Agenda item

Demolition of the existing church and erection of 18 flats (including at least 6 affordable units) with associated external amenity space and parking spaces.

The Committee considered an application to demolish an existing church and the erection of 18 flats (including at least 6 affordable units) with associated external amenity space and parking spaces.  The application had been previously considered in July 2020 and had been brought back before the Committee due to a change to the terms of the Section 106 Agreement.

 

The Senior Planning Officer gave a presentation of the proposed site within the Defined Development Boundary and the Connaught Road Conservation Area.  The church was a 1960s structure in a poor state of repair. 

 

Members were shown the site of the existing church in relation to other dwellings in the immediate area.  A block plan indicated the footprint of the proposed development and existing wide bell mouth access that would be reduced to 5m. The proposal included a new pedestrian access, amenity space, recycling store, cycle racks (1 per flat) and 18 parking spaces, the majority of which were undercroft parking.

 

The relationship with the bungalow at No 16 Buxton Road which was at a higher level to the rear of the proposed development had been explored and a plan and associated photographs demonstrated that the outlook across Portland Harbour and Portland from the bungalow would be maintained as a result of the proposed development.

 

A particular feature of the floor plans included pop out windows on the rear and east elevations which would be obscure glazed to mitigate overlooking of nearby properties. A plan of the proposed street scene showed the development would be 0.7m lower than the Victorian Villas, 5.6m higher than the existing church and a distance of 22m from the front of the bungalow at No 16 Buxton Road.

 

The main planning issues were highlighted including:-

·         principle

·         residential development within the DDB

·         minimum 35% affordable housing provision

·         contribution towards the 5 year housing land supply

·         effect on the Conservation Area and residential amenity

·         highway safety

 

The Senior Planning Officer explained that it had been necessary to amend the draft S106 Agreement due to a change in the way affordable housing schemes were funded by Homes England.  This meant that 35% could be funded via the S106 Agreement and although it remained the intention of Sovereign Housing to develop an 100% affordable housing scheme, this could not be guaranteed.

 

Public written representations received were read out at the meeting and are attached to these minutes.

 

Cllr Brian Heatley, Dorset Council Ward Member for Rodwell & Wyke, highlighted that the provision of 18 affordable housing units had been a balancing factor that outweighed objections by residents when the application was considered in July 2020 and that he hoped that this could still be the case. 

 

Responding to comments made during public participation, the Senior Planning Officer advised that he had met with the occupants of No 16 Buxton Road to discuss the impact on residential amenity due to overlooking and shading and that this had been mitigated by the use of obscure glazing and the 22m distance between the bungalow and the development.

 

The intention remained to provide social rented units as indicated in the report and although 6 affordable units could be guaranteed within the S106 Agreement, it was not possible to confirm the remaining 12 units.  However, the objective to provide an 100% affordable housing scheme was apparent in a short letter from Sovereign Housing included in the update sheet advising that it would "be utilising grant funding to make all 18 units affordable housing. To use grant funding the scheme requires a standard planning approval as discussed. We look forward to providing these units."

 

The Housing Enabling Team Leader added that it was unfortunate that funding had been impacted by a recent decision taken by Homes England not to fund anything controlled by a S106 Agreement.  However, he recognised the need to work with the new funding model if the Council was going to increase the amount of affordable housing in future. He was therefore keen to progress this development and had worked with the developer and Sovereign Housing for some time on this proposal. 

 

It was also confirmed that the application included the provision of an electric vehicle charging scheme which had been included in the conditions. 

 

On balance the committee was mindful that the development complied with the policy requirement for 35% affordable housing and supported the intention to provide an 100% affordable housing scheme.

 

Prior to voting on the application the Area Manager - Western and Southern Team highlighted that the recommendation included amendments to conditions in respect of windows and flat numbers (that were incorrectly recorded in the July 2020 report) in addition to clarifying that members considered that the S106 agreement should specify affordable rented units.

Proposed by Councillor Bill Pipe, seconded by Cllr Susan Cocking.

 

Decision

 

A: That authority be delegated to the Head of Planning to grant subject to the completion of a Section 106 Agreement to secure provision of 35% affordable housing (6 flats and a financial contribution to off-site affordable housing provision – the latter not being required if more than 6 affordable units are provided on site) and subject to the planning conditions outlined in the appendix to these minutes.

 

B: Refuse permission for the reasons set out if the legal agreement under Section106 of the town and country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) is not completed within 6 months of the date of the committee resolution or such extended time as is agreed by the Head of Planning.

 

1. Policy HOUS1 of the adopted West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland Local Plan 2015 requires a minimum on-site provision of units as affordable

housing and in the absence of a planning obligation to secure these

affordable units the scheme would fail to meet the substantial unmet need

for affordable housing in the district and the proposal would therefore be

contrary to Policy HOUS1 of the adopted West Dorset Weymouth and

Portland Local Plan. Furthermore, the community-related benefits inherent

in the scheme would not be achieved. Hence the scheme would be

contrary to the objectives of paragraph 92 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2019).