Agenda item

Councillors Bradford and Mullone declared a disclosable pecuniary interest by virtue of their land ownership.

The Senior Planning Officer updated the meeting in regard to the officer recommendation at agenda page 59. Condition 13. Additional conditions are recommended regarding bat mitigation and external lighting, and carbon reduction plans, and an informative is recommended highlighting the general duties incumbent on the site’s developers with regard to legally protected species would still be required but would not be a pre-commencement condition. 

Public speaker, objector – speaking on behalf of clients and the Wolborough Residents’ Association objecting on the grounds that the proposal increases the density of development, moves the houses closer to the site boundary with Westlands, and moves the living accommodation to the first floor compromising privacy. A non-material amendment last June, allowed the developer to change the previously consented designs of plots 9 and 11 for houses of a similar floor area but on a smaller and repositioned footprint. This resulted in a new house type, and space for the four houses currently proposed. The three storey houses will be 7 metres from the existing boundary, living rooms have been moved to the first floor with large windows overlooking the existing neighbouring property. The application should be more sympathetic and less dense design that retains a semi-rural quality more in keeping with the surrounding area and particularly the neighbouring property. 

Public speaker, Supporter - The 2014 consent approved 15 four and five bedroom houses on the site. The market has changed significantly since the approval.  The pre-commencement conditions have been discharged from the original planning consent, such as decontamination, at some considerable cost. The current application addresses consequential viability issues by introducing smaller houses which follow the design of the approved units, and would widen the market of potential buyer. The total houses would increase from 15 to 18 houses and make more efficient use of the brownfield site. It does not constitute overdevelopment because the site was expected to deliver 20-22 houses but tree constraints restricted this to 18. In addition the Section 106 contribution was calculated and agreed on 18 houses, £250,000 would be contributed towards affordable housing. Additional contributions to community infrastructure would also be made with approval of the additional 3 houses.

Comments from Councillors included: the development is near a conservation area and near to the Grade 1 Listed St Mary’s Church; changes to the application since its approval includes new house types, living rooms on the upper floor and closer to the boundary, resulting in loss of privacy for neighbours, and change in the character of the site; planning creep, incorrect plans such as the windows on houses 16 and 17; agree with development on Brownfield sites; the market demand is for three bedroomed dwellings not five bedroomed; the site is surrounded by mature landscape boundaries so the site is well screen; and there is merit in a site inspection to assess the impact on the site and neighbouring area.

In response to issues raised above, the Business Manager confirmed that the site is not within or abutting a Conservation area, which commenced at the Church. There was a reasonable land separation between the site and the Conservation Area, and confirmed the Local Planning Authority had accurate plans.

It was proposed by Councillor Colclough, seconded by Councillor Haines and

Resolved

Consideration deferred pending a Member site inspection, to assess the impact on the site and neighbouring area.

(14 votes for, 3 against and 1 abstention)