Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Chief Planning Officer which gives a position statement on an application for 173 houses with landscaping

  Plans, photographs and drawings were displayed at the meeting

  Members considered a report of the Chief Planning Officer which set out the latest position on a Reserved Matters application for a large residential development on land at Bruntcliffe Road Morley LS27.  It was noted that the outline application for the scheme had been approved in principle by South and West Plans Panel at is meeting held on 11^th October 2013 (minute 8 refers)

  Officers presented the report and provided the following information:

·  that 173 dwellings were proposed, although the indicative layout on the outline application showed approximately 168 dwellings

·  a single point of access would be provided into the site

·  the mix of 2, 3 and 4 bed dwellings were proposed

·  the affordable housing at 15% - i.e. 26 units -  would be provided and was pepperpotted around the site in six locations

·  the use of brick was proposed although it had now been agreed that natural stone would be used on the properties which faced the Conservation Area boundary

·  that the applicant had agreed to retain the stone wall on the A650

·  access points for the neighbouring site had been included to ensure that site did not become landlocked

·  buffer planting would be provided as set out in the outline application; a 3m high combined bund and fence would be provided to help mitigate against possible noise nuisance from nearby traffic and that a detailed landscape scheme was required together with comments from the Environmental Protection Team (EPT) on the acoustic fence

·  that further work was required on the design of the buildings

·  that concerns existed about the size of some gardens; accessibility to the rear of properties; how the parking was managed on the site, including widths and lengths of driveways.  Whilst a revised plan had been submitted the previous day which had sought to address some of these issues, Ward Members and Highways would need to be consulted on this plan

·  that bin stores to the front of a number of properties had been deleted from the scheme, with a central access being created to enable rear bin stores to be provided

The Panel discussed the proposals and in response to the specific

points raised in the report for Members’ consideration provided the following comments:

·  on the impact of the proposals on the setting of the Conservation Area, that further work remained but that the concessions made in respect of the stone wall and use of natural stone on some properties were welcomed

·  regarding design, that the revisions, particularly the creation of rear bin stores were an improvement

·  in respect of landscaping, the need to avoid the creation of large shrubberies was stressed

·  on highway safety, some concerns were raised about the use of shared surfaces

·  to note the comments made about the adjoining Masonic Lodge land being landlocked

·  regarding the impact on residential amenity of adjoining occupiers, it was felt there would not be significant issues, although there was a need to carefully consider the relationship to the Arts and Crafts bungalows adjacent to the site

·  on the acoustic fencing proposal, that there was a need to see the EPT response on this matter

·  in terms of concerns about flood risk at the site, it was felt this was not an issue

Officers were asked to check that the S106 Agreement on the outline

permission specified completion within 2 years

  RESOLVED -  To note the report and the comments now made