Agenda item

The officer presented the report on an application for a residential development consisting of 31 houses (19 open market houses and 12 affordable) and public open space. Consultations, representations, policy and guidance and this site’s planning history are detailed in the officer’s report which forms part of the agenda pack for this meeting.

Updates from the report

Councillors had received further letters of objection to the scheme from local residents.

Robert Green, from Steventon Parish Council, spoke objecting to the application. His concerns included the following:

·           Highways and traffic safety.

·           The cumulative impact of all recent applications on the capacity of the village school.

·           Flooding risk

·           This application, together with the one at Barnett Road, represented a 13 percent increase in the size of the village.

·           The developer’s traffic survey was undertaken in July when the school was closed and is not therefore a true representation of the traffic problems.

·           This is not a suitable or sustainable site for new homes.

Sue Rees spoke on behalf of local residents, objecting to the application. Her concerns included the following:

·           Potential flooding and drainage problems.

·           High water table.

·           Proposals not sufficient to be effective.

·           Run off water likely to affect existing houses.

·           Open public area: no one is willing to manage it and it will be subject to high risk flooding, creating a particular risk to children playing on it.

Ken Djiksman, the applicant’s agent, spoke in favour of the application. His speech included the following:

·           A management company owned by residents would be responsible for the open space.

·           Technical solutions to the drainage problems could be provided and the drainage engineer was content.

·           There would be minimal changes to the Causeway.

·           Trenches had been dug to check archaeological concerns.

·           The local education authority was content with the education plans.

Councillor Bill Jones, one of the ward councillors, spoke objecting to the application. The points he raised included the following:

·           Councillor Murray, the other ward councillor had outlined his concerns in a letter which was on pp 53-54 of the agenda pack.

·           There would likely be traffic chaos at school run times.

·           If the school expands, due to increased numbers created by this and other proposed developments, the playing fields will have to expand too. However, the application site is on land adjacent to the existing playing field and therefore there will be nowhere to expand if the proposed development goes ahead.

The committee considered this application.

During the course of the discussion the committee considered the issues raised by the speakers including the potential impact on education provision, potential flooding risks and traffic and highways problems created by this and other developments.

RESOLVED (for 8; against 1; abstentions 5)

To authorise the head of planning, in consultation with the committee chairman and vice chairman, to grant planning permission subject to the following:

Completion within the agreed planning performance agreement (PPA) period of section 106 agreements for on-site affordable housing provision, on site open space provision, contributions towards off-site facilities and services including highways works, education improvements, waste management and collection, street names signs, public art, library and museum service, social and health care, police equipment, local and area hub recreational and community facility improvements.

The following conditions, including the requirement for the commencement of development within 12 months from the date of the issue of planning permission to help address the immediate housing land shortfall: 

1.         Time limit.

2.         Approved plans.

3.         MC2 - Materials (samples).

4.         Access, parking / turning & off site works in accordance with plans.

5.         Landscaping scheme.

6.         Tree protection.

7.         Retention of existing hedgerows.

8.         Open space management plan.

9.         Plot curtilages.

10.      Removal of buildings.

11.      Contamination.

12.      Drainage details (surface and foul).

13.      Sustainable drainage scheme.

14.      Works in accordance with flood risk assessment.

15.      Archaeology.

16.      Boundary details .

17.      Ecology.

If the required section 106 agreements are not completed in a timely manner and so planning permission cannot be granted by the determination deadline, in accordance with the agreed PPA, to authorise to the head of planning, in consultation with the chairman and vice-chairman, to refuse planning permission.