Agenda item

Erect 33 No. dwellings with garages and parking. Form vehicular access from Salisbury Road, associated infrastructure and public open space. Carry out site preparation and ancillary works.

With the aid of a visual presentation including plans and aerial photographs, the Case Officer identified the site and explained the proposal and relevant planning policies to members. Photographs of location plan, and the access arrangement going north of the local centre of Blandford forum local parklands development was shown. The application was to erect 33 dwellings with garages and parking and form a vehicle access from Salisbury Road, associated infrastructure and public open space. The proposal was an extension of the 490 houses that had been previously approved. None of the trees that were due to be removed were above category c and low grade and would be replaced. An update sheet of minor tweaks modifying condition 15 and adding two conditions in consultation with ecologists and Dorset natural environment team was shown to the Committee. Highways recommended a conditional approval. 

 

Public Participation

Martin Richley spoke against the application and informed that he was a pragmatist, as soon as the land was sold to the developer, he was sure that something would be built here. He and many of the local neighbours, were hoping for a development more in line with the two houses either side of the site entrance, or possibly a development along the lines of a community house trust of homes for local people, rather than what was currently proposed.  He produced a letter of objection to the current proposal, based on what he believe were reasonable grounds, however, he felt that the objections/comments were not worth the paper they were written on, as they seemed to be ignored by the system, especially as there were rarely, if any, feedback or changes made based on the objections/comments. He requested that the committee, as they consider the application, to reflect on two things. When this plot of land was sold, a mature orchard of some 30 trees, plus hedging and other mature trees were grubbed out over a weekend, before an emergency tree preservation order was obtained.  He asked if the promised planting regime of this application would replace not only the trees and shrubs that will need to be removed for this development, but also take into account the orchard and other trees that were cut down before this application was submitted and how this would be monitored and enforced? Secondly, he believed that it was both the governments and this council’s aim to produce integrated housing developments.  The layout of this site had all the social and affordable housing sited together at the entrance, close to the main road, while all the commercial housing was set at the back of the development?  This was not integration, but segregation, therefore should the current design layout be amended to provide an integrated development?

 

Tim Hoskinton Director of Wyatt Homes

 

Mr Hoskinton informed that Wyatt Homes was a Dorset based house builder with a track record of delivering high quality community purpose developments which stand the test of time. He was proud of the places that Wyatt homes create and was committed to building well designed homes using locally based trading contractors. He gave an update on the wider application. The detailed design works was progressing well and the 278 agreements with Dorset Council was expected to be completed within the next few months. He was also working on the discharge of conditions applications. He anticipated that the development would commence on the first phase of the wider site by next year. The application today was not included in the original application for the wider site as it was not in Wyatt Homes control at that time but have worked hard to secure it and pleased to bring this application forward. He underlined the importance of the site, to the overall masterplan, and he went over a number of benefits such as, it would allow the main tree line of avenue that runs through the centre of the wider site to connect to Salisbury Road and the local centre beyond. This would improve pedestrian and cycle ways and vehicle connectivity throughout the site. It would also allow a better route for buses going through the primary street of the main development which would extend through the application site new roundabout from Salisbury Road. The provision of the new roundabout would improve access to the local centre and the new allotments. It would also create an attractive and welcoming frontage, and the layout follows the approved design principles of the neighbouring scheme, generous landscaping, street trees and central green areas. The design will integrate seamlessly with the wider scheme using carefully selected materials and retain a few landscaping features along with new planting to assimilate the developments into the surroundings. The proposal will not affect Pimperne setting or separation from Blandford. The gap between settlements is primarily north to northeast and not in the application area. Homes would be 2 storeys with a variety of types and sizes ranging from one-bedroom apartments to 500 homes. The development would include 30% affordable housing fully integrated with section 106 contributions in line with the wider site. All homes built to high standards of energy efficiency and will incorporate heat pumps, thermal installation, energy efficient appliances, which will reduce running costs.

 

Cllr Cross the Chair of Blandford Forum Town Council’s Planning Committee spoke in favour of the application. He explained that the application had to be endorsed by the Blandford + Neighbourhood Group. He was impressed by the comments and plaudits given by the Committee when passing the original application 12 months ago when it was described as ‘the most informed and exceptional scheme’. He noted also that all the attributes of that scheme are included in this application and that was favourably received by the Planning Officer in charge. He accepted that most of the land involved here was within Pimperne but noted that Dorset puts greater weight behind development around the 4 hub towns in the North Dorset area which included Blandford Forum. Any neutral observer would see that the Letton area as a whole could be seen as the entrance to the urban area of Blandford Forum. He was pleased to see all the eco-friendly attributes incorporated into these 33 properties such as the E.V. charging points and P.V.cell rooves etc. and all the attention to bats and bird boxes to aid the environment. Not to mention the total replacement of 13 low-quality tree to be replaced by sturdy new trees and shrubs leading to the original Parklands development. In addition, he noted that the Blandford + Code of Design had been adhered to. The new Dorset APS to be fixed from 31st Oct was expected to show a Land Supply of only 2.7% i.e. a shortage of some 8000 houses. He did not believe the cries of "foul" from Pimperne hold water and were behind the tide of events which could have avoided by joining the Blandford + Group at the beginning. But they refused
to go it alone.

