Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

Outline Planning Application for Residential Development of up to 280 dwellings (including affordable housing) green infrastructure including public open space, landscape boundaries and SUDS with all matters reserved except for access which is to be taken from Barkway Road (as amended 22 April 2025).

RESOLVED: That application 21/00765/OP be DEFERRED.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

(1)         To allow the Applicant to conduct further traffic modelling.

(2)         To enable Members to undertake a visit to the application site.

Audio recording – 6 minutes 22 seconds

The Project Officer provided a verbal update on matters relating to Application 21/00765/OP and advised that:

·             Natural England had no objection to the application as they were satisfied that it would not adversely impact the nearby Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Therfield Heath. However, they had recommended that a Recreation Management Strategy should be secured as part of the outline permission and as such, delegated powers were included in the list of recommendations. 

·             The Hertfordshire County Council Growth and Infrastructure Unit fee should have been listed in the report as £420 rather than £340.

·             The Emerging Strategy Document had not recommended any capital projects in the east analysis area, however, the views of Royston Cricket Club had not been considered as they had not responded to a survey sent out last summer.

·             Therefore, a case existed for developer contributions to be put towards a project such as practice cricket nets or enhancements to the pavilion, but consultants and both Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire Cricket Boards would need to verify any such project before it could be delivered on-site.

·             If secured, the recommended developer contribution towards this would be £61,620 as per the Sport England playing pitch calculator.

·             The Applicant had formally notified the Council of their intention to lodge an Appeal with the Planning Inspectorate and request the Inquiry procedure if the application was refused planning permission. 

·             An additional objection had been received from a resident whose reasons for objection were already set out in the published report.

·             All matters within the outline permission were reserved except for access.

·             There were recommendations within the report to secure technical matters, and together with the Masterplan, these would guide future Reserved Matters (RM) applications. 

·             Clarifications on the power line in the western part of the site had been provided.

·             Matters relating to open space and parking facilities were also clarified.

·             The Section 106 contribution to Rugby Union had been amended to reflect the recommendations within the Emerging Sports Pitch Strategy.

·             There were updates to Conditions 9 and 29 as set out in the Addendum.

·             Delegated authority was requested to amend the final condition wording.

The Project Officer then presented the report in respect of Application 21/00765/OP accompanied by a visual presentation consisting of plans and photographs.

The following Members asked questions:

·             Councillor Ruth Brown

·             Councillor Martin Prescott

·             Councillor Louise Peace

·             Councillor Bryony May

·             Councillor Tom Tyson

In response to questions, the Project Officer advised that:

·             The Masterplan was an illustrative layout of the site and did not fix anything other than the access to the site and its boundaries.

·             If outline permission was granted, future RM applications would be tested against the Masterplan.

·             The Town Council were present at site meetings where discussions on routing the active travel through Green Walk Plantation had taken place, however, it was unconfirmed as to whether the Applicant and the Town Council had a formal agreement in place for this to happen. 

·             The application site had a primary vehicular  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49