Agenda item

To consider a report by the Head of Planning.

The Area Lead Planning Officer introduced the application to erect 63 No. dwellings with garaging, parking, landscaping and associated infrastructure. (Reserved matters application (Phase1) to determine layout, scale, appearance and landscaping, following grant of Outline Planning Permission No. 2/2017/1706/VARIA).

 

The relevant planning history relating to this application was highlighted to members along with the key planning issues.  Recent photographs of the area were shown to members which highlighted that a number of the buildings had now been demolished. 

 

Following work with the Applicant, officers were now content with the design, they felt this was a highquality development.

 

Key planning matters were highlighted to members:-

 

• Flood risk
• Matters of design: Layout, Appearance, Scale
• Heritage impact
• Neighbour amenity
• Other matters raised by local Councils

 

The majority of the matters raised were mainly of principle and these had now been resolved.  This was a large site that needed a lot of remediation.

 

The Transport Development Liaison Manager highlighted that the site was accessed from the historic brewery access which was already an approved access. Onsite car parking was provided in accordance with council guidance. The proposed estate road layout had been tested for emergency and refuse vehicles to be able to pass and had been approved.  Highways had no objections to the proposals.

 

A statement by the applicant was read out at the meeting and is attached to these minutes.

 

Members comments and questions

The Chairman noted that this was a very significant development for Blandford St Mary.

 

Cllr Pipe enquired if there were any listed buildings status on any of the demolished or remaining buildings.   The Area Lead Planning Officer advised that whilst the development was within the Blandford conservation area but the old brewery building was not listed.

 

Cllr Cook asked if the non-adoption of roads caused an issue for the Authority. The Transport Development Liaison Manager advised that it was up to the applicant if they wished to offer roads for adoption it was not compulsory. Highways just approve schemes from a safety point of view.  Following a question about leasehold and freehold properties and any ground management fees, the Area Lead Planning Officer advised that the cost to remediate the site had been expensive and the applicant was working the Homes England to seek to provide some affordable housing.  Contract terms were not normally something that the Council would be involved in.

 

Cllr Legg was surprised to see access of off private roads and thought there were policies around this.  The Transport Development Liaison Manager was not aware of a specific policy relating to this and noted that a number of developers’ sites remained private roads and developers could not be forced to make them adopted. In response to a question about whether it could then become a gated community, the Officer advised that an application could be put forward to put up a gate but that was not being proposed with this application.

 

Cllr Legg highlighted that outline permission was for 180 units, therefore phases 2-4 would be of a much higher density. The Area Lead Planning Officer confirmed this would be the case and noted that the future development was likely to include 3 storey properties.

 

Cllr Legg made reference to comments made in December regarding flood risk but was unable to any find later correspondence regarding satisfaction with the proposal.  The Area Lead Planning Officer clarified the Lead Local Flood Authorities position and  updated members on the current position in relation to condition 23 which needed to be discharged prior to development.

 

Cllr Pothecary was concerned about adequate parking being provided and whether the streets were wide enough to park in while still being wide enough for refuse and emergency vehicles to pass through.  The Transport Development Liaison Manager advised that the car parking numbers complied with council’s guidance and confirmed that the site had been fully assessed. In respect of a query about children crossing the road to school, the officer confirmed that pedestrian links had been fully assessed at the outline stage. Cllr Pothecary was now content with this and felt this was a very attractive development that would sit well within Blandford and proposed approval of the application.

 

Cllr Ridout asked about the random siting of disabled slots. The Transport Development Liaison Manager advised that a certain number had to be allocated, and developers do try to scatter them around the site, officers had little say in where they were located.  However, Highways had no issues with where they had been placed.

 

Cllr Hall made reference to the inclusion of French drains and asked if there was a condition to enable them to be cleaned out as much as possible. The Area Lead Planning Officer advised that not only was this an exceptional site in its proximity to the River Stour it was an existing site being redeveloped so officers were dealing with flood issues to the best of their ability.

 

Cllr Fry enquired about any plans for renewables on the site.  The Area Lead Planning Officer advised this had not been addressed but the development would be built to building regulations standard and suggested that members of the public pushed for those regulations to be changed.  He also added that the development was in a conservation area close to listed buildings. Members hoped that the developers would take every opportunity to make this important and significant development for Blandford a modern and sustainable development.  Cllr Fry was content to second the proposal.

 

Cllr Jones expressed concern at the lack of play area and to see that considering the size of the development there was no provision.  The Area Lead Planning Officer advised that immediately adjacent to the site was a large green space and skateboard park.   Following a question concerning the provision of electric car charging points, the officer advised this could be added as an informative along alternative energies, but the uptake was a financial issue for developers.

 

Proposed: Cllr Pothecary

Seconded: Cllr Fry

 

Decision

That the application be approved subject to the conditions outlined in the appendix to these minutes.