Agenda and minutes

The site visits earlier in the day were attended by Councillors C Gruen, K Brooks, S Hamilton, C Campbell, J Heselwood.

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2 of the Access to Information Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded)

(*In accordance with Procedure Rule 15.2, written notice of an appeal must be received by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting)

There were no appeals against refusal of inspection of documents.

There were no exempt items.

There were no late items.

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct. 

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests made.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr. B Anderson, Cllr. D Cohen attended the meeting as his substitute.

The Chair informed the Panel that Mr Jonathan Butler was attending the Panel today as he was shadowing Cllr. Heselwood. Mr Butler is a Member of the Learning Disability Peoples Parliament. Mr Butler had also attended the site visit earlier in the day.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Planning Officer regarding a retrospective application for the variation of condition 9 (Rockwood Road Ginnel) of approval 08/04711/RM to open the gate 30 minutes prior to start of school day and close 15 minutes after the start of school day; open 15 minutes prior to end of school day and close 75 minutes after end of school day.

The Chair informed the Panel that there had been a site visit planned for this application. Unfortunately, the day of the planned visit was at the very start of the new school year, and it had been advised that many pupils were due back until later that week, such that the ginnel would not be in full use.

The Chair asked Members if they wished to defer this application until the Panel was able to visit and see the ginnel in full use to assist in their consideration.

This was put to the vote and was unanimous.

RESOLVED – To defer the application until a site visit can be arranged when the school is fully open and the ginnel is in full operation.

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 1 August 2019.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of South and West Plans Panel held on 1^st August 2019 be approved as a correct record.

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Planning Officer regarding an application for residential development (Use Class 3) for 100 dwellings and land reserved for primary school with construction of vehicular access from Otley Road to the north west and Ash Road to the south, areas of open space, landscaping – at Church Lane, Adel.

The report of the Chief Planning Officer presented a reserved matters application following outline approval for 100 dwellings (Use Class C3). The outline consent also involved land be reserved for a school with playing fields but these do not form part of this reserve matters application.

Earlier in the day Members had attended a site visit. Photographs and plans were shown throughout the presentation.

Members were informed of the following points:

·  The application is for 100 dwellings, two of which will be apartments with 98 houses of which 35 are proposed as affordable houses;

·  The proposal is for a mix of 2 to 5 bedroom properties built of red and buff coloured brick;

·  The pumping station to be located to the northern part of the site which would be no more than 2 metres high and would be surrounded by a 1 metre high fence with a hedge and landscaping. This proposal has been suggested by the developer over the use of attenuation ponds;

·  The site would also have an underground water storage tank which would be covered with grass;

·  Landscaping to the south of the site would remain and new landscaping would be added to the north of the site between the new development Centurion Fields and the farmer’s fields;

·  The application was first submitted in August 2018, since then the application has been revised numerous times. The application has received a number of objections including objections from Ward Members and Adel Neighbourhood Forum these are listed at point 6.1 of the submitted report;

·  This plan proposes the same access as the previous plan;

·  There is a public right of way and it has been suggested that this should remain. However, it is noted that this should be accessible for all therefore may require to be made wider with an all-weather surface;

·  The church to the east of the site is a grade I listed building and sits on the border of the green belt;

·  Landscaping is included in the proposal with a public open space and a buffer to the north of the site which leads into the conservation area;

·  Some of the gardens are too small and the houses are too close together with some less than 14 metres between them;

·  There are a number of trees with protection order, however it is proposed that some of these would be removed for access. 

Members were also informed that the proposal falls short in relation to the sizes of the smaller properties in particular to the provision of 2 and 3 bedroom affordable property units. It was noted that most of these units do not comply with Policy H9 and the national space standards. Members also heard that there is a shortage of 2 bed properties in this area for those wishing to downsize but remain in Adel. Most of the proposed 2 bed properties would be affordable housing on this site and there were concerns that those wishing to downsize would not qualify to occupy affordable housing.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

Thursday, 3 October 2019 at 1.30 p.m.

The next meeting of the South and West Plans Panel will be held on Thursday 3rd October 2019, at 1.30pm.