 

Cllr Slocombe Chairman Pimperne Parish Council. He explained that the application site was not in Blandford Forum, it was in the Parish of Pimperne which sits in Cranborne Chase. The proposed section 106 requires amendment to record Pimperne as the local parish. This was another application by Wyatt homes that goes against Pimperne neighbourhood plan which was updated as recently as October 2022 after a thorough review. It conflicts with our plan on many points. Pimperne neighbourhood Plan more than meets the requirement for housing in our area, so there is clear conflict with our MCN and Policy SB. The addition of a new roundabout so close to the bypass intended to connect the larger site has not been properly modelled and underestimates the impacts. The impact of two junctions in close proximity plus a late-night parking for the centre, plus a bus stop in the road, plus pedestrian crossing points on the roundabout would cause immense driver frustration. He explained that this was a recipe for accidents, exactly where we expect our children to cross the road. It was hindering rather than priorising pedestrian journeys and air quality would be detrimentally affected by increased traffic congestion. Putting yet more houses in the gap than exists in the south, area of unique character and diminishes the semi-rural nature of its setting. Against the very intent of our policy LC and in conflict with our policy LDC. The Pimperne neighbourhood plan requires 40% not 30% of the total dwellings to be provided as affordable houses and our neighbourhood plan should not be seen as an optional requirement. 

 

 

Cllr Jespersen submitted a statement as ward member.

 

Statement from Cllr Sherry Jespersen, Ward Member for Hill Forts and Upper Tarrants

 

May I remind committee members that this application is located in the parish of Pimperne, not in Blandford.

 

And that currently we are meeting our 5 Year Housing Land Supply, so the Tilted Balance does not apply; our policies therefore carry full weight.

 

There are, in my view, grounds on which you could refuse this application should you so wish.

 

1. The application is outside of the settlement boundary so it is in the countryside where the North Dorset Local Plan requires that development should be resisted.

 

2. The application also conflicts with Pimperne Neighbourhood Plan which designates this area as an Important Gap protecting the setting between the village and the town of Blandford. The Neighbourhood Plan is up to date and carries full weight.

 

3. The application is in the setting of the Cranborne Chase National Landscape and therefore the CRoW Act 2000 applies. This requires Dorset Council not, as the report suggests, simply to “take account of”, but to “seek to further” the purposes of the designation. This application represents a further incursion into the farmland landscape, and the cumulative impact is relevant here.

 

If you are minded to permit this development, could I ask the Committee to raise two points.

 

1. The Section 106 funding gives nothing to Pimperne, the Parish in which the application is located. The previous application at this location allocated no S106 funding to Pimperne either. This is patently unfair.

 

2. The site is in a very important designated Dark Skies area. It would be wise to strengthen this condition to cover domestic lighting which could cause harm which is easily avoidable.

 

Members questions and comments

·       Cllr Ridout asked for more details on the pedestrian links through the site and how they linked up. She asked if the proposal included swift bricks.

·       Cllr Major asked about traffic calming measures

·       Cllr Cooper raised concerns about traffic, if the proposal was joined up by the other 500 houses.

·       Cllr Jones suggested that any tree planting would be that of fruit trees to replace the orchard. 

·       Cllr Fry enquired about allocating money to Pimperne and let Pimperne Parish council come up with a project to allocate money. This was not carried through into the recommendation following officer advice to the committee

·       Cllr Pothecary commented that Pimperne had done their very best to create a neighbourhood plan and Blandford was creating urban sprawl in their neighbourhood. She said that it was unlikely that Pimperne would receive any financial compensation and highlighted the importance of the designated gap between their village and Blandford Forum. She raised concerns with traffic and she could not support this application on the basis that it does not follow Pimperne neighbourhood plan.

·       Cllr Jones commented that the application dismisses Pimperne neighbourhood plan. She commented that the countryside should be a last resort for housing and not the first. However, she knew this company were great builders in which make real estates.

·       Cllr Fry commented that 490 houses were already being built outside Pimperne and this application was for 30 houses.

 

 

Having had the opportunity to discuss the merits of the application and an understanding of all this entailed; having considered the officer’s report and presentation; the written representatives; and what they had heard at the meeting, a motion to APPROVE the officer’s recommendation to GRANT planning permission as recommended, was proposed by Cllr Les Fry, and seconded by Cllr Belinda Ridout.

 

Decision: To grant planning permission subject to the updated conditions set out in the appendix of the minutes and the completion of a legal agreement under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) to secure the items listed in this report, and the adoption of a screening opinion.