Agenda item

Recommendation:  Conditional Approval

Proposed:  Reserved Matters application pursuant to Outline planning consent O/2014/2242 (outline consent for up to 760 dwellings and associated infrastructure) for Phase 2b of the development involving the erection of 73 residential dwellings, associated amenity space, access, garaging and parking, internal roads, pathways, drainage and associated landscaping and provision of a section of the streamside recreational park. Appearance, landscaping, layout and scale to be considered.

Applicant:  Linden Homes

The Committee received and reviewed a report about this application, set out in Agenda pages 45 to 74.

The Committee were advised that the Members’ Update included:

·         Proposed amendment to Condition 6 to allow further discussions between WBC Highways Officers and Linden Homes about the planned use of retaining walls (i.e. structures) within the highway at the north west corner of the site;

·         Confirmation that only one letter of objection had been received from local residents;

·         Confirmation that the number of dwellings proposed was 73, not 76 as stated in the table on page 76.

Members had visited the site in March 2015.

Councillor David Lee (Wokingham Town Council) spoke in favour of the application. He welcomed the fact that internal road widths had been increased following the Town Council’s comments on the application. The Town Council had expressed concern about situations when large vehicles tried to pass and the resulting health and safety risks for road users and pedestrians. He asked the Committee to take this into consideration when looking at future applications involving new roads. Councillor Lee also raised concerns about the balancing ponds in the public open space to the north east of the development. He asked how the ponds would be managed to prevent stagnant water and the accumulation of rubbish.

Nick Laugharne (Linden Homes) spoke in favour of the application. He stated that the application would deliver a high quality development. He referred to the public meetings held prior to the submission of the application and the positive changes made in light of comments from local residents, the Residents’ Association and the Town Council.

In response to a Member question Officers confirmed that the balancing ponds within the public open space would only contain water following a 1 in 30 year storm event. The ponds would normally be dry and there was no chance of stagnating water. The ponds would also be constructed with a shallow gradient to enable easy egress. Following construction, the public open space would be transferred to the Council for ongoing maintenance.

Members asked about measures to mitigate the impact of noise from the Northern Distributor Road (NDR). It was confirmed that national noise standards were in place and would be used to ensure appropriate noise mitigation for the dwellings. This would be assessed under a separate condition application.

Members raised concerns about the introduction of three storey housing adjacent to existing properties and the open space frontage to the north of the site. Officers confirmed that, in relation to existing properties, the proposed separation distances were considered to be appropriate. In relation to the public open space, it was considered that the height increase from two and a half storeys to three storeys would not overbear the open space and would have limited impact.

In response to a Member question Officers confirmed that parking for the flats would comprise a mixture of one allocated space per flat and a number of unallocated spaces. The amount of parking was considered to be commensurate with the dwelling mix and in line with other schemes approved by the Committee and the Council’s adopted parking policies.

RESOLVED: That application No 162140 be approved, subject to the conditions set out on Agenda pages 46 to 49, with the amendment to condition 6 as set out in the Members’ Update.