Agenda item

Councillors Gawthrope Wood, Porrer and Smart weren’t present when this application was last considered at the October 2021 Committee but as the application would be considered afresh all Members in attendance could engage in the determination and vote on the application.

 

The Committee received an application for full planning permission for the erection of a new building comprising E(g) floorspace with car and cycle parking, landscaping and associated infrastructure.

 

The Committee noted the amendments to paragraph 7 and 126 of the Officer report and the updated recommendation detailed in the Amendment Sheet. The Principal Planning Officer also noted the main change since the item was last reported to Committee was the addition of a condition restricting access to the roof terrace.

 

(Ian Wright) (representing the Applicant) addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

The Committee raised the following concerns in response to the report.

        i.       Queried the travel plan and asked if specific targets could be put on traffic movements.

      ii.        Asked for clarity regarding foul drainage capacity detailed in paragraphs 80 and 81 of the Officer’s report.

    iii.        Expressed concerns about the surface water drainage.

    iv.       Noted the swale was in the Green Belt.

      v.       Queried why no green roof was proposed.

    vi.       Queried landscaping.

  vii.        Expressed concern about the impact of the development on off-street parking in residential areas.

 viii.        Expressed concerns about overshadowing.

    ix.       Queried the sunlight / day assessment.

      x.       In view of the Access Officer’s comments, asked for the inclusion of a condition regarding sliding doors and a changing places cubicle.

    xi.       Queried biodiversity net gain.

  xii.        Expressed concern regarding the travel plan and thought Cherry Hinton was already at capacity. 

 xiii.        Requested an informative regarding cargo bike parking provision.

 xiv.       Asked if the cycle store could have a green or brown roof.

  xv.       Queried EV charging provision.

 xvi.       Queried how the restriction of access to the roof terraces would be monitored.

 

In response to Members’ questions the Principal Planning Officer and Principal Transport Officer said the following:

        i.       The Applicant had not sought to amend the scheme but had provided extra information including a daylight / sunlight assessment.

      ii.        The Applicant had submitted further information which provided examples as to how they could meet the targets set out in the travel plan. Was comfortable that this application could meet the travel plan targets. 

    iii.        Paragraphs 80 and 81 of the Officer report clarified that Cambridge Water Recycling Centre did not have capacity to accept foul drainage but Anglian Water would be obligated if planning consent was granted to accept the foul drainage.

    iv.       Confirmed that condition 13 regarding surface water drainage could be amended to require details of parties responsibilities for long term maintenance to be submitted.

      v.       Confirmed the swale on the southern part of the site was within the Green Belt and was intended to deal with the flow from the fields. The Applicant had undertaken an infiltration assessment to check the drainage capacity of the swale.

    vi.       Officers felt the landscaping proposals were acceptable.

  vii.        Noted that the development next door (Arm) had been conducting traffic surveys for the past 3-4 years and if the application was approved the Applicant would then carry the traffic surveys on. If any impact on off-street parking was found the section 106 Agreement secured a financial contribution to alleviate any impact. 

 viii.        Officer’s view was that it was unlikely there would be any harmful impact from overshadowing and there was no noticeable loss to daylight.

    ix.       The sunlight / daylight assessment had mapped out each window and any impact resulting from the development. There would be some limited overshadowing inside the winter solstice although this was acceptable under Building Research Establishment (BRE) guidance.

      x.       Confirmed there would be a 15% biodiversity net gain.

    xi.       Noted that there had been a lot of development in
Cherry Hinton and that the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) were implementing transport measures. The Applicant had looked at other developments in Cherry Hinton and had modified traffic flow. Officers were happy with the traffic plan as it proposed a lot of mitigation measures. 

  xii.        Noted that a green roof and planting to the south side of the cycle stores could be secured by a condition.

 xiii.        EV charging provision was proposed in the permanent parking spaces.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved (by 6 votes to 2) to grant the application for planning permission in accordance with the Officer recommendation for the reasons set out in the Officer’s report, subject to:

        i.       the prior completion of a Section 106 Agreement under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 with delegated authority to Officers to negotiate, secure and complete such an Agreement on the terms set out within the Officer’s report and any others considered appropriate and necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms; and

      ii.        the planning conditions specified in the Officer report with the final wording of any significant amendments to be agreed in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair prior to the issuing of planning permission; and

    iii.        an amendment to condition 13 requiring the submission of details of the surface water management responsibility; and

    iv.       additional conditions regarding:

a.  sliding doors and an accessible changing cubicle;

b.  green roof on the cycle store and planting to the south of the cycle store;

iv.           the informatives as set out in Appendix 1 of the Officer’s report to be included at the discretion of Officers with an additional informative included in respect of cargo bike parking provision.