Skip to main content

Issue - meetings

north of letchworth LG1 masterplan

 

 

Meeting: 11/07/2024 - Council (Item 32)

32 NORTH STEVENAGE STRATEGIC MASTERPLAN FRAMEWORK pdf icon PDF 542 KB

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – REGULATORY

 

To approve the Strategic Masterplan Framework for land to the north of Stevenage.

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED:  That the motion was lost.

Minutes:

Audio recording – 1 hour 56 minutes 38 seconds

 

N.B Councillor Ian Mantle returned to the Chamber at 21:28.

 

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Daniel Allen presented referral 8G from Cabinet and the report ‘North Stevenage Strategic Masterplan Framework’ and stated that:

 

·       The site was an allocated development in the adopted Local Plan, site NS1 policy SP16 for the building of 900 homes and supporting infrastructure, and this required a Masterplan to be completed.

·       The Masterplan had been produced by the applicant in collaboration with Council Officers and advisors following guidelines and procedures.

·       The draft masterplan had been subject to public consultation.

·       The Masterplan had been referred from Cabinet.

 

The following Members asked questions:

 

·       Councillor Tom Tyson

·       Councillor Jon Clayden

·       Councillor Alistair Willoughby

·       Councillor Matt Barnes

·       Councillor Ralph Muncer

·       Councillor Claire Strong

·       Councillor Steve Jarvis

·       Councillor Sam Collins

 

In response to questions, the Strategic Planning Manger advised:

 

·       An Outline Planning application had been submitted for this site and was under consideration. The Masterplan was for consideration prior to the determination of the application, and this was in-line with policy, Should the Masterplan be approved, it would provide the design framework and be used as consideration in determining the application.

·       The applicant and Officers were already working on the design code, the Masterplan was the second of six stages of the code.

·       The street width was not considered in the Masterplan and would be reviewed at a later design stage.

·       Shopping habits had changed post Covid and there was evidence that a retail provision would not be viable on the site, but there would be a retail provision provided on the adjacent site. This site would have a focus on Community functions.

·       There would be a Community Hub on the site, and health had been identified as a potential use pending NHS commitment.

·       There had been a public consultation last spring at Stevenage Rugby Club and the draft Masterplan was available online.

·       There had been meetings with stakeholders to discuss the Masterplan.

·       It was no longer perceived as practical to plant dense conifers as a boundary and a mixture of trees, hedgerows and planting was now encouraged.

·       Along with the adjacent site a new community would be built, with links to Stevenage including bus routes and a cycle network. However, each site would have a distinct character.

·       There would essentially be one access point from North Road, with the potential to form a loop with the Stevenage site, thus forming two access points.

·       Highways had approved the access points using transport modelling and pending a further transport assessment. The modelling concentrated on movements by car, bicycles and on foot.

·       The transport modelling had been completed by the District Council through the County Council. It was expected that any applicant would also complete their own assessment at a later date.

·       There would be as many active traffic connections as possible, with networks into Stevenage, this would be further explored at the next design stage.

·       It was expected that the applicant would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32