Agenda item

(Councillor Strengiel requested it be recorded that he knew the applicant for the planning application, but not as a close acquaintance, he had not pre-determined his views in any way or given an opinion on the matter to be discussed.)

The Planning Team Leader:

a.    described the application site situated in the north-west corner of Boultham Park, between the Boultham Health Centre to the west and the Park Tennis Courts, Bowling Green and Pavilion to the east, with the rear gardens of residential properties on Western Avenue to the north, and to the south the Park footpath accessed by way of an existing access road which served the adjacent Library and Health Centre, running parallel with the Park footpath

b.    advised that the site was being sold by City of Lincoln Council for development, the application having been submitted by Gusto Developments, the developers of the adjacent Home Grange retirement scheme by Longhurst and Havelock Homes.

c.    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 LP10: Meeting Accommodation Needs

·         Policy LP18: Climate Change and Low Carbon Living

·         Policy LP22: Green Wedges

·         Policy LP25: The Historic Environment

·         Policy LP26: Design and Amenity

·         Policy LP29: Protecting Lincoln's Setting and Character

d.    outlined the responses made to the consultation exercise

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

·         National and local planning policy

·         Impact on visual amenity

·         Impact on residential amenity

·         Impact on designated and non-designated heritage assets

·         Highway safety, access and parkin

·         Foul and surface water drainage

·         Potential land contamination and other environmental impacts

f.     concluded that the proposed development would provide much needed accommodation for older people within the city, and had been sympathetically designed taking account of its location within the park boundary close to the bowling green pavilion and neighbouring residential properties; it would not cause undue harm to the amenities of adjoining residents, the wider residential area, or the environment in accordance with relevant policies and guidance contained within the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan (2017) and National Planning Policy Framework (2012).

Members discussed the content of the report in further detail, offering general support to the proposed development. Questions were asked as follows:

·         Would the access road be adopted by the Highway Authority?

·         Would the homes be sold on to the over 55’s only?

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

·         The access road would be adopted by the Highway Authority up to the point past the library and public car parking spaces. The remainder would be the responsibility of the residents/developer.

·         The grant of planning permission would be conditioned by the requirement for the use of the bungalows as retirement dwellings in perpetuity.

RESOLVED that the application be granted subject to the following conditions:

Standard Conditions

01)      The development must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this permission.

            Reason: As required by Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

02)      With the exception of the detailed matters referred to by the conditions of this consent, the development hereby approved shall be carried out in accordance with the drawings listed within the report at Table A.

            The works shall be carried out in accordance with the details shown on the approved plans and in any other approved documents forming part of the application.

            Reason: To ensure the development proceeds in accordance with the approved plans.

Conditions to be Discharged before Commencement of Works

03)      Ecological assessment

04)      Details of materials

05)      Foul water strategy

06)      Surface water strategy

Conditions to be Discharged before Use is Implemented

07)      Details of numbers and types of electric vehicle recharge points

08)      External lighting scheme and assessment of off-site impact

Conditions to be Adhered to at all Times

09)      Restriction on use of bungalows as retirement dwellings

10)      Archaeology

11)      Reporting of unexpected contamination