Agenda item

Application no: O/2014/2280 - Arborfield Garrison and adjoining land

Recommendation:   Conditional Approval, subject to Legal Agreement.

Minutes:

PROPOSAL:  OUTLINE PERMISSION FOR: Demolition of buildings and phased redevelopment of Arborfield Garrison and adjoining land for:  Up to 2,000 new dwellings (including up to 80 units of extra care housing). District centre comprising a foodstore up to 4,000 sqm gross with up to a further 3,500 sqm (gross) floor space within Classes A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B1, D1 and D2 (with residential above - Class C3)), and transport interchange, village square, car parking, servicing and drop off area.  Up to a further 1,500 sqm (gross) floor space within Classes D1 and D2.  Neighbourhood centre to provide up to 300 sqm (gross) floor space within Classes A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B1, D1 and D2, with parking/servicing area.  Secondary school for up to 1,500 pupils (Class D1) including sports pitches, flood-lit all-weather pitch, and indoor swimming pool and parking areas. Up to three-form primary school (Class D1) with sports pitch and parking areas.  Associated phased provision of: car parking; public open space including sports pitches, informal/incidental open space, children's play areas including multi-use games area (MUGA), skate park, community gardens/allotments; landscaping/buffer areas; boundary treatments; new roads, footpaths, cycleways and bridleways; sustainable urban drainage systems, including flood alleviation works at Arborfield Garrison and adjoining land

 

PART 2 - FULL PERMISSION FOR phased development of: Creation of two new areas of Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANGS) (In the north-eastern part of the application site ("Northern SANGS") and at West Court ("West Court SANGS")  including car parking areas, path/walkways, fencing and associated landscaping; re-use of existing MoD gymnasium for sports/community uses/centre (Classes D1/D2; new roundabout junction to A327 Reading Road; junction improvements to Langley Common Road, Baird Road and Biggs Lane; junction improvements and new access at Biggs Lane/Princess Marina Drive; re-use and improvements to existing site accesses from Biggs Lane.

 

Applicant: Secretary of State for Defence and Crest Nicholson Operations Limited (Arborfield Garrison Landowners’ Consortium).

 

The Committee considered a report about this application set out on Agenda pages 5 to 146.

 

The Committee was advised of the policy background, the matters for consideration and the application’s progress.  There had been 220 objections from residents and the transport assessment and the master plan had been amended as a result.

 

The Members’ Update included details of:

 

·         Amendments to conditions 1, 2, 4 to 7, 9, 14,17, 18, 39, 40, 63, 66, 67, 69, were also recommended;

·         The removal of condition 47, as this had been merged with condition 40;

·         Additional conditions relating to the time limit for implementation of matters detailed in full, the density in the District Centre, Highways matters replacement of facilities, the provision of replacement grass pitches, facility design and floodlighting. 

·         Additional informatives relating to the Technical Design Guidance and a requirement for a Natural England Development Licence were recommended;

·         A letter received from Reading University asking for there to be a contribution from this application to the Eastern Shinfield Relief Road; and the impact upon Reading; WBC’s position was that the impact of the Arborfield SDL is mitigated by the S106 package; 

·         Reading University had also suggested that there should be a trigger for the Arborfield Cross Relief Road; WBC’s position was that there are triggers in the S106 for contributions and WBC are committed to delivery of the road.

 

Ken Lane, representing Barkham Parish Council, spoke to the item.

 

Lauraine Newcombe and Steve Bromley representing Finchampstead Parish Council spoke in support of the application.

 

Graham Dexter, Phiala Mehring, representing Barkham local residents, Nicola Greenwood and Philip Todd, who was substituting for Mr Slater, representing Finchampstead South local residents, spoke objecting to the application.

 

Hugo Reeve, representing the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

 

Councillor Gary Cowan, Ward Member for Arborfield spoke in support of the application.

 

Councillor Ian Pittock, Ward Member for Finchampstead South, spoke in support of the application.

 

 

RESOLVED: That application O/2014/2280 be approved, subject to:

 

1)     Completion of a S106 Legal Agreement, prior to 6 April 2015, as set out on Agenda pages 8 and 9;

 

2)     The conditions set out on Agenda pages 8 to 44, with conditions 1, 2, 4 to 7, 9, 14, 17, 18, 39, 40, 63, 66, 67, 69, amended as set out on pages 1 to 20 of the Members’ Update, and the removal of condition 47, as this had been merged with condition 40.

 

3)     Additional conditions, as set out in the Members’ Update relating to relating to the time limit for implementation of matters detailed in full, the density in the District Centre, Highways matters replacement of facilities, the provision of replacement grass pitches, facility design and floodlighting, were also included.  Additional informatives relating to the Technical Design Guidance and a requirement for a Natural England Development Licence were recommended. 

Supporting documents: