Meeting documents

SSDC Area North Committee
Wednesday, 25th February, 2015 2.00 pm

  • Meeting of Area North Committee, Wednesday 25th February 2015 2.00 pm (Item 171.)

Minutes:

Application proposal: Demolition of existing nursery buildings and erection of 11 houses and associated access works (revised scheme).

The Planning Officer updated members that with reference to the section ‘Highway Safety’ in the agenda report, the required revised layout plan had now been received and was acceptable to the Highway Authority and hence the reference numbers of the relevant plans in conditions 2 and 5 would need to be amended accordingly if members were minded to approve the application. It was also suggested that an amendment be made to condition 15 regarding windows and openings above first floor level on the east elevation specifically to plot 10.

The application was presented to members, and the planning officer highlighted the key considerations and issues of concern raised locally.

Mr M Langdon spoke in objection to the proposal, commenting that he was not against development but did have concerns about access due to lorries delivering to the shop, and the traffic and parking associated with Stanchester School. He highlighted that no planting was proposed against the boundary of the affordable housing, and questioned why the affordable housing element was to be built of brick and not stone like the rest of the development. Reference was also made to communications with the SSDC Housing Policy Team and the varying change of stance in their responses.

Mr S Travers, agent, noted the site was brownfield and couldn’t really be seen from the road. It was in a sustainable location close to a shop, school and bus stop and only a few miles from Yeovil. It was known there was a need for a range of housing in the area. He noted the existing access was substandard and needed to be rebuilt.

During discussion several comments were raised by members including:

·         Existing entrance needed to be changed

·         Traffic calming in the locality would be welcomed locally

·         Car park layout for the shop needed re-considering

·         Statutory consultees had not raised objections

·         Materials should be changed so that the affordable housing element was not so identifiable

·         Affordable housing should not be singled out

·         Discussion of traffic calming measures was not part of the application

·         Some aspects of the design could be improved

·         Agree with Landscape Officer that buffer zone to the north is essential

 

In response to a request from the Chairman, the agent clarified that the design of the affordable housing dwellings had been agreed by the social housing provider.

 

In response to comments made the Area Lead clarified that access into the shop car park and traffic calming could not form part of this application. He noted that condition 8 would provide for the rebuilding of the road into the site, and commented that it had often been the case that different materials were used for affordable housing but this did not in any way suggest they were of lesser quality, and that in many cases the interior specification was of a higher level than market housing.

 

It was proposed to approve the application, as per the officer recommendation, as detailed in the agenda report, subject to the amendments to conditions 2, 5 and 15 as mentioned at the start of the presentation. On being put to the vote the proposal was carried 9 in favour, 1 against with no abstentions.

RESOLVED:

That planning application 14/05319/FUL be APPROVED, as per the officer recommendation, subject to the following:

 

(For clarity the final conditions are detailed below)

 

01.       The prior completion of a section 106 planning agreement (in a form acceptable to the Council's solicitor(s)) before the decision notice granting planning permission is issued to secure:-

 

(a)     A contribution of £70,164 (or £6,379 per dwelling) towards offsite recreational infrastructure, to the satisfaction of the Assistant Director (Wellbeing) broken down as:

·      £41,695 for local facilities;

·      £17,750 for strategic facilities;

·      £10,024 as a commuted sum towards local services;

·      £695 as the Community Health and Leisure Service administration fee. 

 

(b)     At least 35% of the dwellings as affordable dwellings of a tenure that is acceptable to the Corporate Strategic Housing Manager.

 

02.       and the following conditions

 

Justification:

 

Notwithstanding the local concerns, by reason of the range of services and facilities to be found in the locality this is considered to be a sustainable location in principle for appropriate development. The erection of 11 dwellings on this site raises no substantive landscape, residential amenity, ecology, drainage or highway safety concerns and respects the setting of nearby heritage assets. As such the proposal accords with the policies of the emerging South Somerset Local Plan, the saved policies of the South Somerset Local Plan (2006) and the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

Subject to the following conditions:

 

01.       The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

           

            Reason:  To accord with the provisions of section 91(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

 

02.       The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans:

 

·         drawings numbered 3348/02 Rev C, 3348/22 Rev A and 3348/11 Rev A received 20/01/2015; and

·         drawings numbered 3348/04, 3348/10, 3348/12, 3348/13, 3348/14, 3348/15, 3348/16 and 3348/21 received 26/11/2014.

                                                                                               

            Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

 

03.       No works shall be carried out unless particulars of the following have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority;

 

a)  materials (including the provision of samples where appropriate) to be used for all external walls and roofs;

b)  full details of the new natural stonework walls, including the materials, coursing, bonding, mortar profile, colour and texture, to be provided in the form of a sample panel to be made available on site;

c)  details of the design, materials and external finish for all external doors, windows, boarding, openings and lintels;

d)  details of all roof eaves, verges and abutments, including detailed section drawings as appropriate, and all new guttering, down pipes and other rainwater goods, and external plumbing;

e)  details of the surface material for the parking and turning area.

 

Reason: In the interest of visual amenity to accord with saved policies ST5 and ST6 of the South Somerset Local Plan 2006.

 

04.       Before any of the development hereby permitted is commenced details of the internal ground floor levels of the dwellings to be erected on the site shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in complete accordance with the agreed details.

