Agenda item

Further to minute 185 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 14^th May 2015, where Panel considered a position statement on proposals for 312 dwellings including new open space and associated works, to consider a further report of the Chief Planning Officer setting out the formal application

(report attached)

  Further to minute 185 of the City Plans Panel meeting held on 14^th May 2015, where Panel considered a position statement on proposals for a major residential development on a brownfield site close to the City Centre, the Panel considered a further report of the Chief Planning Officer setting out the formal application.  A supplementary report which set out proposed conditions to be attached to an approval was considered alongside the main report

  Plans, photographs, graphics, artist’s impressions and precedent images were displayed at the meeting.  A Members site visit had previously taken place and as part of the round of site visits earlier in the day, Members had driven past this site

  The Deputy Area Planning Manager presented the report and outlined the scheme, highlighting detailed design elements of the proposed landscaping and elevations and referring to the generally supportive comments made by Panel about the proposals at the May meeting.  Particular issues where concerns had been raised related to the level of affordable housing offer and the desire of the applicant to provide a bridge link in lieu of the required level of affordable housing; the durability of some of the proposed materials and the traffic implications arising from the absence of visitor parking within the scheme

  Members were informed that the developer had agreed to increase the number of affordable housing units to 16, however these would not be a mix of houses and flats, but would be 1 and 2 bed flats.  This would enable the developer to also provide the river bridge.  Whilst the provision of this bridge was not necessary to make the development acceptable, in terms of the opportunities it would provide to link to sites in the wider area, it was seen as being of great importance

  In terms of durability of the proposed cladding materials, details of these had been included in the submitted report

  Concerning parking, no dedicated visitor parking would be provided on site, however the developer was of the view that based on previous experience, not all of the available parking for residents was likely to be taken up.  Residents would have access to a Smart App to see where parking spaces were available so could inform their visitors where they could park.  Additionally, as part of the S106 agreement, the developer would carry out a parking survey of the area from a walking distance of 800m from the site access road and resurvey this area after the development was complete.  If parking problems arising from the development were evident, mitigation measures would be provided

  Members were informed that the Environment Agency was now happy with the flood risk assessment and had withdrawn their objection, provided that the flood mitigation measures were carried out as proposed and were controlled by condition, which Officers were satisfied with

  If minded to accept the Officer’s recommendation, amendments to the Officer’s recommendation would be required to clarify that the delivery of the bridge to be controlled by the S106 agreement should be for a pedestrian and cycle bridge, and that in the event the bridge was not delivered, the full level of affordable housing would be provided on site, along with additional necessary off site highway works.  Also the S106 Heads of Terms would need to include the requirements for the carrying out of a parking survey pre and post development and the provision of any off site mitigation measures, in accordance with the approach agreed with the developer

  The Panel considered the application with the key areas of discussion relating to:

·  the bridge link; the benefits it would bring to the local community and wider area and the importance of ensuring land was available for the bridge to land on the other side of the site.  Members were informed that the proposed bridge landing could be provided on land owned by the Council, subject to detailed design

·  the affordable housing and where this would be sited.  Members were informed the exact location of these units would require discussion with the social landlord but that the intention was not to have them sited in one block

·  the Community Interest Company; that this appeared to be a good model and would be of benefit when dealing with maintenance issues

·  highways and parking issues, with concerns continuing to be raised at the absence of visitor parking spaces on the site and the possibility of this leading to parking problems occurring beyond the site.  The Deputy Area Planning Manager outlined the proposed requirement for pre and post development traffic surveys and the provision of any necessary mitigation measures which would form part of the S106 agreement

·  the durability of some of the materials and the need for prospective residents to understand that a level of maintenance of the exterior cladding would be required.  Concerns were raised at the practicality of this, particularly for the highest blocks within the scheme

·  the landscaping proposals and whether advice would be sought on what was being proposed.  The Deputy Area Planning Manager advised that the landscaping was covered by conditions and that the Council’s Landscape Officers would consider the proposals

The Panel considered how to proceed

  RESOLVED – To defer and delegate to the Chief Planning Officer for approval in principle, subject to the specified conditions set out in the supplementary report (and any others which he might consider appropriate) and following the completion of a Section 106 Agreement to cover the following matters:

·  affordable housing – the provision of 5% of the total units as affordable housing on site (16 units) plus the delivery of a publicly accessible pedestrian  and cycle bridge across the River Aire.  In the event the bridge did not proceed, the full 15% of affordable housing to be provided on site in accordance with adopted planning policy and the provision of the necessary additional highway improvement works

·  travel plan monitoring fee £3650

·  provision of two car club bays and £25,000 car club trial provision

·  public access throughout the site

·  co-operation with local jobs and skills initiatives

·  management fee £750

·  parking survey of an area 800m from the site access road prior to development and resurvey upon completion of development and provision of additional parking mitigation measures if required

·   

In the circumstances where the Section 106 Agreement has not been completed within 3 months of the resolution to grant planning permission, the final determination of the application shall be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer