Agenda item

The Planning Team Leader:

 

a.    advised that planning permission was sought for a 59 bed care home (Class C2) which would be located within a new building fronting Nettleham Road, accessed through the existing access, Cabourne Court, incorporating parking for the care home and additional spaces for the existing adjacent medical practice

 

b.    described the location of the existing Lindum and Minster Medical Practices to the west, Cathedral View Court (retirement housing) located to the north, and residential properties located on the south east side of Nettleham Road

 

c.     reported on the current use of the site, an area of green space accessible to the public with unrestricted access via a footpath to the doctors’ surgeries, with other uses on Cabourne Court of a pharmacy, sport injury clinic, a chiropractic clinic, a dental practice and hearing specialist

 

d.    added that the site consisted of currently two areas of grassland bordered by a hedgerow containing a single tree; there were more substantial trees on the Nettleham Road frontage outside of the site which would be unaffected by the proposal

 

e.    advised that the principal of development of the site was previously established through a previous planning application for student accommodation on the site; application 2016/0389/FUL granted planning permission for a 70 bedroomed student development within three buildings 2 and 3 storeys high

 

f.      highlighted that the application before us proposed a building of three storeys, arranged in an L shape with its main elevation facing Nettleham Road, together with provision of an additional 30 car parking spaces, cycle parking and new landscaping

 

g.    stated that the agent had provided a detailed Design and Access Statement and there have been positive pre-application and post submission discussions with the architect in relation to the design which has resulted in changes being made which had improved the proposal significantly

 

h.    detailed the history to the application site within the main body of the officer’s report

 

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

 

·       Policy S1: The Spatial Strategy and Settlement Hierarchy

·       Policy S6: Design Principles for Efficient Buildings

·       Policy S8: Reducing Energy Consumption – Non-Residential Development

·       Policy S21: Flood Risk and Water Resources

·       Policy S53: Design and Amenity

·       Policy S56: Development on Land Affected by Contamination

·       Policy S57: The Historic Environment

·       Policy S60: Protecting Biodiversity and Geodiversity

·       Policy S61: Biodiversity Opportunity and Delivering Measurable Net Gains

·       Policy S66: Trees, Woodland and Hedgerows

·       National Planning Policy Framework:

o   Para 10 – Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development

o   Para 61 – Promoting Housing Choice

o   Para 124 – “Good design is a Key Aspect of Sustainable Development

 

10. provided details of the issues to be assessed in relation to the planning application, as follows:

 

·       Principle of Development and Compliance with National and Local Planning Policy

·       Impact on Amenity of Adjacent Residents

·       Impact on the Visual Amenity of this Part of the City

·       Highway Matters

·       Impact and Contribution to Biodiversity

·       Energy Efficiency and Sustainability

·       Site Specific Technical Matters

·       S106 Contributions to Local Health Provision

 

k.     outlined the responses made to the consultation exercise

 

l.      referred to the Update Sheet which contained further suggested additional conditions in relation to Biodiversity Net Gain

 

13. concluded as follows:

 

 

Members discussed the content of the report in further detail.

 

The following comments emerged in relation to the proposed planning application:

 

·       This green space was a good site for a care home for our ageing population.

·       The design of the building was pleasing.

·       The look of the building would contribute to the area.

·       This was a very similar application to the last one for the site but for a different use. The elevation seemed fine.

·       It would help to alleviate the current issues with a lack of social care.

·       It was pleasing to see the use of solar panels within the development.

·       The energy credentials were good.

·       There was a planting scheme for the site which included replacement of the hedgerows.

·       It was hoped that employees would be encouraged to take part in a travel plan/car sharing scheme rather than total reliance on parking their cars on site.

 

The following questions were raised:

 

·       Had the S106 payment been agreed?

·       Why was there not enough space for air-source heat pumps?

·       With the current pathway through the site to be re-routed, how would this affect both the existing site and the new development?

·       Would the hedgerows in place adjacent to the Our Lady of Lincoln School be replaced to offer screening to the play area at the school?

·       Would Electric Charging Vehicle bays be included within the scheme?

·       In terms of Biodiversity Net Gain, was it possible for a financial contribution to be made to offsite ecological enhancement locally to satisfy net gain, perhaps Hope Wood?

 

The Planning Team Leader offered the following points of clarification:

 

·       The applicants had verbally agreed to a contribution of some £21,000 to the NHS for use at the adjacent medical practice. It just needed formal sign-off.

·       In terms of energy efficiency, it was not possible to make the property zero carbon neutral due to the age and needs of the residents, therefore gas boilers would be installed as well as air-source heat pumps.

·       The existing footpath would be diverted around the edge of the building.

