Agenda item

Public Speaker, Objector – Requested that a further condition be added with regards to road safety, and in particular, the visibility at the New Road and Woodway Road junction. As a care home there was a mere 4 to 5 staff cars regularly using the site. Visitors were few and usually on a Sunday. The proposal would create 22 vehicles. Visitors would park on the road exacerbating the lack of visibility at the junction, where there are often ‘near miss’ accidents with vehicles turning right out of Woodway Road onto New Road. Double yellow lines should be added to Woodway Road on both sides of the road for a distance of 40 metres and the boundary wall of the site along New Road set back by 2 metres.

Public Speaker, supporter – The number of units has been reduced from 16 on the original plans to the current 10 to deliver a quality development; the current building is not worthy of preserving and the scale and mass is considered acceptable; large scale buildings surround the site; the proposal will add character to the area; it would be set further away from the neighbour to the south than the existing; there would be no overshadowing or overlooking; and the units are spacious enough to accommodate ‘life time’ adaptable units. 

In response to highway safety comments from the objector, the Senior Planning Officer advised that the exiting Road is wide enough to accommodate on street parking, and the existing wall is low and acceptable and has been accessed by the Highway Engineer.

Comments from Members included: there would be no additional impact on the neighbours; the contribution for affordable housing is very low; lack of onsite parking for visitors; design not suitable and out of keeping;

In response to affordable housing contribution comments, Members were advised that the amount was justified in this case due to high development costs. In relation to parking for visitors, the road is wide enough for on street parking. In addition the build for life unit would be accessible and adaptable. The recommended affordable housing contribution is in accordance with policy requirement of the Local Plan.

It was proposed by Councillor Mayne and seconded by Councillor Jones that the application be approved as set out in the report circulated with the agenda. An amendment was proposed by councillor J Hook and seconded by Councillor Rollason that the Section 106 agreement be amended to request £86,431 affordable housing contribution. The amendment was carried by 13 votes for and 4 against.

Resolved

Subject to: the completion of a Section 106 agreement for an Affordable Housing contribution of £86,431, and a Habitat Regulations contribution of £8,000,

Permission be granted subject to the following conditions:

1. Standard 3 year time limit for commencement of development;

2. In accordance with approved plans;

3. Construction Management Plan to be agreed prior to development commencing;

4. Results of percolation test in accordance with BRE Digest 365 Soakaway Design to be agreed prior to development commencing;

5. Detailed design of surface water drainage management system to be agreed prior to development commencing;

6. Details of exceedance pathways and overland flow routes for rainfall in excess of the design standard of the proposed surface water drainage management system to be agreed prior to development commencing;

7. The works, including demolition and site clearance, shall proceed in strict accordance with the precautions and measures described in the preliminary ecological appraisal report and mitigation and enhancement measures shall be provided as described in this report;

8. Details of location and design of 10 bird boxes and 2 bat boxes to be agreed prior to development above damp proof course;

9. Prior to first use, samples or details of the materials to be used on the external surfaces of the buildings to be submitted and approved;

10. Parking facilities to be provided prior to initial occupation and thereafter be permanently retained;

11. Detailed design of cycle storage to be approved and to be provided prior to initial occupation and thereafter maintained and retained;

12. Detailed design for refuse and recycling storage to be approved and for such storage only within approved bin storage areas and to be provided prior to initial occupation and thereafter retained;

13. Prior to first occupation full details of hard and soft landscaping works and an implementation and management plan to be submitted and approved and implemented in accordance with approved details. Details to include soft landscaping along the southern and western boundaries of the site;

14. Boundary treatment to be installed prior to initial occupation and thereafter permanently maintained and retained;

15. The installation of the obscurely glazed, top-hung windows within the west elevation to a minimum of level 3 obscured glazing prior to first occupation;

16. The installation of the obscurely glazed privacy screens to the balconies, as shown within the proposed west elevation, to a minimum of level 3 obscured glazing prior to first occupation.

(13 votes for and 4 against)