Agenda item

Report No: DEV/FH/18/020

Erection of up to 81 dwellings

Erection of up to 81 dwellings

The Principal Planning Officer explained this application sought outline planning permission with all matters reserved.

In addition to the reasons set out earlier in the meeting, this application had also been referred to the Development Control Committee in light of the applicant being a Forest Heath District Councillor.

Member site visits had been previously undertaken by the Committee.  Lakenheath Parish Council objected to the proposal together with a number of village residents.

Officers were recommending that the application be approved, subject to conditions and the completion of a S106 Agreement, as set out in Paragraph 360 of Report No DEV/FH/18/020.

As part of his presentation the Officer made reference to:

·         Noise contour mapping;

·         Maps showing the Breckland Special Protection Area (SPA);

·         The Site Allocations Local Plan (SALP); following the changes made to housing redistribution by Forest Heath District Council in February 2018 when Lakenheath’s distribution was reduced by 165 homes resulting in site SA8(b) being removed;

·         The 30% affordable homes to be delivered via the scheme; and

·         Other determined and pending planning applications for Lakenheath and the current status of each.

Speakers:    Mr Derek Banks (Lakenheath resident) spoke against the application

                   Mr Ed Clarke (Lakenheath Parish Council’s appointed Noise Acoustician) spoke against the application

Councillor Ruth Bowman raised specific questions with regard to the layout of the site and the need to ensure connectivity between this application and the neighbouring Station Road development and primary school.

The Principal Planning Officer explained that as the application was in outline the layout provided was purely for illustrative means and had been produced prior to the Station Road hybrid application being submitted, he assured Members that this essential connectivity would be addressed at the reserved matters stage.

Councillor Simon Cole proposed that the application be approved as per the Officer recommendation.  This was duly seconded by Councillor David Bowman.

Upon putting the motion to the vote and with 9 voting for, 1 against and with 2 abstentions, it was resolved that

Decision

Outline planning permission be GRANTED subject to:

1.   The completion of an Agreement (or equivalent) under S106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) to secure:

·         Affordable housing (30% provision overall)

·         Education contribution (Primary School – up to £374,840  towards build costs and up to £25,880 towards land costs)

·         Pre-school contribution (up to £73,744 for construction costs and up to £4,965 towards land acquisition costs)

·         Libraries Contribution (up to £17,496)

·         Public Open Space contribution (in accordance with the SPD and, if required, optional commuted sum for future management and maintenance of the space)

·         Strategic Highway Contribution - £25,601.13 (for sustainable links to village amenities – pro rata contribution)

·         SPA Recreational Impact Contribution – to secure public access along the cut off channel (£37,306)

2.   And subject to conditions, including:

·         Time limit (3 years for commencement)

·         Compliance with the approved plans

·         Materials (to be submitted with the Reserved Matters)

·         Bin and cycle storage strategy (to be submitted for approval with the Reserved Matters and subsequently implemented)

·         Public open space (strategy for future management and maintenance)

·         Landscaping details and tree information (including precise details of new hard and soft landscaping and surveys/arboricultural information about the existing tree stock)

·         Woodland management scheme

·         Retention and protection of existing trees and hedgerows

·         Ecology (enhancements at the site, method statements for species protection and mitigation and any further survey work required)

·         Construction management plan (to include waste minimisation and recycling, tree/hedgerow protection measures/deliveries management plan, dust management, wheel washing, working hours (including deliveries and operation of generators, lighting scheme (if any), site compound/storage/staff parking areas)

·         As recommended by LHA

·         Contamination & remediation (further investigations and any remediation necessary)

·         Means of enclosure (to be submitted with Reserved Matters)

·         Fire Hydrants

·         Noise mitigation to the dwellings (to ensure WHO standards are met within internal areas)

·         Compliance with Building Control Requirements for reduced water consumption

·         Waste minimisation and re-cycling strategy

·         Details of the surface water drainage scheme (SUDS – full details to be submitted with the Reserved Matters).

·         Travel Planning

In the event of the Assistant Director of Planning and Regulatory Services recommending alternative (reduced) Heads of Terms from those set out at above or not completed within a reasonable period, the planning application be returned to Committee for further consideration.