Issue - meetings

Recommendation:  Conditional Approval subject to legal agreement.

Bill Soane left the Meeting for the duration of this item.

Proposal: Full application for the proposed erection of 5no dwellings.

Applicant: Hicks Development Ltd.

The Committee received and reviewed a report on this application, set out in Agenda pages 47 to 82.

The Committee were advised that the Members’ Update included:

·         Corrections to various conditions;

·         Clarification of the garden sizes;

·         Clarification of parking allocation;

·         Clarification of the reasoning behind the electrical plugs sitting at 1.0m above the finished floor level.

Graham Brown, Local Resident, spoke in objection to the application. He was of the opinion that the proposed development would cause an increased risk to flooding at his property and could back up the sewage system. He stated that the proposed development was situated in flood zone two and himself and other local residents were concerned about their properties being flooded as a result of the proposed development. He stated that there was flooding on the site earlier in the year which covered half of the proposed new development site. Mr Brown added that the raised levels of the proposed development would be one metre above his back garden and would be sixty centimetres above Orpington Close. He felt that the prior raising of land and other matters contradicted clauses twelve and thirteen. He urged the Committee to refuse the application based on the concerns he had listed. 

Jim Bailey, Agent, spoke in favour of the application. He stated that the principle of the five proposed dwellings was set out in the local plan and that the site was set out in a highly sustainable location. He added that the proposed houses would be in keeping with the character and appearance of the area and that they were all three bedroom family homes with an eleven metre garden depth. He stated that the proposed development would not harm the neighbouring properties amenities. Mr Bailey stated that flooding had been recognised as a key issue which had been addressed with various improvements to the scheme and subsequently the environment agency had removed their objection to the development. He stated that an underground storage system would be installed to store the excess surface water. He added that affordable housing would be delivered at the development and would be secured by a section 106 agreement.

Lindsay Ferris, Ward Member, spoke in objection to the application. He stated that due to flooding in 2014 the majority of the proposed development site was underwater or boggy ground. He stated that he had objected to the site being included in the local plan in 2012. He stated that flood zones should only be used for development in exceptional circumstances for example where they would provide a wider sustainability benefit and he queried how this proposed development would provide any wider sustainability benefit. Lindsay stated that the residents of the residents of 14, 15 and 16 Orpington Close felt exposed due the risk of water flowing down to their existing properties from the heightened new development.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22