Agenda item

Variation of Conditions 9, 10, 11 and 15 and removal of Condition 8 of P16/V0652/O.

The committee considered application P17/V2884/FUL to vary Conditions 9, 10, 11 and 15 and remove Condition 8 of application P16/V0652/O.

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.

Officer update: further representations received from four local residents and a letter from the applicant’s agent were summarised at the meeting.

Liz Gillott, a local resident, spoke objecting to the application. 

Susie Hartas, a representative of the applicant, Crest Nicholson, spoke in support of the application.

Chris Elliot, a highway consultant from Vectos, was available to answer questions of clarification from the committee.

Yvonne Constance, one of the local ward councillors, spoke objecting to the application. 

In response to questions raised by the committee, the officers reported that:

·         Whilst the outline application P16/V0652/O approved a roundabout on the A417 to provide access to the site, it is not a case of comparing merits of that scheme with that now proposed.  The application for a staggered priority junction had to be considered on its individual merits;

·         A roundabout must be on a relatively flat surface, the gradient of the A417 at the proposed junction is unsuitable and extensive work and disruption on the A417 could be caused;

·         Amending the proposed Condition 10 to a Grampian type condition could be done which would require the applicant to complete the construction of the proposed staggered priority junction before any dwelling, rather than before first occupation as detailed in proposed Condition 10; and

·         Concerns raised by committee regarding vehicle speeding could be further alleviated by a reduction in the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph as required by the outline permission, footway lighting improvements, a signalised crossing and traffic calming measures such as a ‘gateway feature’.  Conditions could be added regarding a scheme of traffic calming measures and a signalised crossing as opposed to a zebra crossing.

The committee agreed that more needed to be done to allay concerns regarding traffic speeding along the A417, despite the traffic study carried out by the applicant.  Concerns could be mitigated by the implementation of traffic calming measures, a signalised pedestrian crossing rather than a zebra crossing, and the amendment of Condition 10 to be a Grampian type condition requiring construction of the staggered priority junction prior to commencement of any dwelling.

A motion, moved and seconded, to delegate authority to grant planning permission to the head of planning, with the following amendments to conditions, was declared carried on being put to the vote:

·         Recommended amendment to Condition 10 to a Grampian type condition to require the proposed staggered priority junction to be constructed before any dwelling rather than before occupation of the first dwelling;

·         The addition of a condition requiring traffic calming to be agreed by the local planning authority; and

·         A condition to change the zebra crossing agreed at the outline stage of the application to a signalised crossing.

RESOLVED: to delegate authority to grant planning permission for application P17/V2884/FUL to the head of planning, subject to the following conditions:

     I.        The Deed of Variation submitted with the application is completed to ensure the requirements of the S106 agreement entered into under application no. P16/V0652/O remain applicable with the exception that a priority junction is constructed and a signalised crossing on the A417 instead of a zebra crossing.

4.    Arboricultural method statement to be approved.

5.    Public open spaces and local area of play to be provided.

6.    Sustainable drainage scheme to be approved.

7.    Foul water drainage scheme to be approved.

8.    The development hereby permitted shall be implemented in accordance with the written scheme of investigation (WSI) prepared by CgMs Consulting (June 2017). Any variation shall be agreed in writing by the local planning authority (LPA) before such change is made.

9.    In accordance with the WSI prepared by CgMs Consulting (June 2017), and prior to the commencement of the development (other than in accordance with the agreed written scheme of investigation), a staged programme of archaeological evaluation and mitigation shall be carried out by the commissioned archaeological organisation in accordance with the approved WSI. The programme of work shall include all processing, research and analysis necessary to produce an accessible and useable archive and a full report for publication which shall be submitted to the LPA.

10. Prior to the construction of any dwelling, full details of the proposed staggered priority junction and uncontrolled pedestrian crossing islands shall be submitted to, and approved in writing, by the local planning authority. The details shall be substantially in accordance with drawings VD17541 SK21 Rev A, VD17541 SK22 Rev B, VD17541 SK24 and VD17541 SK25 (unless agreed otherwise). The approved works shall be implemented prior to the construction of the first dwelling on site.

11. Prior to the use of the staggered priority junction, vehicular and pedestrian visibility splays shall be provided in accordance with a detailed scheme that shall first be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA. Thereafter, the visibility splays shall be permanently maintained free from obstruction to vision above 900mm.

12. Prior to the first occupation of any dwelling the details of footways, as follows shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority:

·         A footway beside the A417 from the site access northwards to connect with the existing footway

·         On the north side of the A417 from the application site eastwards to join with footpath 196/5 (East Challow), a new pedestrian crossing and bus stops

·         On the south side of the A417 the existing footway from Letcombe Hill eastwards to King Alfred's Academy school shall be widened to provide a minimum width of 1.5m and where possible a maximum width of 1.8m.

The footways shall be provided in accordance with the approved details prior to the occupation of any dwelling.

13. Construction method statement to be approved.

14. Travel information pack.

15. The development hereby permitted shall be implemented in accordance with the mitigation and enhancements included within Chapter 5 of the Ecological Assessment (Ecology Solutions, May 2016, 6872.EcoAss.vf3) and Update Ecological Survey Work Note (Aspect, 13 July 2017). Any variation shall be agreed in writing by the local planning authority before such change is made.

16. Ground levels to be approved.

17. Noise attenuation scheme to be approved.

18. Contaminated land risk assessment to be approved.

19. Traffic calming measures on the A417 to be approved.

20. Signalised crossing on the A417, rather than the zebra crossing agreed at outline stage, to be approved.