Agenda item

To consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on an application for new access road and 33 houses with landscaping

(report attached)

  Plans, photographs and graphics were displayed at the meeting.  A site visit had taken place earlier in the day which Members had attended

  Officers presented the report which sought permission for a new access road and residential development comprising 33 houses on an area of heavily overgrown land which backed on to a railway line on Barrowby Lane Garforth LS25

  Members were informed that the layout had been revised from 35 dwellings during discussions and what was before Panel was a smaller scheme which would consist of detached, semi-detached and terrace properties, with  15% affordable housing being provided

  Some tree removal would be required, however replacement planting including a hawthorn hedge and trees would be provided to mitigate against this loss

  In terms of car parking, each property would have two car parking spaces, which would be in addition to, for the majority of the properties, a garage.  Visitor car parking spaces had also been included in the scheme.  To address concerns about on-street car parking on Barrowby Lane, the applicant had indicated a willingness to contribute towards a TRO

  Concerns had been raised locally about the signalised junction on Aberford Road and that currently queues of traffic built up and that this development would add to these problems.  Highways were of the view that the quantum of development proposed in the scheme would have limited impact and that there was little which could be done to improve the situation at this junction

  Noise nuisance, particularly that generated from passing trains had been given careful consideration.  Officers considered that the best layout for the development had been achieved; that the noise was not constant and that the Council’s Environmental Protection Team was satisfied with the scheme

  Concerns relating to drainage had resulted in revisions to the scheme to address this, with the intention being for water to drain into a storage area and then be discharged, with Members being informed that the Garforth Flood Group were more satisfied with the revised solution

  In terms of greenspace contribution, this would be provided off-site with confirmation being provided that this would be £59,262

  Officers informed Panel that following the receipt of an archaeological evaluation, West Yorkshire Archaeology Service was satisfied with the work which had been undertaken and did not require any conditions to be imposed.  If minded to approve the scheme in principle, condition No 3 should be amended to include a specific reference to the need for a 1.8m high fence along the western boundary

  Officers reported the receipt of five additional letters of representation

  The Panel heard from the applicant’s agent and Councillor Dobson, who objected to the proposals

  Members discussed the following matters:

·  flooding issues and that local concerns remained despite the revisions to the scheme

·  the siting of the affordable housing in one corner of the site; that the Council’s policy was to pepperpot this across a site and that the applicant’s agent’s comment that it was difficult to achieve this on a small site was not accepted

·  that garages were not being provided on the affordable housing dwellings

·  whether the specification for the affordable housing met the requirements of social landlords.  It was confirmed that it would and there would no difference in the specification between the affordable and non-affordable housing

·  sustainability issues, in particular the proximity to the site of the nearest bus stop

·  the proximity of local schools to the site

·  highways issues, that whilst a transport assessment had been carried out, the reality would be that residents would be leaving the site in a concentrated fashion, particularly on the school run which would cause traffic to build up

The Panel considered how to proceed

RESOLVED -  To defer determination of the application for further

information on highways, drainage and the siting of the affordable housing in the scheme and that the Chief Planning Officer be asked to submit a further report in due course