Agenda item

Recommendation: C/A subject to legal agreement.

Proposal: Outline application (access to be considered) for a phased development of approximately up to 760 dwellings including 60 units of assisted living homes I older person accommodation a local centre (including retail) a primary school community facilities and associated areas of open space and drainage/attenuation parking etc. Accesses from Twyford Road, Matthewsgreen Road and Toutley Road. Development would also incorporate the demolition of outdoor storage buildings in employment use and 2 x dwellings (Matters reserved - layout, landscaping, scale, appearance).

Applicant: Bovis Homes and Gleeson Developments.

The Committee considered a report about this application set out on Agenda pages 78 to 167.

The Committee was advised that the Members’ Update included details of:

·         Additional comments from Emmbrook Residents’ Association;

·         An additional letter relating to the positioning of the school, car parking and the location of the road.

·         Amendments to conditions 1 and 10;

·         Section 106 Heads of Terms;

·         An updated plan list;

·         An amendment to construction times;

·         Applicant’s suggested amendments to conditions 3, 6, 11, 12,, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 27-29, 31-37, 39-44, 50, 53-56, 61, 63-65, 67, 68 and 70;

·         Consultation responses from:

o   Planning Policy;

o   Countryside Access Officer;

o   Public Rights of Way;

·           Planning History; and

·           Density of the site.

An additional condition regarding none of the dwellings directly abutting the existing employment uses on the development site, indicated as Phase 7 on the Illustrative Phasing Plan (Drg. Ref: 2197-A-1023-A), shall be occupied until the existing employment uses have ceased unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority.

Mr Paul Gallagher, representing Emmbrook Residents Association and the Joel Park Residents Association, spoke objecting to the application.

Mr Charles Collins and Mr Terry Tedder, representing the Applicant, spoke in support of the application.

Councillor Philip Mirfin, Ward Member for Emmbrook, spoke to the application.

Local concerns had been expressed about the accesses onto Matthewsgreen Road and Toutley Road, two of which link with the NDR, will result in congestion, rat-runs and additional safety issues along local routes. 

Concern was also expressed regarding the impact that the scale of the proposals would have on the local highway network.

In response to the above concerns, Officers’ comments were summarised on Agenda pages 80 and 81.

On being put to the vote, the Officer’s recommendation that the Committee authorise the Head of Development Management to grant planning permission, subject to conditions and completion of the legal agreement, including:

·         Affordable Housing - 35%;

·         Education - Primary, Secondary, Post 16 and SEN;

·         Healthcare;

·         Community Facilities;

·         Sports Hub Contribution;

·         Sports Halls;

·         Swimming Pools;

·         SANG and Strategic Access Monitoring and Maintenance;

·         Country Park and Countryside Access;

·         Amenity Open Space I Children's Play Maintenance Commuted Sums;

·         Biodiversity;

·         Children's Play;

·         Highways including contribution towards the Strategic Highway Improvements (e.g.

·         FNDR and Coppid Beech roundabout improvements);

·         Railway Station Improvements;

·         Station Link Road;

·         Coppid Beech Park and Ride;

·         Travel Plan;

·         Off-site highway works;

·         Sustainable links to the town centre and wider area;

·         Libraries;

·         Allotments (off-site);

·         Burial;

·         Communities Provision; and

·         Legal and Monitoring fees,

and subject to conditions, was approved. 

RESOLVED: That application O/2014/2242 be approved, subject to:

1)     the conditions set out on Agenda pages 83 to 102, with conditions 3, 6, 11, 12,, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 27-29, 31-37, 39-44, 50, 53-56, 61, 63-65, 67, 68 and 70, amended as set out on pages 7 to 9 of the Members’ Update;

2)     an additional condition, as set out in the Members’ update relating to none of the dwellings directly abutting the existing employment uses on the development site, indicated as Phase 7 on the Illustrative Phasing Plan (Drg. Ref: 2197-A-1023-A), shall be occupied until the existing employment uses have ceased unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority; and

3)     an amendment to Informative 13 to read “Code level 4 for all new homes”