Issue - meetings

RESOLVED: That application 25/00571/FP be GRANTED planning permission, subject to:

a)    the completion of a S106 agreement in line with the agreed Heads of Terms, and delegation to the Development and Conservation Manager the negotiation and agreement with the applicant a revised contribution towards improvements to the playground on Ashwell Close, following further correspondence with the Parish Council.

b)    A response of no objection and any relevant conditions from the Local Lead Flood Authority, to be delegated to the Development and Conservation Manager prior to any decision.

c)     A response of no objection and any relevant conditions from Hertfordshire County Councils LEADS (Ecology) following the carrying out of relevant surveys, to be delegated to the Development and Conservation Manager prior to any decision.

d)    A response of no objection and any relevant conditions from Hertfordshire County Councils LEADS (Archaeology) following the carrying out of a geophysical survey and trial trenching evaluation and consultation with HCC as appropriate, to be delegated to the Development and Conservation Manager prior to any decision.

e)    the agreement to an extension of time to the statutory determination date to allow time for (A), (B), (C), and (D) to occur; and

f)      the conditions laid out in the report.

Audio recording – 11 minutes 13 seconds

The Senior Planning Officer provided a verbal update on matters relating to Application 25/00571/FP and advised a question had been asked by Councillor Louise Peace which would be addressed during the Member questions. 

The Senior Planning Officer then presented the report in respect of Application 25/00571/FP accompanied by a visual presentation consisting of plans and photographs.

The following Members asked questions:

·         Councillor Louise Peace

·         Councillor Val Bryant

·         Councillor Dave Winstanley

·         Councillor Tom Tyson

·         Councillor Nigel Mason

·         Councillor Emma Fenandes

·         Councillor Ruth Brown

·         Councillor Caroline McDonnell

·         Councillor Dave Winstanley

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

·         The Applicant and Agent for both application 23/00186/FP and application 25/00571/FP were the same. However, the landowner was different and therefore the two applications needed to be considered separately and would not qualify for 40% provision of affordable housing.

·         A condition for landscaping had been included, as outlined at 4.3.26 of the report, to add additional screening in plots 1 and 2.

·         The access to the site was expected to be before the speed limit change from 30MPH to 50MPH. Hertfordshire County Council Highways had provided a response to consultation and requested conditions, including that a Road Safety Audit be conducted, following which visibility splays and road speeds would be considered at the access point.

·         The Council was signed up to a scheme with Natural England and, in certain areas, a scheme to mitigate against impact on great crested newts was required to be developed and countersigned by Natural England.

·         The mitigation payment would go towards the prevention of damage to habitats of great crested newts.

·         As part of the proposal new footpath links were proposed for the southwestern part of the development, which would lead onto existing footpaths in the village.

·         At the time of the meeting no comments had been received from the Lead Local Flood Authority.

·         The density on this site was considered against other schemes within Graveley, and, given the similarity of density, it was deemed appropriate development.

·         The Parish Council had not made a formal request for an amount in Section 106 contribution and the amount £6300 was included as this was included in the previous scheme for 10 dwellings. This amount was noted as being subject to further review and indexation to inflate amounts both in terms of inflation and increase in units.

·         Trees would be retained at the west of the site.

·         As part of the Road Safety Audit included by condition, further consideration would be given to any changes required to the Highways.

·         The inclusion of 24 swift bricks in the development was outlined under condition 17.

·         Additional surveys had been requested in the response from the Ecology consultant, which would be completed ahead of development and reviewed by the Ecology team to ensure any further mitigations were put in place.

·         Whilst additional surveys were completed, the Section 106 agreement would be progressed.

·         Condition 14 outlined the requirement of an Environmental Risk Assessment to be conducted, which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 94