Agenda item

Recommendation: Conditional Approval

Proposal:  Reserved Matters application pursuant to Outline Planning Permission O/2014/2435 (Development comprising 300 residential dwellings, up to 800 square metres of restaurant / public house (use class A3 and A4), public open space and landscaping, allotments, acoustic mitigation, surface water drainage, foul water pumping stations, land reserved for park and ride and a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspaces (SANGs) at Stokes Farm) granted on 27/03/2015. Detailed matters of access, layout, landscaping, scale and appearance to be considered.

Permission is also sought to discharge conditions of planning permission O/2014/2435, as follows: 3 (phasing strategy), 5 (materials), 6 (levels), 17 (earth mounding), 18 (bats), 19 (ancient woodland), 20 (hedgerows), 21 (veteran trees), 22 (Landscape and Ecological Management Plan), 25 (air quality), 26 (cycle parking), 43 (Code for Sustainable Homes), 44 (energy strategy), 45 (water consumption), 46 (water butts/composting), 47 (refuse storage), 51 (noise bund), 57 (affordable housing), 58 (open spaces and SANG), 59 (SANG access) and 62 (allotments).

Applicant:  The Keephatch Beech Consortium

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application, set out in Agenda pages 175 to 222.

The Committee was advised that the Members’ Update included:

·         Deletion of ‘32 (vehicle tracking)’ from the proposal description;

·         Proposed amendment of condition 1 to include full list of plans;

·         Proposed additional condition regarding use of allotments;

·         Proposed additional condition regarding width of internal estate roads of the development;

·         Proposed additional condition regarding commencement of the construction of the relevant parts of the Northern Distributor Road;

·         Proposed additional condition regarding commencement of pumping station at the southern end of the development;

·         Proposed additional condition regarding occupation of the northern section of the site and the provision of a footpath to the boundary of the site with Montague Close;

·         Proposed additional informatives;

·         Additional consultation response from 3 Columba Gardens;

·         Inclusion of Appendix B to the report;

·         Clarification of the density of the scheme and parking provision.

Kevin Scott (agent) spoke in favour of the application.

A Member asked about air quality as the site was situated close to the motorway.  Officers indicated that Environmental Health had not raised any concerns on this matter.

A Member asked about allotment access and was informed that this would be delivered as part of the allotment specification.

Members asked about schools.  Planning Officers confirmed that this would be given full consideration as part of the outline application. 

Members also asked about the intended four buses per hour.  The Service Manager, Highways Development Management commented that the Council with developer funding was looking to enhance existing services which would deliver, subject to demand, a higher frequency service.

RESOLVED:  That application No. 153247 be approved, subject to the conditions set out on Agenda pages 177 to 179, with condition 1 amended and additional conditions as set out in the Members’ Update.