Agenda item

The Committee received a S73 application to vary conditions 1 (Approved drawings) and 28 (Visitor car parking) of planning permission 23/01939/S73 (S73 to vary condition 1 (Approved plans) of reserved matters application 20/02569/REM (Reserved matters application as part of Phase 1B pursuant to condition 5 (Reserved Matters) of outline planning permission S/2682/13/OL dated 30 November 2016 (EIA Development) for detailed access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale for the creation of 308 new homes, non-residential floor space, laying out of playing fields, open space, allotments, associated infrastructure and internal roads) to replace six two-storey houses (C2 and C3) within phase 1b with three-storey houses and to replace five carports with garages (D4)) to increase the number of visitor car parking spaces that are available to the users of the Plains recreational field.

 

The Committee noted the following amendments presented in the Amendment Sheet namely:

-       paragraph 1.8 of the Officer’s report - the overall area allocated for parking has been increased to cater for the additional cars and retain two coach parking spaces.

-       paragraph 5.7 of the Officer’s report – the Applicant has resolved the objection received from the Highways Officer through the provision of further information and the objection has consequently been removed.

-       paragraph 5.14 of the Officer’s report – the Sustainability Officer provided no objection and no recommended conditions.

-       paragraph 5.16 of the Officer’s report – the Ecology Officer provided no objection and no recommended conditions.

-       paragraphs 11.11 and 11.12 of the Officer’s report - the proposed condition (pitch flexibility) has been removed from the proposal. Through discussions with the Applicant and Sports England, the condition was deemed too restrictive and given the laying of sports pitches is not considered development the type and size of playing pitch provided can be altered without the need for planning permission at any given time.

 

It is important to note the existing condition 8 (Playing Field Management and Maintenance Scheme) will be retained and applied to this or any subsequent permission, to ensure the playing pitches are effectively managed, whilst condition 7 restricts the use of the playing fields to outdoor sport only.

 

Will Cobley (Applicant’s Agent) addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

Councillor Hofman (Ward Councillor for Fen Ditton and Fulbourn) addressed the Committee about the application.

 

In response to Members’ questions the Senior Planner, Strategic Sites Manager said the following:

      i.         Confirmed that condition 31 could be amended to clarify that the ten cycle parking spaces were additional cycle parking spaces to those which already had planning permission

    ii.         In response to a query about whether amendments could be made to the Landscape Management Condition advised that the only conditions which could be considered under this planning application were conditions 30, 31, 32 and 33.

   iii.         In response to concerns raised by Councillor Hofman (Ward Councillor) around potential displacement parking, Members were advised that under the Marleigh Design Code the whole site was to be covered by a controlled parking zone. Double yellow lines and / or parking bays would be installed prior to completion of the development.

  iv.         An informative could be added to encourage EV charging points for visitor parking spaces.

    v.         Noted concerns raised by Members regarding car parking / hard standing areas and advised a hard and soft landscaping condition would secure details were submitted post decision.

  vi.         Noted concerns raised around the amount of coach parking. Advice from the Sports and Recreation Teams at both Councils advised that at junior team level it was not likely that they would require coaches, and that transport was likely to be by car. An informative could be added pointing out that coaches could use car parking spaces (an area could be coned off for additional coach parking). 

 vii.         The relevant policy for car parking and cycle parking is TI3 of the South Cambridgeshire District Council Local Plan 2018. Thirty car parking spaces was considered acceptable which numerically the County Council Transport Team supported. An additional ten cycle parking spaces was considered acceptable; the cycle parking condition could be amended to include cargo bike parking provision.    

 

The Strategic Sites Manager offered the following summary of amendments to the Officer’s recommendation; reflecting Members’ debate during the meeting to approve the s73 application subject to:

        i.       the planning conditions and informatives as detailed in section 24 of the Officer’s report, with delegated authority to Officers to carry through minor amendments to those conditions and informatives (and include others considered appropriate and necessary) with:

a.  an amendment to condition 31 to include reference to the ten cycle parking spaces being additional cycle parking spaces and to include provision for larger bikes (cargo bikes); and

b.  an informative for the Applicant to consider EV charging provision for visitor parking spaces; and

c.  an informative to provide that where additional coach parking was required that car parking spaces could be used; and to

      ii.        the prior completion of a planning obligation by deed under S106 and S106A (as appropriate) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) which secures the necessary modifications to the 2016 Agreement supporting S/2682/13/OL, to release those obligations no longer required as a consequence of the approval of this proposal, to the new planning obligations specified in this report, with delegated authority to Officers to include other relevant planning obligations necessary to make the proposal acceptable in planning terms, and to negotiate, settle and complete such planning obligation in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of JDCC.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved (unanimously) to approve the s73 application 24/03837/S73 subject to:

i. the planning conditions and informatives as detailed in section 24 of the Officer’s report, with delegated authority to Officers to carry through minor amendments to those conditions and informatives (and include others considered appropriate and necessary) with:

a. an amendment to condition 31 to include reference to the ten cycle parking spaces being additional cycle parking spaces and to include provision for larger bikes (cargo bikes); and

b. an informative for the Applicant to consider EV charging provision for visitor parking spaces; and

c. an informative to provide that where additional coach parking was required that car parking spaces could be used; and to

ii. the prior completion of a planning obligation by deed under S106 and S106A (as appropriate) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) which secures the necessary modifications to the 2016 Agreement supporting S/2682/13/OL, to release those obligations no longer required as a consequence of the approval of this proposal, to the new planning obligations specified in this report, with delegated authority to Officers to include other relevant planning obligations necessary to make the proposal acceptable in planning terms, and to negotiate, settle and complete such planning obligation in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of JDCC.