Agenda item

Outline planning permission for residential development of up to 90 dwellings (Use Class C3) including means of access into the site (not internal roads) and associated highway works, with all other matters (relating to appearance, landscaping, scale and layout) reserved (as per the updated air quality assessment received on 11 November 2020, drainage technical note 29 March 2021, Frilford Lights technical note 31 March 2021 and Frilford lights mitigation 23 July 2021).

The committee considered application P20/V1388/O for outline planning permission for residential development of up to 90 dwellings (Use Class C3) including means of access into the site (not internal roads) and associated highway works, with all other matters (relating to appearance, landscaping, scale and layout) reserved (as per the updated air quality assessment received on 11 November 2020, drainage technical note 29 March 2021, Frilford Lights technical note 31 March 2021 and Frilford lights mitigation 23 July 2021).

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 provided the context of the application’s return to the committee, explaining that the committee had deferred the application on the 8^th September 2021 in order to receive further clarification and new information on;

1.     School capacity

2.     Foul water flooding

3.     Primary care

4.     Air quality

5.     Frilford junction

6.     Cycle access

7.     A Members site visit

The planning officer went through each category and provided the committee with an update to what new information had been collected and how they would contribute to the overall impact to the local area, should planning permission for the application be granted. The committee were also told that all reasons for a deferral had been solved and that while some collisions had occurred on the A415, that there was no particular pattern to the collisions. Additionally, it was noted that while there had been a fatal collision six years prior involving a cyclist, there had been no recorded fatal collisions since. The planning officer therefore held the view that subject to the conditions proposed and a Section 106 agreement, officers were satisfied with the application and recommended that planning permission be granted.

Michael Hoath, representative of Marcham Parish Council, spoke in objection to the application.

A question was asked about the level of traffic passing the site and whether any arrangements had been proposed for entrances, crossing points, and a widening of the road and footways. The response was that an entrance had been added to the east of the site. Mr Hoath explained that there were five exits to a similar site within 300 metres and that a better layout would have been to have a north-east exit and mini-roundabout. The parish council therefore considered the site layout to be poor in design.

Ed Barrett, the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

In response to questions from the committee regarding electric vehicle charging points, Mr Barrett explained that the majority of houses would have electric vehicle charging points. Mr Barrett also responded to a question on discussions with Thames Water that talks were ongoing, but that he expected this to be completed towards the end of the year and confirmed that houses would not be occupied until Thames Water work had been completed.

The committee asked the planning officer whether based on the number of technical issues raised, did the application have a significant cumulative risk which put the application at the borderline of acceptability. The planning officer responded that the technical issues raised were standalone for consideration, and that all technical consultees were not in objection. While some aspects of the application were tight, they were currently considered to be at an acceptable level.

The committee raised questions regarding speeding traffic, safety for users of the cycle / footway beside the A415 and sought clarification from the Highways Officer on what modelling took place to analyse the safety of the proposal should planning permission be granted. The committee were told in response that no modelling had been done, but the layout had been in full compliance with the relevant guidance. In addition, a controlled pedestrian crossing would be determined by the speed limit of the road. It was also clarified that the 30mph speed limit would be extended eastward of the site, but enforcement of the speed limit would be a Thames Valley Police responsibility. The access arrangement itself complies with guidance and had been subject to an independent safety audit that did not raise any issues with the pedestrian crossing.

A question was asked by the committee on whether there would be an increased flood risk to surrounding properties during construction. The planning officer advised construction would not impact on foul water drainage, and there was no evidence that it would result in flood risks.

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

RESOLVED: to grant planning permission for application P20/V1388/O, subject to the following conditions;

1.     A S.106 agreement being entered into to secure contributions towards local infrastructure, management of public open spaces and to secure affordable housing; and

Conditions as follows:

1.     Reserved matters (internal access arrangements, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) to be submitted

2.     Application for approval of reserved matters within three years and development to commence within two-years of approval of final reserved matter

3.     Approved plans

Pre Commencement Conditions

4.     Tree and hedge protection to be approved

5.     Levels to be agreed

6.     Construction Management Plan including wheel washing, HGV delivery route, dust suppression and deliveries outside the hours of 7.30 to 9.30 and 16.00 to 18.00

7.     Surface water drainage to be approved

8.     Archaeological written scheme of investigation

9.     Staged programme of archaeological investigation

10. A construction environmental management plan for biodiversity (CEMP: Biodiversity) to be approved

Pre-Occupancy or Other Stage Conditions

11. Foul water drainage to be approved

12. Drainage compliance report to be submitted and approved

13. Noise mitigation to be set out as part of the reserved matters application

14. Concurrent with the submission of any reserved matters application a Biodiversity Enhancement Plan (BEP) to be submitted to and approved

15. Access to A415, pedestrian crossing point, foot/cycle way provision beside the A415, relocation of speed limit and gateway in accordance with approved plan and prior to occupation of any dwelling.

16. Concurrent with the submission of any reserved matters application details of pedestrian and cycle access to the A415 to be submitted

17. Travel plan and travel information pack

18. Active electric vehicle charging points for each dwelling

19. Details of hedge planting behind vision splays as part of reserved matters submission

20. Market housing mix to be agreed

21. Space standards - policy DP2 compliant

Post Occupancy Monitoring and Management Conditions

22.  Maximum two storeys dwellings only

23. No more than 90 dwellings permitted

Informatives

1.     Broadband provision

2.     Bird nesting

3.     Protection of Thames Water underground assets

4.     S106 obligation