Agenda item

Further to minute 13 of the Plans Panel East meeting held on 7^th June 2012, where Panel deferred deterimination of the application for further information, to consider a report of the Chief Planning Officer on the application for new access road and 33 houses with landscaping

(report attached)

  Further to minute 13 of the Plans Panel East meeting held on 7^th June 2012, where Panel deferred determination of an application for access and 33 houses with landscaping on land off Barrowby Lane LS25, for further information, Members considered a further report

  Plans, photographs and drawings were displayed at the meeting

  Officers presented the report and highlighted the issues raised at the meeting on 7^th June which related to drainage; highways and the siting of the affordable housing

  Members were informed that a meeting had taken place regarding drainage issues and that the developer had responded to local concerns and would now provide temporary drainage measures which would be secured by condition, prior to the final, approved drainage scheme being implemented

  In respect of Members’ concerns on highway issues and the number of traffic movements the development would generate, detailed information had been included in the submitted report with Officers satisfied that the transport assessment was robust and that the traffic impact of vehicles associated with the development was not considered to be significant

  Concerning the siting of the affordable housing, this had now been split into two groups, although these remained largely in one area of the site

  Receipt of a further letter of representation was reported

  Members commented on the following matters:

·  drainage details; the fact that since the last report, further local flooding had been experienced; the impact of heavy rainfall on storm drains leading to dispersal of foul water and that water butts could be provided to householders to help deal with a sudden rush of water

·  the possibility of changing the split of affordable housing and having 5 social rented properties and the need for the review of the affordable housing policy to be undertaken as quickly as possible

·  the requirement as part of the S106 Agreement to provide early delivery of housing on site; how this could be enforced and sanctions available if the developer did not adhere to this

·  the siting of the affordable housing and the view that the developers had carried out the bare minimum in terms of re-siting the affordable properties and that this could not be regarded as being pepper potted

The Head of Planning Services, Mr Sellens, informed the Panel

that the affordable housing policy was under review and would be considered by Executive Board later this year and whilst hearing Members’ suggestions about an appropriate level to be requested and the split, the policy could not be amended for this application

  Regarding early delivery of housing, Mr Sellens stated that this clause had been included to encourage developers to make more than a ‘technical’ start on site and to tie them into a delivery rate.  In the event that there was an impasse on the S106, then the next step would be to take the matter to the High Court, however, as this was costly and time-consuming, Officers were keen to work with developers to avoid this situation being reached

  Councillor Truswell requested further information and a briefing on affordable housing

  RESOLVED –To defer and delegate approval to the Chief Planning Officer subject to the conditions specified and any others considered necessary; to advise the developer to provide a water butt to those residents requiring one and the completion of a S106 legal agreement, to include the following obligations:

  1 – Affordable housing – 15% (5 units of which 2 to be social rented and 3 sub market)

  2 – Offsite greenspace contribution - £59,262

  3 – A contribution towards the funding of a Traffic Regulation Order to restrict parking around the junction of Barrowby Lane and Barwick Road

  4 – Residential Metrocards (bus and rail) for future residents (current cost - £18,110.40)

  5 – Agreement to the early delivery of housing on site

  6 – Local training and employment initiatives during the construction of the development

In the circumstances where the S106 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

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.5, Councillor McKenna and Councillor Truswell required it to be recorded that they voted against the matter