Agenda item

To receive the report of the Chief Planning Officer on application 18/01609/FU for the demolition of Bramham House, retention of front facade 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, Bowcliffe Road, Bramham Wetherby LS23 6QY.

(Report attached)

The report of the Chief Planning Officer for an application to demolish Bramham House, retention of front façade and redevelopment to for 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, which had previously been reported to Panel and been recommended for approval.

Members were advised that the proposal was the same. However, there had been a change in policy for green space provision within the Core Strategy and the contribution for the developers had been calculated wrongly.

Members were informed that 4 additional representations had been received 3 from local residents with one resident sending in multiple comments and 1 from Aberdeenshire from a relation of the owners of Bramham House.

The issues raised were provided to the panel as follows:

·  Site has poor accessibility, has steep gradient, particular to public transport; New residential gardens backing onto an existing garden and do not agree with officer that it would have an extremely limited impact on living conditions, and thus would result in loss of privacy;

·  People would be able to walk past the front of the house due to a new footpath;

·  Increased traffic and pollution;

·  Impact on pedestrians using Freely Lane and accessing  the playground;

·  Freely Lane should become one way, have a 20mph limited with speed bumps;

·  Bramham House should be restored and converted to a private house, apartments, or hotel or offices. Being derelict is not a case for demolition;

·  Impact on ecology and biodiversity;

·  Concerns over extent of tree loss;

·  Impact from noise and inconsistencies contained within the applicants noise report, with particular concern over noise levels in the garden of Braham House, Care home should be on northern part of site and orientation change;

·  Increase in surface water run-off;

·  Concerns whether the right mix and homes meet current and future needs;

·  Concerns over use of condenser gas boilers in every house. A wood chip fuel heating system should be used;

·  Concerns whether the development will be well designed;

·  Does the village have enough people who ned this facility;

·  Close care housing is no substitute for affordable housing.

Supplementary information had been circulated to all Panel Members prior to the meeting in relation to comments received from one local resident and in addition to 35 separate representations listed on public access.

Cllr. Lamb attended the meeting and spoke to the Panel advising them of the following points:

·  He was a supporter of this scheme and was of the view that it would meet the needs of the community. However, he explained that the area was challenging which was why the building and land had stood empty for so long;

·  The area needs the contribution to green space;

·  The type of residents who would be using this development would find the topography difficult to access;

·  The community had already been asked to consider improvements to the village on the previously suggested amount. To find that they were now only going to receive a quarter of the amount was a ‘slap in the face’.

Mr Windress the agent was also at the meeting and explained that the scheme was policy compliant.

Members noted that the error in calculating the contribution was on the part of the Council not the applicant.

Members as part of their considerations discussed the following points:

·  The loss of trees

·  Planting scheme

·  Log burners

·  Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

·  H10 accessibility

·  Green space provision

·  Affordable housing provision

·  Energy efficiency

RESOLVED – Members resolved to agree the officer recommendation to defer and delegate approval to officers subject to:

·  The prior completion of a legal agreement to secure 58% affordable housing provision, a greenspace contribution of £29,222.61, a bus card contribution of £4,950 and local employment initiatives;

·  The conditions set out on pages 71 and 73 of the submitted report.

In addition Members resolved that:

·  The condition to secure use of 10% of renewable energy sources be amended to include a requirement to achieve CO2 emissions of 20% below the requirements set out in the Building Regulations;

·  Add a condition to require compliance with water standard in respect of individual usage;

·  A condition be imposed requiring details of the design and access arrangements to the on-site greenspace to be submitted and agreed.

Ward Members are to be consulted on details submitted pursuant to the on-site greenspace provision condition. If ward members raise objections to the details submitted pursuant to that condition those details, and the discharge of the condition, shall be reported to Plans Panel for determination.