Agenda item

The Planning Team Leader:

 

a.    advised that full planning permission was sought by Chestnut Homes for the erection of 23 dwellings as Phase 4 of the Westbrooke Road development known as 'LN6', with access to the site taken through the existing access created for Phases 1, 2 and 3 off the western end of Westbrooke Road, and as submitted the application originally also proposed a separate pedestrian access created off Skellingthorpe Road to the South

 

b.    described the site located immediately adjacent to Phase 3 of LN6, forming part of the former Usher school site on part of the former playing field, to the rear of a number of properties on St. Helen's Avenue

 

c.    advised that the site was currently under the ownership of Lincolnshire County Council; although the whole of the former school site was allocated for residential in the Local Plan, it was understood that the County Council wished to retain the balance of the land at this time

 

d.    described the relevant planning history to the application site as detailed within the officer’s report

 

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

 

·         National Planning Policy Framework      

·         Policy LP9: Health and Wellbeing

·         Policy LP1: A Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development

·         Policy LP11: Affordable Housing

·         Policy LP12: Infrastructure to Support Growth

·         Policy LP14: Managing Water Resources and Flood Risk

·         Policy LP26:Design and Amenity

 

f.     outlined the responses made to the consultation exercise

 

g.    advised members of the main issues to be considered as part of the application as follows:

 

·         Local and National Planning Policy

·         Effect on visual amenity

·         Effect on residential amenity

·         Highway safety

·         Ecology

·         Flood risk

·         Land levels

·         Land contamination

·         Affordable housing

·         CIL and other contributions

 

h.    concluded that:

 

·         The site had an allocation in the CLLP and was located in a sustainable location close to existing services and amenities, with good transport links.

·         Negotiations had secured revisions to the proposal including the removal of the proposed footpath link to Skellingthorpe Road and revisions to proposed land levels and boundary treatment heights in response to concerns regarding residential amenity.

·         The development would contribute to the housing supply within the City and provide affordable housing in accordance with national and local planning policy.

 

Rebecca Archer, representing Chestnut Homes, addressed Planning Committee in support of the proposed development, covering the following main points:

 

·         She was employed by Chestnut Homes as Land Development Manager.

·         Phase 4 was a continuation of the LN6 development.

·         An additional 23 dwellings were proposed.

·         A unilateral agreement had been made for phase 3 of LN6 and work would be commenced shortly.

·         The last dwelling in phase 2 would be occupied by July 2018.

·         The six affordable houses for phase 4 would be secured through a section106 legal agreement, together with a financial contribution towards playing fields and children’s play space.

·         The site formed part of the former Usher School site currently under the ownership of Lincolnshire County Council.

·         Although the whole of the former school site was allocated for residential use in the Local Plan, the County Council wish to retain the balance of the land for their own needs.

·         The Highways Authority had raised no objections to the proposals.

·         The offer of funding by the developer for a stop sign at the junction with Westbrooke Road/Western Crescent/Western Avenue had failed to receive support from the Highways Authority.

·         Not a great deal of soil would be brought into the construction area for infill, as most would be re-used across the existing site.

·         A planning condition would be imposed on the grant of planning permission to protect trees.

·         In terms of drainage, a SWALES and attenuation feature would be added to the scheme.

·         There was a strong need for additional housing in the area.

·         Phase 1 of the build had recently won another building award.

·         The company was proud of the scheme.

·         She hoped members of Planning Committee would offer their support.

 

Members discussed the content of the report in further detail, raising individual points as follows:

 

·         This was an excellent spacious/scenic development from an experienced housing provider.

·         It was a shame the Highways Authority wouldn’t allow the addition of a stop sign to prevent accidents if the developer was willing to pay for it.

·         It was not surprising that the Skellingthorpe Road footpath access had never materialised although promised.

·         The scheme caused too much traffic.

·         It was not lack of signage that caused accidents, it was bad driving skills.

·         Were the four trees on site to be lost?

 

The Planning Team Leader offered the following points of clarification to members in response to queries raised:

 

·           Following consultation with residents, two of the four tress on the eastern boundary with St Helen’s Avenue were to be retained.

·           Cycle paths linked the development to Tritton Road.

·           There were also pedestrian footpaths within phases 2 and 3 of the development to Western Crescent and Tritton Road pedestrian crossing.

 

Councillor Strengiel agreed to raise the matter of the request for a stop sign within the development with the Highways Authority in his capacity as a County Councillor.

 

RESOLVED that planning permission be delegated to the Planning Manager to grant planning permission subject to the satisfactory signing of S106 agreements to secure financial contributions in respect of affordable housing, playing fields/play space and amenity space and subject to the following conditions:

 

 

1)    3 years

2)    Drawing numbers

3)    Materials

4)    Landscaping scheme

5)    Tree protection measures during construction.

6)    Any removal of scrub, hedgerows or trees between March to late August to be supervised by an ecologist and mitigation measures applied if required.

7)    Archaeology- development to proceed in accordance with the submitted WSI. Fieldwork report to be submitted within 6 months of completion

8)    Electric charging points to be installed in accordance with drawing no WLR4 01 Rev F

9)    Land contamination-1) Implementation of approved remediation scheme, 2) Reporting of unexpected contamination

10) Removal of pd for plots 64 and 65 adjacent to existing residential development

 

Fencing to plots 64, 65 and the northern boundary to the parking court not to be altered without the prior consent of the Council.

 

(Councillor Hills requested that his vote against this planning application be recorded.)