Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

Reserved matters application including appearance, layout, scale and landscaping for the erection of 83 dwellings with associated sub- station, infrastructure, including attenuation basin and Local Area of Play (pursuant to outline planning permission granted under ref 17/00110/1 including the approval of drainage details for this phase required by condition 10 of that permission).

RESOLVED: That application 20/01138/RM be GRANTED planning permission subject to the reasons and conditions outlined in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager and the following amendments to conditions:

·         Condition 5 to be amended to the following:

“Prior to the occupation of the 83rd unit, the development hereby permitted shall be implemented in accordance with the ecological mitigation measures described in section 4 of the Ecology Addendum October 2020 where they relate to the first phase of development.

Reason - In the interests of Biodiversity”

·         Condition 9 to be added with the following:

“Prior to the commencement of the development the applicant shall submit a programme for the delivery and adoption (or private management of)  footpaths around the site, with public access secured in perpetuity including non-car access for cycles and mobility scooters to the established residential development off of Valley Rise. This programme will be agreed by the Local Planning Authority in conjunction with Herts County Council Rights of Way. The agreed programme will be implemented in accordance with any agreed phasing programme and thereafter maintained in perpetuity. Any proposed footpaths shall be located and laid out to ensure that any loss of trees is minimised as much as is reasonably possible’.

Reason: To deliver a sustainable scheme of public rights of way for the incumbent population and the wider community.”

Audio recording – 22 minutes 45 seconds

The Principle Planning Officer advised of updates to the report including:

·         There had been 5 neighbour objections, not three as listed in the report. These concerned Brampton Road being used as vehicular access and access to Icknield Walk First School.

·         Royston Town Council questioned whether the powerline would be underground – this had previously been confirmed by the applicant’s agent.

·         Royston Town Council had questioned lack of information on bus route on site, but this had been covered by Condition 7 of Outline Plan.

·         Condition 5 to be updated to only include ecological requirements of this phase.

·         Paragraph 4.47 should be £30,000 not £30,000k as written on report.

·         Herts County Councillor had made contact to raise concerns regarding the loss of trees on site.

The Principle Planning Officer presented the report in respect of application 20/01138/RM supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans.

The following Members asked questions:

·         Councillor Ian Mantle

·         Councillor Val Bryant

·         Councillor Ruth Brown

·         Councillor Tom Tyson

In response to questions, the Principle Planning Officer and Senior Planning Officer advised:

·         Access paths were only indicative at this stage and were not included for consideration on this application. Condition 11 of the Outline Proposals outlined that the applicant would need to submit details of these.

·         The mix of affordable housing is known and there will be 18 units (22%) of this phase which would be affordable.

·         The affordable housing would be included across the site and would be replicated across all phases.

·         Herts Ecology had a few sites in mind to spend Unilateral Undertaking ecology funds, but nothing had been agreed yet. It is required to be in the local area and officers were confident that it would be in North Herts, but not necessarily in Royston. NHDC would receive the funds and a relevant location would be identified.

The Chair invited Leigh Carpenter to speak against the application.

Leigh Carpenter thanked the Chair for the chance to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation including:

·         Good pedestrian access to the west could be achieved with good planning and was promised in the original Outline Proposals. 

·         Matters of tree maintenance, road safety and onward travel should be considered and assessed in the context of this application.

·         There is little justification for the clusters of 1 and 2 bedroom dwellings.

·         The proposed cycle route is unsustainable, as the route has a gradient of 13%.

·         Access corridors as presented will require removal of trees and undergrowth with no attempt to deviate the corridors to avoid surveyed trees.

·         Requested that Members defer the decision until further details can be provided.

The Chair invited Councillor Adam Compton to speak against the application as a Member advocate. Councillor Adam Compton thanked the Chair for the chance to address the Committee and gave a verbal presentation including:

·         Main concerns included the tree retention on site, the non-vehicular access points, the parking allocated on plans and the proposed height of flat blocks. 

·         The paths  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24