Agenda item

The report of the Chief Planning Officer set out an application for a residential development comprising of 27 No. Apartments and 15 No. Dwelling Houses at former pub Rathmell Road, Halton, Leeds, LS15 0NZ.

(Report Attached)

Further to minute number 47 the Plans Panel considered a further report of the Chief Planning Officer of a planning application for a residential development comprising of 27 flats and 15 houses with parking and greenspace at the former public house site, Rathmell Road, Halton.

The proposal had previously been brought to Plans Panel on 14^th September 2017. The application had been considered on the basis it would meet its full affordable housing and greenspace requirements and formal planning permission was granted on 30^th November 2017 following completion of the S106 agreement.

Members were informed that since the permission was granted, it had come to light an error with the original Viability Appraisal was made which had significant implications in terms of the scheme’s ability to reasonably deliver the S106 obligations as currently signed up to.

The Panel heard that the error relates to the failure to include the communal areas associated with the flat blocks.

It was noted there are 3 blocks of flats within the development so the original costs assessed were significantly below (by £389,536) what they should have been. In addition, further information had been obtained regarding the site preparation works which had pushed up the costs relative to the original estimates.

The submitted report outlined the revised viability case relating to the original permission and for Members to consider if they were willing to agree the proposed Deed of Variation to the original S106 agreement.

The Panel noted that the proposed Deed of Variation did not form part of a formal planning application so was not subject to publicity, Ward Members had been advised of the revised situation in January 2018, but had not offered any comments either in support or against the proposal. It was also noted that no neighbour representations had been received at the application stage.

The Panel were informed that the Viability Appraisal concluded the development would not generate sufficient profit to be able to deliver the Council’s normal policy ask in respect of affordable housing and greenspace contributions.

Officers were of the opinion the proposed Deed of Variation could be supported as it would help delivery of the scheme which would promote a number of positive regeneration benefits.

Members discussed who was at fault and why and how the error had occurred.

Members were still of the view that the proposal to develop the site for housing was a good one. However, Members did not want to miss the opportunity to secure affordable housing in this location.

The Chair moved a proposal for higher density on the site that would allow for the site to be viable and policy compliant for affordable houses to be built.

The Plans Panel considered the proposal, at the conclusion of the discussions it was moved to defer consideration to allow for further negotiations in respect of an alternative scheme that provides for affordable housing.

RESOLVED – To defer for further negotiations to increase the density of the development to facilitate the provision of affordable housing and to report back to the next available meeting.