Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER     

Outline planning application for the erection of up to 42 residential dwellings, including affordable housing, public open space, landscape planting, sustainable drainage system and new access arrangements from The Close (all matters reserved except means of access) (as amended by plans and information submitted 8th April 2024 and 13th August 2024).

RESOLVED: That application 23/02895/OP be GRANTED planning permission subject to the reasons and conditions set out in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager with the removal of Condition 13, the amendments to Conditions 11,12 and 14 as set out in the supplementary document and the relevant renumbering of existing conditions.

“Condition 11:

Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP)

‘Prior to commencement of the development, a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan shall be prepared, detailing how biodiversity will be incorporate within the development scheme and managed/monitored long-term. This should include details regarding who will have the management responsibilities. The plan shall include details of the landscaping proposed to achieve measurable gains to biodiversity, as well as a graphical plan which sets out the number, type and position of ecological enhancement features to be incorporated into the design scheme. This plan shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for written approval to demonstrate the expectations of the NPPF and Local Policy in achieving overall measurable net gains for biodiversity. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved plan unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To ensure sensible working practices which protect ecology on and adjacent to this site, in accordance with Policy NE4: Biodiversity and Geological Sites.

Condition 12

Construction Environment Management Plan (CEMP)

No development shall take place until a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) for biodiversity has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The CEMP shall include the following:

a)    Risk assessment of potentially damaging construction activities.

b)    Practical measures (both physical measures and sensitive working practices) to avoid or reduce impacts during construction (may be provided as a set of method statements). This must include:

i.                Best practice measures to ensure the protection of retained vegetation during construction;

ii.              Best practice measures to ensure any invasive species listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 encountered within the site will be removed and disposed of as controlled waste;

iii.             A precautionary working method for hedgehogs.

c)     The location and timings of sensitive works to avoid harm to nesting birds.

d)    Details of a translocation programme for slow-worms.

The CEMP should include a statement to the effect that if any protected species are encountered during any stage of the development, then works must cease immediately and advice be sought from a suitably qualified ecologist on how best to proceed. Development shall proceed in accordance with the approved CEMP, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To ensure sensible working practices which protect ecology on and adjacent to this site, in accordance with Policy NE4: Biodiversity and Geological Sites.

Condition 13:

Lighting Strategy

No development shall take place until an external lighting scheme has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. This scheme should follow guidance from the Bat Conservation Trust and Institution of Lighting Professionals (2023), and be designed to  ...  view the full decision text for item 90

Audio recording – 1 hour 21 minutes 26 seconds

The Senior Planning Officer provided an update regarding the supplementary documents published on the 21 November 2024.

The Senior Planning Officer presented the report in respect of Application 23/02895/OP supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans.

The following Members asked questions:

·       Councillor Ruth Brown

·       Councillor Ian Mantle

·       Councillor Amy Allen

·       Councillor Tom Tyson

In response to questions, the Senior Planning Officer advised that:

·       There was no specialist cycling route into the site.

·       There was no other access onto the site however there was a public right of way across the site.

·       The strip of green outside the boundary was for illustration purposes and not material, it may be part of the footpath.

·       The applicant had submitted illustrated plans for the site, these were merely to show that the development met in principle the criteria and polices required for allocated site CD3.

In response to questions, the Development and Conservation Manager advised that:

·       This application was for 42 dwellings, the original Local Plan allocation for this site was for 48 dwellings. Should outline planning be granted the applicant could only build up to 42 dwellings.

·       It was likely that the illustrated layout would be indicative of the final plans, mainly due to the topography of the site.

·       This application included vehicular access on to the site as this was not reserved for later approval.

·       There were various public rights of way proposed within the site, including one that linked to the top northeast corner of the site.

The Chair invited Dan Stokes to speak against the application. Mr Stokes thanked the Chair for the opportunity and provided the Committee with a verbal presentation, including that:

·       There were 32 objections to this application.

·       There was insufficient infrastructure surrounding this application.

·       Hertfordshire County Councils Right of Way Officers had conditioned that there should be no footpath diversions during this development.

·       There had already been more houses built in Codicote than its original housing allocation in the Local Plan.

·       The Highways team changed their objection and claimed that the extra 33 daily trips to the site would not cause any extra harm, this was concerning.

·       Recently ambulances had been unable to gain access to the area and this would only be made worse by congestion from construction and then the new homes.

·       There were concerns regarding parking spaces which were already limited and any proposed priority lanes.

·       The proposed bungalows would have sight into existing properties, additional high level planting would be required.

·       There would be impacts on resident insurance premiums and the development would cause loss of light to existing properties.

The Chair thanked Mr Stokes for his presentation and invited Councillor Ralph Muncer to speak against the application. Councillor Muncer thanked the Chair for the opportunity and provided the Committee with a verbal presentation, including that:

·       The Local Plan had allocated 400 homes to Codicote but had not put in adequate infrastructure. The High Street along with smaller road were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 90