Agenda item

Reserved Matters submission relating to phase 1P pursuant to outline planning permission P14/V2873/O, comprising 172 dwellings with associated infrastructure and landscaping.

(Outline planning application for a residential development of up to 4,254 dwellings, mixed use local centres, primary schools, sports pitches, community and leisure facilities, special needs school, open space and extensive green infrastructure, hard and soft landscaping, attenuation areas, diversions to public rights of way, pedestrian and vehicular access and associated works)

The committee considered planning application P23/V0667/RM for Reserved Matters submission relating to phase 1P pursuant to outline planning permission P14/V2873/O, comprising 172 dwellings with associated infrastructure and landscaping.

(Outline planning application for a residential development of up to 4,254 dwellings, mixed use local centres, primary schools, sports pitches, community and leisure facilities, special needs school, open space and extensive green infrastructure, hard and soft landscaping, attenuation areas, diversions to public rights of way, pedestrian and vehicular access and associated works), on land at Parcel 1P, Land to the west of Great Western Park (Valley Park), Didcot.

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 introduced the report and highlighted that the application came before the committee as when the application was submitted it fell within the boundary of Harwell Parish Council who objected to the application. Since then there had been a boundary revision and the application site now fell within Western Valley Parish. The planning officer confirmed that Western Valley Parish Council did not object to the application.

The planning officer informed the committee that outline consent had been granted for up to 4,254 dwellings on the site and the reserved matters application before them was located at the north of the site. The planning officer went on to advise that the outline application was subject to a Section 106 agreement which secured various infrastructure such as schools and pitches and that these matters were not open for discussion as part of the reserved matters application. The planning officer also confirmed that the access from the A4130 had been granted permission under the outline consent and that delivery of the development was not reliant on Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF1) road and bridges scheme being in place.

The planning officer informed the committee that the application had been reduced from 179 dwellings to 172. Access to the site was via a signalised junction from the A4130 with a main road serving the site and secondary roads coming off of the main road. He confirmed that the scheme had been designed in line with the agreed site design code. The planning officer went on to highlight that that this included the widths of the secondary roads, noting a particular road which would be built at a width of 7.5 metres. Despite the fact that the local highway authority had agreed the site design code for the development it had since requested that the road be built to a width of 8.3 metres and advised that it may not adopt the road in question should it not be built to this width.

The planning officer went on to confirm that a protected tree would be retained to the north of the site and the landscape officer’s comments had been addressed. He confirmed that parking provision was in line with adopted standards and all properties would be built with an EV charging point. The planning officer also confirmed that no gas boilers would be installed on the development.

The planning officer advised the committee that an assessment had been made of the noise impact for future residents. The assessment had looked at the noise impact with the A4130 as is, but modelling had also been done to take account of the potential impact should the A4130 become dualled in the future. Officers were satisfied that with appropriate ventilation and glazing this would not be an issue for future residents.

The officer concluded that the application accorded with Local Plan policies, the council’s design guide and the development design code and was therefore recommended for approval subject to suggested conditions.

Daniel Millward (Persimmon Homes), the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

Councillor Debra Dewhurst, a local ward councillor, spoke objecting to the application.

The committee asked if the planning officer was satisfied with the housing mix as it noted that the application did not accord with the Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA). The officer advised that they were satisfied that the correct mix of housing would be delivered across the site as a whole, acknowledging that this meant some parcels would be compliant whilst others would not.

The committee enquired as to whether the signalised crossing from the A4130 would be complete prior to first occupation as there was no proposed condition relating to this. The planning officer advised that this was secured under condition 32 of the outline consent and it was required to be built in accordance with the approved plans which should also secure this.

The committee asked for clarification as to which roads would be adopted by the local highway authority. The planning officer advised that their understanding was all of the roads were of an adoptable standard. He advised that the issue with adoption related to a specific road due to it’s width but that this had only recently been raised by the highway authority despite it having agreed to the design code for the development with which the roads complied. The additional width that had been requested by the local highway authority was to secure service strips.

The committee enquired as to whether the drainage system would be designed as the development was built out. The planning officer informed the committee that Thames Water had confirmed there was network capacity for the development but he went on to advise that the surface and foul water drainage systems were secured by condition. The officer confirmed a new foul water pumping station to the east of the site was under consideration but that there was no indication there would be a need to stage occupation of the development in order for Thames Water to have network capacity.

The committee asked if HIF1 had been taken into account when assessing the noise levels. The planning officer confirmed that both the current arrangement of the A4130 and the potential for extra traffic should the A4130 become a dual carriageway had been considered. The planning officer advised that the maximum levels found to be acceptable in gardens on the frontage was 50 decibels and therefore some gardens would have 2 metre high walls. The planning officer confirmed that the council’s environmental health team had assessed the application and were satisfied with the provisions.

A motion, moved and seconded, to approve the application was carried on being put to the vote.

The committee looked forward to seeing the development and associated infrastructure being delivered. It noted that the infrastructure was key to the site. The committee were pleased to see the site had no gas boilers and that the balance of affordable housing made provision for single people with smaller properties available.

RESOLVED: to approve planning application P23/V0667/RM, subject to the following conditions: