Agenda item

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

 

Erection of 144 no. dwellings, new vehicular access onto Bedford Road, associated garages and car parking spaces, public open space, landscaping and attenuation areas.

RESOLVED:

 

That application 19/01758/FP be GRANTED planning permission subject to the conditions and reasons contained in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager and the amendment of condition 15 to read as follows:

 

“Prior to the commencement of the development herby permitted, full details of Electric Vehicles (EV) car parking spaces provision (of between 10% and 20% of all spaces) within the parking courtyards shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. All approved spaces will have designated plug in points and served by EV charging points prior to the first occupation of the development and shall be retained for that purpose thereafter”.

 

REASON:  To contribute to the objective of providing a sustainable transport network and to help off-set the adverse impact of the development on local air quality.

Audio Recording – Session 1 – 3 Minutes 53 Seconds

 

Erection of 144 no. dwellings, new vehicular access onto Bedford Road, associated garages and car parking spaces, public open space, landscaping and attenuation areas.

 

The Principal Planning Officer updated the Committee as follows:

 

·                The applicant had agreed to a Section 106 Obligation making a financial contribution totalling £117,346.22 towards GP Core Services as requested by the NHS Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group;

·                Formal comment had been received by Ickleford Parish Council which had been circulated to all Members prior to the Meeting.

·                Ickleford Parish Council had raised objections to the development on various grounds including flood risk, loss of agricultural land and highway impact;

·                The applicant had submitted an additional plan as part of the flood risk assessment which the Principal Planning Officer advised would be included in his presentation; and

·                Councillor Sam North had submitted a statement in objection to the application.  The Principal Planning Officer informed the Committee that the statement had been circulated to all Members, but would read it out to all present at the appropriate time.

 

The Principal Planning Officer further drew the attention of the Members to Paragraph 4.3.93 on page 39 of the report:

 

“In the light of the above and particularly in view of the Committee’s unequivocal support for this development at its meeting in July 2019 on an identical proposal, together with the fact that there are no other material changes that would warrant a different conclusion being reached, the Committee are recommended to agree the recommendation as set out”.

 

The Principal Planning Officer presented the report in respect of application 19/01758/FP supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans.

 

Mr Ryan Harper, Vice-Chairman of Ickleford Parish Council, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee in objection of application 19/01758/FP and drew attention to the following:

 

·                Flood risk;

·                Road safety;

·                The increase of traffic on Bedford Road (A600);

·                Harm to historic assets;

·                Bus service that was not fit for purpose; no service after 18:30 or to train stations;

·                There had been 200 individual objections to this development.

 

The following Member asked questions:

 

• Councillor Daniel Allen,

 

The Chairman invited Mr John Rumble, Lead Local Flood Authority, Hertfordshire County Council, to address the Committee.

Mr Rumble referred to the July submission and informed Members that mapping had been revised and superseded.  The modelling was now more accurate and Members should be guided to the revision.

 

The following Members asked questions of Mr Rumble:

 

• Councillor Michael Weeks
• Councillor Mike Hughson
• Councillor Terry Tyler.

 

Mr Rumble confirmed that the applicant had worked with the Environment Agency who were satisfied that the model used was accurate and were content with the result.

 

Councillor Sam North was unable to attend the meeting, however, he would have been speaking as a Member Advocate in objection to the application.  He had provided a written statement, which had been circulated to all Members of the Committee prior to the meeting and was read out by the Principal Planning Officer.

 

Mr Geoff Armstrong, ARP Planning, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee in support of application 19/01758/FP as follows:

 

·                The application was identical to that which was subject to a pending appeal;

·                At the Planning Control Committee in July 2019, it was resolved that had North Hertfordshire District been a determining authority, it would have granted planning permission to the 17/01622/FP application;

·                The Council had a 5 year shortfall in its housing supply;

·                The site was identified in the Council’s emerging local plan;

·                The site would help address future housing needs;

·                There had been a large number of objections to the development. However, no objections had been received from statutory consultees.

 

The following Members asked questions of Mr Armstrong:

 

·                Councillor Michael Muir;

·                Councillor Val Bryant.

 

In response to questions raised, Mr Armstrong confirmed that:

 

·                The 10 percent provision of car parking spaces designated for plug-in Electric Vehicles was in line with the Council’s policy;

·                £1,918,226 would contribute to the expansion of Derwent Lower School in Henlow, Central Bedfordshire and £371,931.00 would contribute to the expansion of the Priory School in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. 

 

NB: Councillor Ian Moody arrived at 20:02.

 

The following Members asked questions of the Principal Planning Officer:

 

·                Councillor Terry Tyler;

·                Councillor Michael Weeks;

·                Councillor Michael Muir; and

·                Councillor Ian Mantle

 

The Principal Planning Officer advised that:

 

·                There was no right-hand turn requirement, as the Highways Authority had deemed the T-Junction satisfactory;

·                The 10 percent provision of Electric Vehicle charging points had been recommended by the Environment Protection Officer and it was not in the remit of this Committee to increase the percentage.

 

The Development and Conservation Manager advised that the condition regarding Electric Vehicle Charging Points could be amended to read that the applicant shall submit a scheme of Electric Vehicle Charging points in the proportion agreed by the Council this being at least 10 percent. This would, however, be subject to agreement by the Environment Protection Officer.

 

It was proposed by Councillor Ian Mantle and seconded by Councillor Morgan Derbyshire that the application be granted permission, subject to the amendment of Condition 15 of the report.

 

Upon the application being put to the vote, it was:

RESOLVED:

 

That application 19/01758/FP be GRANTED planning permission subject to the conditions and reasons contained in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager and the amendment of condition 15 to read as follows:

 

“Prior to the commencement of the development herby permitted, full details of Electric Vehicles (EV) car parking spaces provision (of between 10% and 20% of all spaces) within the parking courtyards shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. All approved spaces will have designated plug in points and served by EV charging points prior to the first occupation of the development and shall be retained for that purpose thereafter”.

 

REASON:  To contribute to the objective of providing a sustainable transport network and to help off-set the adverse impact of the development on local air quality.