Agenda item

Erect 316 No. dwellings with associated open space, access, sustainable urban drainage, and infrastructure.  (Phase 1 Reserved Matters application to determine appearance, landscaping, layout and scale; following the grant of Outline Planning Permission No. 2/2018/0077/OUT).

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 the outline location plan and the illustrative master plan was shown to the Committee. She corrected typos in Section 4 of the report under key planning issues; 32 units were proposed for affordable housing and 16 were shared ownership not 17. There would be 10% affordable housing, and the plans provided sufficient garden space. There would be 706 parking spaces and 259 located in garages. Some changes had been made to the layout with consultation with highways. The council flood risk management team raised no objections to the strategy. Energy saving methods were incorporated into the site, with low water use and low-e double glazing, and sustainable drainage. Climate change adaptation measures had been implemented to achieve reduction in co2 emissions by 60%. Significant existing trees were maintained throughout and new trees planted. The opportunities for biodiversity were maximised. The great crested newt habitat was maintained, and a series of bird boxes, hedgehog highways and bat boxes were widely spread across the site. There was courtyard surveillance in areas and there were no material considerations that would warrant refusal of the application.

Public Participation

There was no public participation.

Members questions and comments

·       A comment was made about how trees were going to be protected

·       Clarification was sought that EV chargers would be installed at all properties and all spaces not just garages.

·       Questions were asked if solar panels would be installed on properties, and what were the road materials made out of and questions about run off and drainage. 

·       A question was asked how many dwellings were disabled friendly as in widened doorway as there were no bungalows. Where was the site going to have meeting point or fete, and that there was no place together or village hall.

·       Comments made about the low number of affordable housings which should be 30% not 10%.

·       Comments were made that they were happy with streetlights and planning officers had worked hard on this application.

The case officer, Kirsten Williams commented that the layout of the site was very strong. The Tree officer reviewed the development and identified smaller species to use across the site and there was a condition that if any trees died, they had to be replaced and would be the responsibility of whoever owned the land.  Solar panels would be installed on dwellings. All homes needed to be accessible as per building regulations and there was no specific regulation for homes to be fully adaptable. All doors must be a minimum and specific dimension for accessibility. The scheme had been reviewed by the highways department. The parking provision was generous in the Courtyard, and most people would walk and cycle rather than drive. The Safety of water features, designed to appropriate standard and levels, both positioned natural surveillance over them. The developer was not required to achieve biodiversity net gain, but the applicant sought to achieve that. There was no community hall on site, but a financial contribution was secured on the outline application.

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 Ridout , and seconded by Cllr Val Pothecary.

Decision: To grant planning permission with conditions set out in the officer’s report and outlined in the appendix of the minutes.