Agenda item

To consider an application for the redevelopment of Wells Police Station to form 47 No Retirement Living Apartments for Older People (Sixty Years of Age and/or Partner over Fifty-Five Years of age), Guest Apartment, Communal Facilities, Access, Car Parking and Landscaping.

That planning application 2023/1275/FUL be APPROVED in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation.

Votes – 8 in favour, 1 against and 1 abstention

Redevelopment to form 47 No Retirement Living Apartments for Older People (Sixty Years of Age and/or Partner over Fifty-Five Years of age), Guest Apartment, Communal Facilities, Access, Car Parking and Landscaping.

The Officer’s Report stated that this application was referred back to the Planning Committee following consideration at the March meeting.

The application related to the redevelopment of a former police station. The proposal sought to demolish all buildings on site and construct a 47-unit age restricted retirement flat complex with associated communal facilities, landscaping, vehicular access, and car parking. The development would consist of 31 one-bedroom units and 16 two-bedroom units. It was a re-submission of planning application 202/2234/FUL which had been approved in April 2023. The design in the new application was identical to the approved scheme with the main change being to viability, in particular a reduction in the off-site affordable housing contribution from approx. £434k to £100k.

The application had been recommended for approval, but at the March 2024 meeting of the Planning Committee East, Members had deferred making a decision on the application to allow the applicant an opportunity to address the issues raised, specifically  the amount of affordable housing contribution and lack of parking provision.

In response, the applicant had agreed to offer an additional £100,000 towards affordable housing, making the overall offer £200,000 together with £17,484 towards NHS contributions locally. The applicant had also reviewed the on-site parking provision. There was no space to the rear of the site for further parking due to the constraints of the Wessex Water vehicle needing to reach the existing pumping station and being able to turn. The site levels at the front of the site would make it very difficult to provide an access road around the front of the building. However, one additional space was now proposed on the front area to the west of the entrance. This extra space would increase the parking ration to 0.51 spaces per apartment.

Taking these updates into consideration the Officer’s recommendation remained for approval.

The Planning Officer explained the application to the Committee with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation and explained the changes made by the applicant to the application.

The first speaker was from Wells City Council. She made a number of points including the following:

• There are already approximately 30 retirement properties currently on the market in Wells . The housing needs assessment was done in 2011 and is out of date. The City Council questions how many retirement flats for the elderly are actually need in Wells.
• The effects of climate change has seen extreme flooding in Wells which may affect the housing estates situated behind the development site. This should be noted by the developers.
• The increased offer for affordable housing is still lower than it should be but requested that the monies are ring-fenced for Wells.
• The £17k NHS contribution is welcomed but the City Council would like to request further S106 monies for active travel in Wells.

The Committee was then addressed by the planning agent. She made the following comments:

• Since the last meeting, the applicant have agreed to increase the contributions for affordable housing to £200k and NHS contributions to £17.5k.
• There was little option to increase parking provision but one space has been located.
• A typical purchaser of this type of accommodation would probably not require a car parking space.
• The applicant has a huge amount of experience and data to back up the car parking needs at retirement properties and the provision here exceeds the provision in other, similar developments.

During the Members discussion the following comments were made:

• A new housing needs assessment needs to be conducted for Wells.
• The financial contribution should be secured and ring-fenced for affordable housing in Wells.
• In comparison to other developments owned by the applicant, the amount of parking would appear to be favourable.
• The proposal was robustly debated at the previous meeting and as the Planning Officer has been successful in securing further S106 monies and an additional parking space, which was the reason for deferral, there was little more the Committee can do.
• The design of the redevelopment is not appealing and the lack of solar panels is short-sighted.
• Rather than the £200k for affordable housing, could the developers be asked to build affordable housing elsewhere?
• Could we ask for contributions for education?

In response to comments made, the Team Leader – Development Management advised the following:

• Planning permission had previously been granted under 2020/2234/FUL and this application was submitted by the applicant to reduce the amount of financial contributions previously agreed by that applicant. Planning Officers conducted an independent appraisal of the offering and the advice received was to accept the contributions. Following deferral at the last meeting, the applicants had increased their offer. If this is now not approved, there might be an appeal and the Council could end up with no contributions at all. .
• Contributions for affordable housing could not be ring-fenced for use in Wells, but they will be used in the Somerset East area, where required most.
• The affordable housing team have already accepted the financial contribution so it would not be possible to ask the applicant to build off-site affordable housing instead.
• As the target purchaser would not have school age children, it would not be reasonable or appropriate to ask for contributions for education.

At the end of the debate, it was proposed by Councillor Edric Hobbs and seconded by Councillor Susannah Hart to approve the application in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation.

On being put to the vote the proposal was carried with 8 votes in favour, 1 vote against and 1 abstention.

RESOLVED

That planning application 2023/1275/FUL be APPROVED in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation.

Votes – 8 in favour, 1 against and 1 abstention