Agenda item

Residential development of 68 new homes, public open space and new site accesses.

The officer presented the report and addendum on application P14/V2757/FUL for residential development of 68 new homes, public open space and new site accesses.  Consultations, representations, policy and guidance and the site’s planning history were detailed in the officer’s report which formed part of the agenda pack for this meeting. 

 

Sarah Day, a representative of the parish council, spoke objecting to the application raising concerns about:

·         the outdated masterplan for the site’s development

·         plots 38 and 39 would overlook existing neighbouring properties

·         noise pollution was likely to exceed the required standards

·         the location of the block of flats nearest to the A420 was poor design

·         the access was poor

·         the studies proposed in some properties may be marketed as third bedrooms and were of an inadequate size for that purpose

·         the development failed to meet appropriate standards

 

Chris Nixon spoke in objection to the application about:

·         the spine road through the site was too narrow

·         the plans did not show two existing neighbouring properties

·         there would be an adverse traffic impact on neighbouring roads causing an unacceptable highways risk

·         the pedestrian access to the village was not in the applicant’s ownership and might not be achievable  

·         the A420 noise mitigation measures were inadequate

·         there were too many houses on the site and the development brought no gain for the village

·         the neighbours had not been informed of changes to the application

 

Phil Brown, the applicant’s agent, spoke in favour of the application:

·         the development was sustainable and there were no technical objections

·         the noise impact assessment and mitigation plan had been agreed by the council’s Environmental Protection team

·         the applicants accepted the proposed amendments to the planning conditions, set out in the officer’s report addendum

·         the mix of housing types complied with the council’s Strategic Housing Market Assessment

·         the road alignment had been agreed at the outline permission stage

 

Councillor Elaine Ware, one of the local ward members, spoke in against the application:

·         the local ward members had not received any notification of the proposed amendments until a late stage

·         some neighbouring residents had not been informed of the proposed amendments

·         the application overlooked many of the issues highlighted at the outline permission stage

·         a ransom strip was needed to secure the pedestrian access link to the village

·         the centre of the site was too far from the village facilities

·         this would add traffic to already busy roads

 

The committee considered the application, with advice from officers where appropriate; the discussion covered the following points:

·         the principle of development of the site had been set at the outline permission stage

·         the council had allowed 14 days to reconsult on the amendments; this was in line with its policy

·         Environmental Protection had agreed the noise mitigation measures

·         The council’s housing officers were content with the proposed housing mix on the site

·         There were no highways authority objections on safety grounds

·         The access arrangements had been approved previously

·         The development complied with the residential design guide

·         It would bring affordable housing to the village

·         The housing layout minimised noise and overlooking issues

·         The applicant had agreed to all the financial contributions for local infrastructure

·         There should be two additional conditions to control noise replacing condition 21 in the officer’s report

·         There should be additional conditions to control slab levels, require communal aerials on the apartment block, and require a review of vehicle speed control measures on the spine road

·         The section 106 agreement should refer to studies being counted as additional bedrooms

 

RESOLVED (14 votes to nil) 

 

To authorise the head of planning in consultation with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the committee to approve planning permission on application P14/V2757/FUL, subject to the completion of a section 106 agreement with the county and district councils to secure contributions to local infrastructure and affordable housing, and subject to the following conditions:

1. Time Limit – 18 months. 

2. Approved plans. 

3. Submission of material samples including panel on site. 

4. Submission of internal and external boundary treatments, to include details of defensible space to rear gardens of ground floor flats. 

5. Removal of permitted development rights – garage conversions. 

6. Full landscaping scheme to be submitted and approved.

7. Development to be carried out in accordance with arboricultural method statement. 

8. Tree protection to be submitted and agreed. 

9. Drainage scheme to be agreed and provided. 

10. Foul water drainage strategy to be agreed and implemented pre commencement. 

11. Recommendations of water flow and pressure test to be implemented pre occupation. 

12. Water supply infrastructure improvements to be implemented in full prior to occupation. 

13. Archaeological written scheme of investigation to be agreed. 

14. Programme of archaeological evaluation and mitigation to be agreed. 

15. Construction traffic management plan to be agreed. 

16. Travel information packs to be agreed and provided to residents prior to occupation. 

17. Parking and turning in accordance with approved plan. 

18. New estate roads to Oxfordshire County Council specification. 

19. Footpath works to be implemented prior to first occupation in accordance with details to be submitted.

20. No drainage to highway. 

21. Mitigation and enhancement measures set out in ecology report to be implemented in full prior to occupation. 

22. First floor windows in plots 30 and 31 to be permanently obscure glazed and fixed shut to a height of 1.7 metres. 

23. Details of local equipped area of play within the site to be agreed.

24. Provision of fire hydrants on site.  

25. Noise insulation to dwellings in accordance with approved scheme.

26. Pre-occupation site completion report to validate mitigation measures set out in Condition 25.

27. Slab levels (full) all dwellings along with sections through southern part of the site.

28. Speed control measures for spine road to be agreed in consultation with County Council.

29. Details of aerials to be agreed.