Agenda item

Demolish existing buildings and erect 20 flats with parking and associated works (Outline).

The Committee considered an outline application to demolish existing buildings and erect 20 flats with parking and associated works.

 

The Senior Planning Officer gave a presentation of the site within the Defined Development Boundary (DDB) for Weymouth including photos of the site in relation to the surrounding area, an indicative site plan showing how 20 flats could be accommodated with16 parking spaces and amenity space; indicative elevations showing 2.5 storeys that included accommodation within the roof space and indicative street scene. 

 

The 1 bed flats ranged between 37 and 46.5sq metres which was within the standard of a minimum of 37sq metres with a shower room and 39sq metres with a bathroom.

 

The key planning issues were outlined including:-

·         principle of development

·         residential / visual amenity

·         highway safety

·         affordable housing

·         flooding

 

Concerns regarding flooding had resulted in the submission of an amended Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy and was now considered to be acceptable. 

 

Comments made by the Highways Officer had resulted in 2 additional parking spaces.  He also advised of a single recorded injury incident in the area as a result of a rear end shunt before the junction with Newstead / Marsh Road.

 

Some members raised concerns in relation to overdevelopment of the site; the mass of the building compared with the terraced housing; non- compliance with Local Plan policy ECON3; land stability at the rear of the site which bordered the Rodwell Trail and the decrease in amenity space due to the additional parking spaces which was considered to be insufficient for 20 flats and impact on parking congestion in the area.

 

Other members were mindful of the need for smaller properties, encouraging use of brownfield sites, high density accommodation and use of public transport in urban areas.

 

Clarification was sought on the views of Weymouth Town Council and the Senior Planning Officer advised that although not originally opposed to the scheme, Weymouth Town Council had lodged an objection when re-consulted on the amended plans.

 

She confirmed that the Environment Agency, Wessex Water and the Flood Risk Management Team were content with the proposal and that, in her view, non-compliance with Local Plan policy ECON3 was outweighed by the lack of 5 year housing land supply and that the site was surrounded by residential development with good transport links.

Further to a question in relation to the affordable housing contribution,

it was confirmed that the Section 106 Agreement included a clause that would allow a viability assessment to be resubmitted should the number of properties alter as part of a reserved matters application.

 

Proposed by Councillor Susan Cocking, seconded by Councillor John Worth.

 

Decision:

(A) That authority be delegated to the Head of Planning to grant, subject to a legal agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) in a form to be agreed by the legal services

manager to secure the following:

 

·         The provision of an off-site affordable housing contribution of £5,772

 

and subject to the conditions (and their reasons) outlined in the appendix to these minutes.

 

(B) Refuse permission for the reasons set out below if the legal agreement is not completed within 6 months of the committee resolution or such extended time as agreed by the head of planning:

 

1. In the absence of a satisfactory completed Section 106 agreement the scheme fails to ensure provision of a financial contribution for the off-site provision of affordable housing. Hence the scheme is contrary to policy HOUS 1 of the West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland Local Plan 2015.