Agenda item

The Planning Team Leader:

a.    advised that planning permission was sought for the demolition of De Wint Court, Bowden Drive and the erection of a replacement three and two storey extra care facility comprising 50 one bed apartments and 20 two bed apartments, also supported accommodation facilities; a restaurant, hair salon and lounge, with a new car park layout and areas of hard and soft landscaping

b.    highlighted that the extra care use was intended to bridge the gap between ordinary/sheltered housing and residential care

c.    described the location of the application site organised in a U-Shape with the principal elevation to the north, opposite the access to the rear of properties on De Wint Avenue, the communal facilities positioned centrally within the front portion of the building with the residential accommodation within the wings to the south

d.    reported that prior to the application being submitted the agent had held extensive pre-application discussions with officers and also engaged with the local community through public consultation exercises in June and August this year; some of the key changes made to the scheme as a result of this involved an increase in the number of parking spaces from 24 to 35, a reduction in the ridge height of the building by 1m, dropping the height at the end of the wing fronting Bowden Drive to two storey and moving the building further away from Bowden Drive and the southern boundary

e.    reported that the site currently accommodated the vacant, two storey building to be demolished which provided 37 sheltered accommodation bedsits, common rooms, a hair salon and laundrette

f.     confirmed that in addition to the application receiving more than four objections, the site was in the ownership of the City of Lincoln Council and therefore was being presented to Members of the Planning Committee for consideration and determination 

g.    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 LP9     Health and Wellbeing

·         Policy LP10   Meeting Accommodation Needs

·         Policy LP12   Infrastructure to Support Growth

·         Policy LP13   Accessibility and Transport

·         Policy LP26   Design and Amenity

·         National Planning Policy Framework

h.    outlined the responses made to the consultation exercise

i.      referred to the update sheet which contained an additional recommended condition from the City Council’s Arboricultural Officer requiring the submission of an Arboricultural Method Statement relating to the retained trees to include exact details of construction and tree protection measures

j.      advised that a request had been made by NHS England facilitating the need for the signing of an S106 agreement for a financial contribution towards demands on existing doctors facilities, which was the subject of negotiation

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

·         Principle of Use

·         Visual Amenity

·         Residential Amenity

·         Access, Parking and Highways

·         Drainage and Flood Risk

·         Trees and Landscaping

l.      concluded that:

·         The principle of the use of the site was considered to be acceptable and the development would relate well to the site and surroundings in relation to siting, height, scale, massing and design.

·         The proposals would not cause undue harm to the amenities which occupiers of neighbouring properties may reasonably expect to enjoy.

·         Confirming the Arboricultural Officer being satisfied with the tree protection measures, the landscaping and tree retention proposals were acceptable and would be a benefit to the local environment.

·         Technical matters relating to highways, contamination and drainage were to the satisfaction of relevant consultees. The proposals would therefore be in accordance with the requirements of Central Lincolnshire Local Plan Policies LP1, LP2, LP9, LP10, LP12, LP13 and LP26, as well as guidance within the National Planning Policy Framework.

Members discussed the content of the report in further detail:

·         Support was offered in general to the proposed development in its revised form following two public consultations.

·         De Wint Court had been an excellent facility in its time, however, it was now outdated. The proposed development represented a good quality replacement/sustainable building.

·         The new scheme would help to relieve pressure on hospital bed spaces Patients would be able to return home more quickly to the supported accommodation facilities on site.

·         It was pleasing to see additional care facilities being made available within the council’s own portfolio.

·         Funding to enhance and relieve pressure on local facilities such as doctors/ dentists was important to the provision of new housing developments.

Concerns were raised in relation to:

·         Previously members had been worried about the position/height of the building in relation to Bowden Drive, therefore mitigation measures planned for the scheme in the form of trees/landscaping, were pleasing to note.

·         The need for wider doors to accommodate disability scooters.

The Planning Team Leader offered the following points of clarification:

·         The internal layout of the building incorporated a central pound for 26 mobility scooters.

·         In association with the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan, actions were in place to approach what was needed to deal with the potential impact of developments across Central Lincolnshire. NHS England realised the benefits of engaging with the planning process.

RESOLVED, that planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions, with delegated authority granted to the Planning Manager to secure the financial contribution as requested by NHS England:

• Time limit of the permission;
• Development in accordance with approved plans;
• Samples of materials;
• Access improvement works in accordance with submitted plan;
• Electric vehicle recharge points;
• Tree protection measures;
• Fume extraction details;
• Noise impact assessment;
• Noise assessment for external plant or machinery;
• Assessment of off-site impact from external lighting;
• Implementation of landscaping;
• Erection of bat boxes;
• Reporting unexpected contamination; and
• Construction of the development (delivery times and working hours).