Recommendation:  Conditional Approval subject to legal agreement.

Proposal:  Application for the approval of Reserved Matters pursuant to Outline planning consent O/2014/2242 for the erection of 244 residential dwellings, associated amenity spaces, access, garages, parking, internal roads, pathways, drainage and associated Landscaping.  (Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and Scale to be considered).

Applicant:  Bovis Homes

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application, set out in Agenda pages 47 to 73.

The Committee were advised that the Members’ Update included: 

·         Amendment to the description of the application to reflect a reduction in one residential unit in ‘Apartment Block B’ (243 residential dwellings overall);

·         Alteration to recommendation;

·         Inclusion of drawing numbers under condition 2;

·         Additional conditions after condition 6 regarding Highway Adoption Plan, Services Corridor Plan, Carports, Parking Layout Plan, and re-numbering of the remaining existing conditions;

·         Wokingham Town Council consultation response;

·         Deletion of wording ‘with the exception of one unit’ in Paragraph 35;

·         Within Paragraph 42 replacement of ‘Two existing TPO trees (T12 and T13)’ with ‘Three existing TPO trees (T12, T13 and T17);’

·         Amendment to parking table.

A site visit had been undertaken in 2015.

John Gately, agent, spoke in favour of the application.  He commented that the application provided an opportunity for high quality homes and that the applicant’s commitment to engagement was ongoing.

A Member asked for clarification of the road widths.  The Service Manager, Highways Development commented that the primary access road from the Northern Distributor Road serving the development should be constructed with a minimum carriageway width of 5.5m for the first 12m, and with a minimum carriageway width of 5m thereafter.  In response to Member questions regarding refuse vehicles and buses accessing the roads, the Service Manager Highways Development commented that buses would only be operating on the Northern Distributor Road through Matthewsgreen and not on the development roads in question, however all these roads would be of sufficient width to accommodate refuse vehicles.

A Member commented that it was positive that affordable housing was being proposed as part of the application.

A Member questioned whether the Council would be responsible for the street lighting in the development.  The Service Manager Highways Development indicated that where the road was adopted the Council would be responsible for the lighting and where it was not it would be the responsibility of the developer and/or an associated Management Company.  It was thought that all the street lighting would be adopted.

A Member queried the comment from Wokingham Town Council that affordable housing could not be delivered for at least three years because the land on which it was scheduled to be built was leased to the current tenants.  The Service Manager, SDL Planning Delivery clarified that this was not the case and that it could be delivered early on and across the site.

It was noted that Natural England although not objecting to the application had stated that the layout should be better designed to provide a clear and legible route through to the SANG.  Officers commented that until the Northern Distributor Road opened  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77