Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

Outline planning application with all matters reserved other than means of access, for the erection of up to 900 dwellings (including affordable housing and self/custom build units), provision of a primary school, provision of a neighbourhood centre including community building, and provision of open space areas across the site, together with associated drainage, land works and utilities works. This application is accompanied by an Environmental Statement (as amended by Transport Technical Note received 03 February 2025).

RESOLVED: That Application 23/02935/OP be GRANTED subject to:

(a)     The completion of a satisfactory legal agreement and the applicant agreeing to extend the statutory period to complete the agreement if required: and

(b)     Providing delegated powers to the Development and Conservation Manager to (i) resolve outstanding matters including financial contributions and (ii) update conditions and informatives with minor amendments as required: and

(c)     Conditions set out in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager: and

(d)     Amendments and additions to that report as set out in the supplementary report of the Development and Conservation Manager.

Audio recording – 5 minutes 7 seconds

The Project Officer drew attention to the updated matters that were set out in the Addendum to the report and advised that:

·             The development was located on an allocated site in the adopted Local Plan.

·             The site had been removed from the greenbelt allocation and because of this, greenbelt impact would not be a policy consideration for the application. 

·             This was an Outline Application with all matters reserved except for the means of access.

·             Details of the application included principal land use for up to 900 homes with the consideration of community, educational and commercial elements and details of 2 vehicular access points to the site.

·             Landscaping, appearance, layout and scale would be dealt with in future reserved matters applications in the event of approval.

·             Need for primary care health facilities had been raised by several third-party consultees including Graveley Parish Council.

·             The development created a need for 215m² primary care floor space but typically a viable GP surgery would have 400m².

·             The NHS sought health infrastructure from this development in the form of a medical facility with approximately 630m² floor space to accommodate additional patient numbers from this development, other developments and the projected need going forward.

·             As Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations only allowed for impacts from the proposed development to be mitigated, the 415m² difference between the needed and requested floor space would require capital funding from other sources such as the NHS, existing local GP practices and s106 contributions from other developments.

·             The s106 contributions for this site should be drafted so that on-site facilities were provided in the first instance.

·             If this could not be secured, the NHS ICB had requested just over £1.5M to digitise the offsite or remove to secure offsite storage for existing patient records and the reconfiguration, refurbishment or extension of vacated space at the Canterbury Way Surgery. This would create additional patient facing clinical rooms for GPs and support staff to accommodate the expected additional patient numbers from future housing growth in and around Graveley.

·             Discussions around the delivery timing of the community hub, its location and the funding shortfall to facilitate the preferred on-site option for this would need to take place in the future.

·             Regarding Highways conditions, s106 clauses were yet to be agreed with Active Travel England and Members were asked to include delegated powers within this application to allow officers to continue to deal with this matter.

Following this, the Project Officer presented the report in respect of Application 23/02935/FP supported by a visual presentation consisting of plans and photographs.

The following Members asked questions:

·             Councillor Ruth Brown

·             Councillor Jon Clayden

·             Councillor Louise Peace

·             Councillor Ian Mantle

·             Councillor Nigel Mason

·             Councillor Martin Prescott

·             Councillor Mick Debenham

In response to questions, the Project Officer advised that:

·             Crime related issues were not something for Members to consider on this application as the Design Code would address these in future applications for the site.

·             The County Council had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 145