Agenda item

Residential development of 36 dwellings, comprising a partial re-plan of details approved under application reference P18/V0744/RM, to include an uplift of 10 no. additional dwellings, a revised housing mix across the relevant development parcels and associated development works (as amended 14 July 2021).

The committee considered application P20/V0738/FUL for a residential development of 36 dwellings, comprising a partial re-plan of details approved under application reference P18/V0744/RM, to include an uplift of 10 no. additional dwellings, a revised housing mix across the relevant development parcels and associated development works (as amended 14 July 2021) on Land at Park Farm, East Challow.

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 the meeting.

The planning officer reported that the application site formed part of an area on which the council had permitted 88 dwellings and that development had commenced with some houses completed and others under construction. The application sought to revise the central and northern parts of the approved scheme to increase the number of dwellings proposed across the wider Park Farm site from 88 to 98 dwellings; an uplift of 10 dwellings. In combination with approved application P21/V0293/FUL, the number of dwellings across the wider Park Farm site would be uplifted by 11 dwellings from 88 to 99. The planning officer referred to section 2 of the report which detailed the planning history of this site, showing a number of approvals and one refusal.

The planning officer also described the affordable housing and market housing mixes, full details of which were provided at paragraphs 5.9 to 5.15 of the report. With particular reference to plot 60, the planning officer explained that the house on this plot had been built in accordance with a previous approval but was some 8 sq m smaller than the space standard of 79 sq m required by policy DP2 of the Local Plan Part 2 for a four person two-bedroom dwelling, and that this was a reason for refusal as part of application P20/V1395/FUL.

The planning officer advised the committee that the market mix did not follow the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) estimate, but the SHMA acknowledged that prescriptive figures should not be included in the plan- making process and that the ‘market’ was to some degree a better judge of what was the most appropriate profile of homes to deliver at any point in time. The most recent Annual Monitoring Report, dated 2020. indicated that the council had been over-providing 1 and 2-bedroom dwellings, under-providing 3 bedroom dwellings, whilst 4+ bed dwellings met the SHMA standard. The variation from SHMA needed to be considered in the planning balance. The planning officer also referred to residential amenity issues and advised the committee that the closest distance between windows in proposed and existing dwellings exceeded this distance and there was no unreasonable overlooking or overbearing impact on existing dwellings. The proposals accorded with the design guide and Development Policy (DP) 23 of the Local Plan Part 2.

Nicholas Daruwalla, the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

Statement by East Challow Parish Council

The committee regretted the loss of the roundabout at the Park Farm site and requested further details. The planning officer reported that under application P16/V0652/O outline planning permission had been sought for 88 dwellings on the site. The application proposed access from the A417 via a four - arm roundabout. Following a positive recommendation by officers, the planning committee had resolved to approve the application, and outline permission was granted.

The planning officer further reported that subsequently an application (P17/V2884/FUL) had been received seeking to replace the roundabout with a staggered priority junction. The application was presented to the planning committee on 13 February 2018, with a recommendation for approval. A local resident and the ward member spoke objecting to the application at the committee meeting and the concerns expressed by the parish council and local residents, plus comments from Oxfordshire County Council as Highway Authority (who did not object), were summarised in the committee report. There was no technical evidence to suggest that the staggered priority junction would be unsafe. It would not have been appropriate for the committee to decide that the roundabout might be a safer option; the staggered priority junction had to be considered on its own merits. Based on the merits of the scheme and having considered objections to the proposal, it was resolved to approve the application.

In conclusion, the committee considered that the proposal was acceptable, subject to the imposition of conditions and securing a s.106 agreement for infrastructure and service improvements as listed in the committee report, and provided affordable housing.

A motion moved and seconded, to grant planning permission was carried on being put to the vote.

It is recommended

RESOLVED: that authority to grant planning permission for planning application P20/V0738/FUL is delegated to the head of planning subject to:

1.  A S106 agreement being entered into to secure contributions towards local infrastructure and services including education and bus service improvements, management of public open spaces and the play area and to secure affordable housing; and

2. Conditions as follows:

1.       Development to commence within three years.

2.       Approved plans.

Pre-Commencement Conditions

3.       Tree protection as submitted to be implemented.

4.       Surface and foul water drainage scheme to be agreed.

Pre-Occupancy or Other Stage Conditions

5.       External materials in accordance with approved plan.

6.       Construction method statement including vehicle routing to avoid using          Letcombe Hill.

7.       Landscaping scheme implementation.

8.       Play area implementation.

9.       Boundary treatments in accordance with approved plans.

10.      Road and footway construction to each dwelling to be provided before       each occupation.

11.      Parking and turning spaces for each dwelling to be provided prior to      occupation of each plot.

12.      Residential travel information pack.

13.      Active electric charging points for each dwelling.

14.      Implementation of ecological enhancements.

15.      Bat box provision.

Post Occupancy Monitoring and Management Conditions

16.      Construction hours – 7.30 to 18.00 Monday to Friday 8.00 to 13.00        Saturday no works on Sunday or bank holidays.

17.      Retention of garages.

Informatives

1.       Work close to water mains.

2.       Thames Water aims for water pressure provision.

3.       Broadband provision.

4.       Land drainage consent needed for any works to watercourses or ditches.