open space and associated works. 

20.41        The Development Management Team Manager (East) explained that this was a reserved matters application seeking approval for approximately 272 dwellings as well as securing public open space and infrastructure pursuant to the outline application for up to 1,500 dwellings on the wider site.  The principle of residential development at the site had been established through the grant of outline planning permission in 2016.  The key principles guiding the reserved matters applications had been approved by the planning authority through the outline consent which included approval of a Site Wide Concept Masterplan Document.  The current application related to Phase 7 of the outline application which originally sought to deliver approximately 290 dwellings, B1 (now Class E – office and light industrial) and B8 (storage and distribution) employment uses and surface water attenuation.  The application before Members related solely to residential and surface water attenuation elements of this phase with the employment use to be brought forward as a separate reserved matters application at a later date.  The key issues to be considered in this application were access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale and compliance with the approved documents including the Site Wide Concept Masterplan Document.  A number of matters the subject of other outline conditions were also considered within the current application including affordable housing, housing mix and surface water and foul drainage.  The scheme sought to deliver 272 dwellings including one bedroom maisonettes, one and two bedroom bungalows and two, three and four bedroom houses.  A mix of affordable tenured and outright sale homes would be provided with an average density of 44 units per hectare.  In addition to the Section 106 affordable housing provision, the applicant intended to deliver a further “over-provision” of affordable housing on the site, referred to as an additionality.  This additionality would sit outside of the Section 106 Agreement and would provide a range of affordable housing tenures as well as open market dwellings.  As set out in the Committee report, Officers had carefully considered the application and were of the view that the reserved matters were in accordance with the Site Wide Concept Masterplan Document and the Design and Access Statement aspirations and were of an appropriate design.  County Highways had confirmed the access, internal road layout and car parking provision were acceptable and in accordance with the Site Wide Concept Masterplan Document.  Officers were satisfied that the mix and clustering of affordable housing was in accordance with the requirements of the Section 106 Agreement attached to the outline permission, including being tenure blind and of high quality.  In terms of flood risk and drainage, the outline permission included a drainage strategy for the site and the reserved matters must include detailed drainage details for each phase of development to accord with that strategy.  Several conditions on the outline permission also required the development to accord with approved flood level parameters.  A detailed drainage strategy and finished floor level information had been submitted with the application – the Lead Local Flood Authority had confirmed that the drainage strategy was suitable and the Environment Agency had confirmed that all finished floor levels accorded with the approved drainage strategy.  The Parish Council had raised concern regarding the noise impact of the M5 motorway and A417 and a noise assessment had been undertaken and assessed by the Council’s Environmental Health team which had confirmed that the layout reflected the noise assessment and that they were satisfied with the findings. Taking all of this into consideration, Officers were of the view that the proposed development would be high quality and appropriate in terms of access, layout, scale, appearance and landscaping and would accord with the Site Wide Concept Masterplan Document; however, the overprovision of affordable housing would require an amendment to the existing Section 106 Agreement by way of a Deed of Variation, therefore, the Officer recommendation was for a delegated approval, subject to a Deed of Variation.

20.42        The Chair invited the applicant’s agent to address the Committee.  The applicant’s agent indicated that he did not intend to say much as the majority had been covered in the Committee report and he thanked Officers for their hard work during the negotiations that had taken place over the last 12 months to reach the recommendation before Members.  He explained that the primary objective was to deliver affordable housing, in this particular case, policy-compliant affordable housing with an additionality of 125 affordable units which would be part-funded by Homes England and would be delivered via a Deed of Variation.  In terms of other elements of the scheme, each dwelling would be provided with an electric vehicle charging point and it would be a gas-free development with all heating provided by air source and solar.  A sitewide masterplan had been approved as part of the outline application which would ensure a high quality layout and design and the proposals before Members today were consistent with that and other phases of development of Perrybrook and reflective of the vernacular of the wider area.  The proposals included a series of cycleways and pedestrian links to nearby services  and could be appropriately assimilated into the surrounding landscape with native tree planting and general provision of green infrastructure across the site, including street tree planting within green verges, where appropriate. A noise assessment had been undertaken and deemed to be acceptable by the Environmental Health Officer; drainage had similarly been assessed and was considered appropriate with the whole site lying outside of Flood Zone 2.  On that basis, he hoped Members would be able to support the Officer recommendation for a delegated approval, subject to a Deed of Variation.

20.43        The Chair indicated that the Officer recommendation was that authority be delegated to the Development Management Manager to approve the application, subject to an agreed Deed of Variation, and he sought a motion from the floor.  It was proposed and seconded that authority be delegated to the Development Management Manager to approve the application, subject to an agreed Deed of Variation, in accordance with the Officer recommendation.  A Member expressed the view there was a connectivity issue as the site was not well linked to neighbouring services meaning people would have to travel by car and she asked if the cycling provision would be improved.  In response, the Development Management Team Manager (East) explained that the layout had been revised from that originally put forward with an access running down and along to the bottom of the site linking to Tesco.  The new access ran into Phase 6 and there would be a footpath access there as well.  More links had been added for cyclists and pedestrians to connect with Brockworth further down.  A Member asked whether the cycleways would be shared with pedestrians or if they would be painted lines in the road and was advised they would be shared pavements. 

20.44        Another Member drew attention to Page No. 162, Paragraph 8.30 of the Committee report in relation to the Locally Equipped Area of Play and indicated that the Parish Council had highlighted the quality of provision of play areas for children.  The report stated that the applicant had agreed to work on further details and the Member felt this sounded inconclusive.  She noted that further details could be secured by an appropriately worded condition and asked if this could be strengthened to tie the applicant to that.  The Development Management Team Manager (East) explained that the Locally Equipped Area of Play area was set out in the sitewide masterplan and Officers had been satisfied at that stage; however, following conversations with the Landscape Officer and the Asset Management Team, the details submitted regarding the play equipment were considered to be unacceptable and the applicant had agreed to condition 8, set out at Page No. 171 of the Committee report, which required full details to be submitted prior to occupation.  A Member noted that only nine of the affordable houses would be social rent and he asked if it was possible to increase that to achieve a better mix given the need for those type of properties in the borough.  The Head of Service: Housing advised that the nine social rented affordable homes would be larger properties which were not often provided; he pointed out that this was not the final scheme and Officers would work to increase the amount, however, that was not always possible with an additionality particularly when the original Section 106 Agreement had been signed off almost 10 years ago.  The Member asked whether residents would be required to pay a maintenance fee and, if so, what percentage that would be, as he had received reports that residents paid these fees but nothing was being done.  The Head of Service: Housing indicated that he did not know the details for this scheme and would need to look into this after the meeting but he would expect the Section 106 Agreement to ensure that all service charges could be covered by housing benefit or Universal Credit.

20.45        It was

RESOLVED           That authority be DELEGATED to the Development Management Manager to APPROVE the application, subject to an agreed Deed of Variation.