Issue - decisions

The Committee received a reserved matters application (access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) pursuant to outline permission 13/1118/S73 for 270 dwellings (including Affordable Housing), 100 bed student accommodation for Bell Language School, public open space, associated roads, footpaths/cycleways and drainage infrastructure.

The Committee noted the following amendment presented in the amendment sheet:

Condition 22 Approved plans refers to drawing AA2671/2.1/805P ‘Rev E’. It should read ‘Rev F’.

Ms Thorndyke (Applicant’s Agent) addressed the Committee in support of the application.

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report.

       i.          Welcomed the amendment to affordable home locations on the site.

     ii.          Welcomed having a mix of affordable, retirement and life time homes.

In response to Members’ questions the Head of Planning Services, New Neighbourhoods Development Manager and the Principal Planner said the following:

       i.          The development as a whole met or exceeded internal space standards. A very small minority of properties did not, but Officers felt the development as a whole was acceptable.

     ii.          Internal space standards were included in the 2014 emerging Local Plan, but only limited weight could be accorded to this as yet as the policy had been subject to objections.

   iii.          The distribution of affordable housing complied with Supplementary Planning Document criteria. The distribution of affordable housing was agreed with BPHA as the affordable housing provider.

   iv.          The issue of on-site community facilities had been debated as part of outline planning permission in 2008. A ‘temporary’ community building secured through an outline permission condition (separate to the retirement building) would be in place for 5 years, it would then be open to the City Council to adopt as a permanent facility if considered appropriate in the future. There would also be a community area within the over 55s block.

    v.          The Bell School development was contributing towards off-site community facilities on Clay Farm, such as library facilities.

   vi.          On-site bike storage facilities exceeded policy standards.

 vii.          Mobility scooter charging points would be available in the retirement building.

The Committee:

Resolved (by 8 votes to 0 with 2 abstentions (SCDC Councillors did not vote)) to grant the application for planning permission in accordance with the officer recommendation as amended, for the reasons set out in the officer report, and subject to the conditions recommended by the officers.