·       In terms of the hedgerows; as a part of the biodiversity regulations a  baseline assessment had to be conducted which had to make provision of  more than 10% of what was already present. It was for Committee to determine whether it was appropriate for the hedgerows to be conditioned as retained or replaced, subject to grant of planning permission.

·       The parking arrangements would supplement what already existed. These buildings had sufficient car parking provision.

·       In terms of a Travel Plan, officers awaited final details of a scheme to minimise the use of private cars particularly by members of staff and to encourage cycling and use of public transport where possible. The Travel Plan would be monitored.

·       The  provision of Electric Charging Vehicle bays was a requirement set under building regulations.

·       A great deal of discussion had taken place around off-site provision in relation to Biodiversity Net Gain. The aim through legislation required that Biodiversity loss was compensated on-site wherever possible. In terms of off-site contributions, credits were more expensive the further afield, and had to be registered with Natural England.

 

A motion was proposed that an additional condition be imposed subject to the grant of planning permission for retention or replacement of the hedgerow adjacent to our Lady of Lincoln School. The motion was seconded, voted upon and carried.

 

RESOLVED that authority be delegated to the Assistant Director (Planning and City Services) to grant planning permission subject to the satisfactory conclusion of the s106 agreement and in accordance with the following conditions:

 

1.    Hedgerows along border to Our Lady of Lincoln Key Stage 2 Playground to be retained or replaced.

2. Development to commence within three years.
3. Development to be undertaken in accordance with the approved plans and associated technical documents.
4. Landscaping to be completed before development is first occupied.
5. Car parking to be completed and available before development is first occupied.
6. Unexpected contamination and verification of final development to be dealt with in accordance with details to be approved.
7. Standard archaeological conditions.
8. Sample of all facing materials before development above ground is commenced.
9. Development carried out in accordance with Arboricultural Report – protection of existing trees adjacent to the site.
10. The Biodiversity Gain Plan shall be prepared in accordance with the [Statutory Small Site Biodiversity Metric] updated [21/02/25] and prepared by [Maddy Carter].

Reason: To ensure the development delivers a biodiversity net gain on

site in accordance with Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning

Act 1990 [and CLLP policy 61]

11. No development hereby permitted until a written Habitat Management and Maintenance Plan [HMMP] in accordance with the [Statutory Small Site Biodiversity Metric] updated [21/02/25] and prepared by [Maddy Carter]. is be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The HMMP shall relate to all ‘significant’ biodiversity gains on site and must be strictly adhered to and implemented in full for a minimum of 30 years following the initial completion period approved pursuant to condition [   ]. The HMMP must contain the following:

·       a non-technical summary;

·       the roles and responsibilities of the people or organisation(s) delivering/monitoring the [HMMP];

·       the details of funding, resources and mechanisms for long term delivery of the [HMMP].

·       the planned habitat creation and enhancement works for the initial [5] completion period to create or improve habitat.

·       the management measures to maintain habitat for a period of 30 years from the completion of development.

·       the monitoring methodology and frequency in respect of the retained, created and/or enhanced habitat to be submitted to the local planning authority.

·       reporting to the LPA required for years [1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 ] following the completion period.

·       Reports to the LPA should use the Natural England HMMP Monitoring report template (Word) supplemented with either an updated Statutory Metric showing   gains to date or Natural England HMMP Monitoring report template (Excel). Geostamped Photo evidence must also be provided (reports may be produced by those meeting the definition of a competent person as defined by the statutory Small Site Metric user guide).

·       All reports must be submitted no later than September 1st on each reporting year.

·       The mechanisms of adaptive management and remedial measures to account for changes in the work schedule to achieve required targets.

·       Applicants are advised to use the Natural England HMMP Template found at https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/5813530037846016 

12. Notice in writing shall be given to the Council within 15 working days of the Initial habitat creation and enhancement works as set out in the [HMMP] being completed.

           Reason: To ensure the development delivers a biodiversity net gain on site in accordance with Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 [and CLLP policy 61]

13. No development must take place until details of species enhancements/mitigations is submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. Enhancements/mitigations must include, as a minimum, specifications and location details of the following.

·       Details of development and construction methods measures to be taken to minimise the impact of any works on habitats/wildlife.

·       Details of any precautionary method statements for protected species [must include the pre demolition bat/bird survey by a suitably qualified individual].

·       Details of a sensitive lighting strategy.

·       6x integrated swift bird box/brick [installed in groups of three].

·       4x integrated bat box/brick/tube and 1 Bat loft [2x access roof tiles].

·       4 x integrated bee/insect bricks.

·       1 x hedgehog refugia.

·       6 x hibernacula & log pile [in total].

 

The details approved must be installed prior to use and must be retained as such thereafter.

Reason: In the interest of nature conservation and to accord with the National Planning Policy Framework and local policy S60 of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan 2023.