Agenda item

REPORT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION MANAGER

 

Redevelopment of the site to provide 86 dwellings, (12 x 2 bedroom houses, 12 x 3 bedroom houses, 18 x 4 bedroom houses, 25 x one bedroom apartments, and 19 x 2 bedroom apartments), associated landscaping, car-parking, the provision of a large new public open space and the creation of a new vehicular access off the B197 Stevenage Road following demolition of the former indoor bowling building and several ancillary buildings. Rearrangement of the EXISTING car parking provision for existing Odyssey Health and Racquet Club to provide 141 car parking spaces and alterations to existing vehicular access to Odyssey Health Club from Old Knebworth Lane.

RESOLVED: That application 19/01244/FP be GRANTED planning permission subject to the conditions contained in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager and the following additional and amended conditions:

 

Prior to its installation full details of the proposed roof mounted solar PV array system to be provided as part of the development shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved scheme.

 

Reason: To ensure compliance with the submitted Energy Assessment and in the interests of safeguarding the appearance of the development’

 

Condition 15 to be amended to reflect the approval of a non-material amendment agreed in July 2019. The minor alterations to the wording relating to technical matters concerned with the design of the new roundabout on Stevenage Road would be confirmed by the Planning Officer.                 

 

Conditions 20 and 25 to be deleted.

Audio Recording – 50 minutes 45 seconds

 

The Principal Planning Officer presented the report in respect of application 19/01244/FP supported by a visual presentation consisting of photographs and plans. He provided the following updates to the report:

 

·                In response to additional comments received from Hertfordshire Ecology, the applicant had submitted a Great Crested Newt Scoping Technical Note following a survey carried out by its ecological consultants.  Herts Ecology had been consulted on this document and had advised that the document addressed the issue of Great Crested Newts satisfactorily so that conditions 20 and 25 were no longer required, there will be an informative for newts during the construction phase;

·                The applicant had submitted a revised Energy Assessment report. After further assessment it concluded that one of the proposed renewable energy features i.e. ground source heat pumps, was not feasible due to the high costs associated with the extensive ground works required to facilitate the system. In compensation the report considered that the roof mounted photovoltaic panels to be provided on the roof of the flats should be extended to all of the dwelling houses in the proposed development.  The applicant had agreed that a further condition be attached so that the Local Authority could receive and approve details of the solar PV system.

·                Condition 15 needed to be updated to reflect the approval of a non-material amendment agreed in July this year.  The alterations to the wording of the condition are minor and relate to technical matters concerned with the design of the new roundabout on Stevenage Road.                 

 

Councillor Steve Deakin-Davies, Member Advocate, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee in objection to application 19/01244/FP  as follows:

 

·                There was very little affordable housing;

·                The development only offered 25% affordable housing instead of 40%;

·                There was a parking problem in Knebworth;

·                There was 128 car parking spaces for dwellings and 15 car parking spaces for visitors which was below the Council’s standards;

·                Cumulative highway impact as Knebworth gate development already had highway issues; and

·                He had received a large number of comments from public.

 

Mr Sean Burroughs, Bonham Property, thanked the Chairman for the opportunity to address the Committee in support of application 19/01244/FP  as follows:

 

·                Work had been done to improve the Scheme;

·                He had worked closely with officers since January 2019;

·                He believed that the proposal was better designed and in keeping with the local area;

·                The scheme provided more affordable;

·                Provided an enhancements to the health club that would secure its future;

·                No objections had been received from Members of the Public save the Parish Council;

·                Provides open space; and

·                The scheme was fundable and deliverable.

 

The following Members asked questions:

·                Councillor Sue Ngwala;

·                Councillor Val Bryant; and

·                Councillor David Levett.

 

In response to questions raised, Mr Burroughs confirmed the following:

 

·                They were complying with current policy in relation to the percentage of social housing needed;

·                Properties would be built to robust details to ensure that warm air was recycled within the home; and

·                There would be a lift available in the apartment block.

 

The following Members entered into debate:

 

·                Councillor Michael Muir;

·                Councillor Daniel Allen;

·                Councillor David Levett;

·                Councillor Sue Ngwala;

·                Councillor Sean Prendergast;

·                Councillor Ian Mantle;

·                Councillor Terry Tyler; and

·                Councillor Tony Hunter.

 

Points raised by Members were as follows:

 

·                The amount of trees that would be cut down;

·                The number of parking spaces available;

·                The amount of social housing;

·                Electric vehicle charging points; and

·                The viability assessment.

 

In response to questions raised, the Principal Planning Officer advised that:

 

·                He was not able to provide an accurate figure of the number of trees that would be removed;

·                A viability assessment had been completed by the applicant which outlined the reasons that more social housing could not be given and this had been reviewed by our external consultants and they were satisfied with the assessment;

·                The amount of social housing met the emerging local plan policy;

·                Condition 4 could be amended to ensure that any trees that were cut down, would be replaced;

·                In future, Councillors would be able to see the viability assessment;

·                The EV charging point condition was Condition 24 of the report; and

·                The development complied with Paragraph 145 (g) of the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

It was proposed by Councillor Daniel Allen and seconded by Councillor Morgan Derbyshire that application 19/01244/FP be granted planning permission.

 

Upon the vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That application 19/01244/FP be GRANTED planning permission subject to the conditions contained in the report of the Development and Conservation Manager and the following additional and amended conditions:

 

Prior to its installation full details of the proposed roof mounted solar PV array system to be provided as part of the development shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved scheme.

 

Reason: To ensure compliance with the submitted Energy Assessment and in the interests of safeguarding the appearance of the development’

 

Condition 15 to be amended to reflect the approval of a non-material amendment agreed in July 2019. The minor alterations to the wording relating to technical matters concerned with the design of the new roundabout on Stevenage Road would be confirmed by the Planning Officer.                 

 

Conditions 20 and 25 to be deleted.