Agenda item

To receive the report of the Chief Planning Officer for the demolition of Bramham House, Retention of front façade and redevelopment to form a care home, with 8 close care dwellings, 6 close care apartments and 10 detached houses, laying out of access road and new vehicle access to freely lane at Bramham House, Bowcliffe Road, Bramham, Wetherby LS23 6QY

(Report attached)

The report of the Chief Planning Officer set out an application for the demolition of Bramham House, retention of front façade and redevelopment to form care home, with 8 close-care dwellings, 6 close-care apartments and 10 detached houses, laying out of access road and new vehicle access to Freely Lane at Bramham House, land between Bowcliffe Road and Freely Lane, Bramham.

Members had been on a site visit earlier in the day. Photographs and plans were shown throughout the presentation.

Members were informed of the following points:

·  The site is redundant and lies on the edge of the village of Bramham and is part owned by the Council and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service National Health Trust;

·  The site is allocated for housing within the development plan;

·  The proposal is for a mixed residential, care home and close-care scheme, considered to represent a sustainable form of development;

·  Objections had been received these were summarised at point 6.1 of the submitted report;

·  A number of concerns had also been raised by Ward Member Cllr. Lamb and by the Bramham Parish Council as set out at points 6.3 and 6.4;

·  The proposed development is considered to be acceptable in terms of traffic impact;

·  A number of conditions are recommended relating to the provision of electric charging points, car parking spaces, gradient and the delivery of the widening of Freely Lane and junction improvement works; 

·  There are limited local services with a post office and local convenience store in Bramham Village;

·  The design of the 10 residential dwellings would be in keeping with the area using traditional materials and design with chimneys;

·  The close care building would be more modern in design and set back slightly;

·  Some trees would be lost. However the trees that were left in the small wooded area would be managed;

·  There has been incidents of Anti-Social Behaviour on the site.

Members were advised of the following information:

·  Additional representations (4 Residents) had been received these were read out at the meeting;

·  Corrections to the report, it was noted that the site is not white land. It is allocated for housing;

·  Neighbourhood Plan

o  The report references an earlier draft which is still on the Bramham Parish Council website and not updated. The plan has now been to examination and the examiner has published his report. The LPA is yet to make a formal decision on the modifications but expect that this will be done within the next week. The policies referred to within the Panel report are essentially the same.

o  The Panel report at paragraph 8.12 references a survey at Appendix 3 of the Neighbourhood Plan, (31% of respondents fully support proposals for Bramham House). It was noted that the survey took place prior to this application and was in reference to some form of development not the actual development that was subsequently submitted.

·  Highways were satisfied with the proposals for the widening of Freely Lane;

·  Discussions are still ongoing in relation to S106 money and the off-site greenspace contribution;

·  Affordable housing does not meet Policy H5 criteria, but meets National Planning and Policy Framework definition and is considered a pragmatic approach in light of other material planning considerations and would deliver 58% affordable / lower cost close-care housing, instead of 35%;

·  Additional conditions to be imposed in relation to details and gradients of footpath to Bowcliffe Road.

Cllr. Harrington speaking against the recommendations informed the Plans Panel of the following points:

·  Initial consultation with officers and developers had been good:

·  Access to the site needs to be addressed prior to the start of the development due to restricted parking and access near to the Pavilion;

·  No parking for construction traffic on Freely Lane;

·  No construction traffic to be allowed through the village;

·  No construction deliveries before 9:30 on after 3:00pm;

·  Need to increase parking spaces for staff as there is no reliable bus service;

On behalf of the applicant Mr Windress addressed the Panel informing them of the following:

·  Conditions are in place to address points raised in relation to construction traffic;

·  There had been consultation meetings with residents, parish and ward councillors. Consultation would be ongoing;

·  Some CIL money would be made available to the parish council;

·  There would be a management and maintenance plan for the trees;

·  The western access was steep and had been looked at with Highways. This access would be used only for pedestrian access;

In response to questions from Members the Panel were informed of the following:

·  That no further trees would be planted as there would be considerable costs in relation to the management and maintenance of the trees already in the location;

·  Freely Lane road widening would take place prior to the start of the development and would be wide enough for footpaths;

·  Car parking provision meets the requirements and currently proposes 36 spaces. However, the developer could look at the potential to add more spaces;

·  Integral garages are within guidelines;

·  Negotiations were still ongoing in relation to greenspace;

·  There had been police reports on incidents of Anti-Social Behaviour at the site. The Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team patrolled the area on a daily basis;

·  Negotiations would be had with the developer in relation to deliver times.

It was agreed that consultation would continue with parish and ward councillors rather than establish a Consultative Forum facilitated by officers.

RESOLVED – To defer and delegate approval to the Chief Planning Officer as set out in the submitted report subject to the following amendments:

·  An additional condition to be imposed in respect of:

o  Details and gradients of footpath to Bowcliffe Road

·  Condition 19 to require the off-site highway works to be carried out before development commences

·  Condition 28, construction management plan, to require no parking of contractor vehicles on Freely Lane and no construction traffic to be routed through the village. Discussions are also to take place with the applicant concerning hours of construction deliveries with a desire to avoid school drop off and collection times

Cllr. Wilkinson withdrew from the meeting at 14:45