Issue - meetings

Recommendation: Conditional Approval.

Proposal: Reserved Matters application for Parcel M only following Outline Planning Permission O/2014/2280 for the erection of 37 dwellings. Matters seeking approval: Access, Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and Scale (Parcel M).

Applicant: Millgate Homes C/O Savills.

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application as set out in agenda pages 115 to 142.

The Committee were advised that the Members’ Update included:

·      A revised comment from Finchampstead Parish Council;

·      An alteration to condition 2;

·      An alteration to the wording of condition 6.

Eleanor Kind, Agent, spoke in favour of the application. She stated that this application was from Millgate Homes, who were part of the Countryside Group. She added that the group were excited to bring a high quality development to the Borough and were hopeful that Members would support the application.

Tim Holton raised a point from Barkham Parish Council querying what would be done to shield and protect the Ancient Stables from the proposed development. Alex Thwaites, Case Officer, stated that a range of landscaping and ‘double planting’ of hedges would be completed to obscure the site from the view of the Ancient Stables.

Carl Doran commented that not all of the 35% affordable housing would be delivered on site, with part of it being a commuted sum. He felt that the site could have provided more affordable housing rather than as a commuted sum.

Angus Ross asked whether the overall character of the SDL area would be consistent as different developers were responsible for different developments within the area. Alex Thwaites stated that developers had to make sure that the design of their development was compliant with the overall character of the area, and that each developer was required to submit a design guide brief with links to the design and access statement which referenced the design brief agreed at outline.

RESOLVED: That application 181982 be approved subject to the conditions and informatives as set out in agenda pages 116 to 119, and alterations to conditions 2 and 6 as set out in the Members’ Update.