Agenda item

(Councillor Strengiel sat in the public audience at this stage of the meeting as he wished to exercise his right to address Planning Committee as representative for the applicant in respect of the planning application. He did not take part in the discussion or vote on the matter to be determined.)

 

The Planning Team Leader:

 

a.    requested outline planning permission for the erection of 62 dwellings and installation of play equipment on part of land known as Jasmin Green, currently owned by the City of Lincoln Council although agreement was made by Executive on 17 July 2017 to transfer the land to the applicant, Birchwood Big Local, for development of the application site

 

b.    highlighted that although the application was made in outline form with all matters reserved, the applicant had submitted an indicative site plan showing access from Aldergrove Crescent and layout of 36 semi-detached, 2 detached single storey bungalows and a three storey building containing 24 apartments, providing affordable housing for the over 55’s

 

c.    reported that the Birchwood Big Local Group through its Community Land Trust had been allocated funding to invest in local areas

 

d.    advised that the play areas would be funded initially by the Group using revenue from ground rent generated from an affordable housing provider  to maintain the equipment

 

e.    described the area of land subject to the application, partly allocated as a housing site and partly as Important Open Space within the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan 2017

 

f.     provided details of the policies pertaining to the application as follows:-

 

·         Policy LP1: A Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development

·         Policy LP2: The Spatial Strategy and Settlement Hierarchy

·         Policy LP3: Level and Distribution of Growth

·         Policy LP9: Health and Wellbeing

·         Policy LP12: Infrastructure to Support Growth

·         Policy LP13: Accessibility and Transport

·         Policy LP14: Managing Water Resources and Flood Risk

·         Policy LP16: Development on Land affected by Contamination

·         Policy LP23: Local Green Space and other Important Open Space

·         Policy LP24: Creation of New Open Space, Sports and Recreation Facilities

·         Policy LP26: Design and Amenity

·         Policy LP36: Access and Movement within the Lincoln Area

·         Policy LP56: Gypsy and Traveller Allocations

·         National Planning Policy Framework      

 

g.    outlined the responses made to the consultation exercise, which included a 340 signatory petition in objection to the proposals, in excess of 40 objections and 2 representations in support

 

h.    highlighted the main issues relating to the proposals as follows:-

 

·         The Principle of the Development;

·         Visual Amenity

·         Residential Amenity

·         Trees and Ecology

·         Access and Highways

·         Flood Risk and Drainage

·         Other Matters - Contaminated Land, Air Quality and Sustainable Transport, Education, Health, Archaeology, Crime

 

i.      concluded that:

 

·         The principle of the use of the site for residential purposes was considered to be acceptable and also the development.

·         Highways, drainage and matters relating to contamination could be dealt with appropriately by condition along with the reserved matters.

·         The proposal would therefore be in accordance with the requirements of Central Lincolnshire Local Plan Policies LP1, LP2, LP3, LP9, LP12, LP13, LP14, LP16, LP23, LP24, LP26, LP36 and LP49, as well as guidance within the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

Councillor E Strengiel, speaking on behalf of the applicant, Birchwood Area Community Land Trust, addressed Planning Committee making the following points:-

 

·         Birchwood Big Local Group had been granted £1 million lottery funding in 2012, for the whole of Birchwood and half of Hartsholme Ward.

·         The consultation on the proposals had included events, meetings, and 6,000 publicity leaflets.

·         Consultations within the community had revealed a preference for play facilities, benches and raised flower beds.

·         A revenue stream was required to maintain these facilities, and a Community Land Trust was formed.

·         The City of Lincoln Council had agreed to gift part of Jasmin Green to the Community Land Trust.

·         The ground rent from provision of housing for elderly residents would generate a revenue budget for the Community Land Trust to maintain the play equipment and open space.

·         The housing would not be funded by the Community Land Trust.

·         The Birchwood Area Community Land Trust had taken over the former Diamond Park play space.

·         No further houses in the future would be built on the land in order to protect and enhance its green space.

·         There would be no through road to the development which would be built for access only.

·         The development would provide a young persons’ play area in very pleasant surroundings.

·         The provision of housing was a means to an end to provide a revenue budget to maintain the play facilities and green space.

·         Local residents would benefit from enhancement of Jasmin Green.

 

(Councillor Strengiel left the room during the remainder of the discussion and determination of this item.)

 

Members discussed the content of the report making the following comments:

 

·         The proposals required full support from the community. It was surprising to see a petition containing over 340 signatories against the proposals.

·         Were these new plans compared to the original submission?

·         Where was the planned access road?

·         Would the presence of bats affect the planning application going forward?

·         Concerns regarding tree removal.

·         Who would be responsible for maintaining the play equipment?

·         An assurance was sought that the green space would be safeguarded for the future in light of changes in personnel.

 

The Planning Team Leader offered the following points of clarification to members:

 

·         The plans provided were of an indicative layout. The area shown within the red line represented the area requesting planning permission.

·         The green space surrounding the area would be protected in the new Local Plan.

·         The Wildlife Trust had stated within the ecology report that the development would be at low risk to wildlife including bats, and was compliant to the Wildlife Conservation Act. There were set times when work would not be completed to protect wildlife.

·         The trees along the boundary to the development would be largely retained.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1.    The petition submitted by members of the public be received.

 

2.    Planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions:

 

 

3.    Points raised by members in relation to getting the community ‘on board’ with the proposals be passed on by officers to the applicant.