           

            Reason: In the interest of visual amenity to accord with saved policies ST5 and ST6 of the South Somerset Local Plan 2006.

 

05.       No development shall take place until a detailed scheme of landscaping, based upon drawing number 3348/02 Rev C, and which includes the retention or planting of tree species that will be beneficial to bats, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The landscaping scheme shall include indications of all existing trees and hedgerows on and immediately adjacent to the site, and details of any to be retained, together with measures for their protection in the course of the development, as well as details of any changes proposed in existing ground levels. All planting, seeding, turfing or earth moulding comprised in the approved details of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding season following the completion of the development. Any trees or plants which within a period of five years from the completion of the development die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species, unless the Local Planning Authority gives written consent to any variation.

 

Reason: To safeguard the rural character of the area and for the conservation of biodiversity to accord with saved policies ST5, ST6, EC7 and EC8 of the South Somerset Local Plan 2006.

 

06.       No development shall take place until a scheme for the provision, including a timetable, and management of the communal amenity space has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The communal amenity space shall be provided and managed in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: To safeguard the rural character of the area to accord with saved policies ST5 and ST6 of the South Somerset Local Plan 2006.

 

07.       No removal of vegetation that may be used by nesting birds (trees, shrubs, hedges, bramble, ivy or other climbing plants) nor works to or demolition of buildings or structures that may be used by nesting birds, shall be carried out between 1st March and 31st  August inclusive in any year, unless previously checked by a competent person for the presence of nesting birds.  If nests are encountered, the nests and eggs or birds, must not be disturbed until all young have left the nest.

 

            Reason: To avoid disturbance to nesting birds thereby ensuring compliance with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended by the CROW Act 2000, and in accordance with Policy EC8 of the adopted South Somerset Local Plan.

 

08.       The proposed estate roads, footways, footpaths, tactile paving, cycleways, bus stops/bus lay-bys, verges, junctions, street lighting, sewers, drains, retaining walls, service routes, surface water outfall, vehicle overhang margins, embankments, visibility splays, accesses, carriageway gradients, drive gradients, car, motorcycle and cycle parking, and street furniture shall be constructed and laid out in accordance with details to be approved by the Local Planning Authority in writing before their construction begins.  For this purpose, plans and sections, indicating as appropriate, the design, layout, levels, gradients, materials and method of construction shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority.

 

Reason: In the interest of highway safety to accord with saved policy ST5 of the South Somerset Local Plan 2006.

 

09.       No house hereby permitted shall be occupied until a properly consolidated and surfaced vehicular and pedestrian access to it has been provided in accordance with details which have been previously submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.

 

            Reason: In the interest of highway safety to accord with saved policy ST5 of the South Somerset Local Plan 2006

 

10.       No development shall take place, including any works of demolition, until a Construction Method Statement has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the local planning authority. The approved Statement shall be adhered to throughout the construction period. The Statement shall provide for: site construction access; the parking of vehicles of site operatives and visitors; loading and unloading of plant and materials; storage of plant and materials used in constructing the development; the erection and maintenance of security hoarding including decorative displays and facilities for public viewing, where appropriate; wheel washing facilities; measures to control the emission of dust and dirt during construction.

 

            Reason: In the interest of highway safety to accord with saved policy ST5 of the South Somerset Local Plan 2006

 

11.       Demolition or construction works (including the operation of any machinery) and the delivery or despatching of any construction materials, shall not take place outside 0800 hours to 1800 hours Mondays to Fridays nor at any time on Saturdays, Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays.

 

            Reason: In the interest of residential amenity to accord with saved policy ST6 of the South Somerset Local Plan 2006.

 

12.       No development shall take place until details of all external road lighting and a timetable for its provision have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The external lighting shall be installed in accordance with the approved details and timetable and shall not be altered without the written agreement of the local planning authority.

 

            Reason: In the interest of highway safety to accord with saved policy ST5 of the South Somerset Local Plan 2006

 

13.       No work shall be carried out unless details of an acoustic barrier (to include details of siting, height, design and construction), to protect the amenities of occupiers of the new dwellings from disturbance from the adjacent retail unit, has been submitted to and agreed in writing by the local planning authority. The acoustic barrier shall be installed in full compliance with the agreed details prior to the first occupation of the dwellings hereby approved.

 

            Reason: In the interest of residential amenity to accord with saved policy ST6 of the South Somerset Local Plan 2006.

 

14.       Prior the dwelling identified as Plot 10 on the approved plans is first brought into use the first floor window within the east elevation shall be fitted with obscure glass (and fixed closed) and shall be permanently retained and maintained in this fashion thereafter.

           

            Reason: In the interest of residential amenity to accord with saved policy ST6 of the South Somerset Local Plan 2006.

 

15.       Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (or any order revoking and re-enacting that Order with or without modification), no additional windows/openings to that permitted as part of this permission shall be constructed above first floor level within the east elevation of Plot 10, without the prior express grant of planning permission.

 

            Reason: In the interest of residential amenity to accord with saved policy ST6 of the South Somerset Local Plan 2006.

 

(Voting: 9 in favour, 1 against, 0 abstentions)

Supporting documents: