Agenda item

Report No: DEV/FH/18/024

Reserved Matters Application - Submission of details under Outline Planning Permission - DC/14/0585/OUT - Appeal ref - AP/15/0030/REF - the appearance, landscaping, layout and scale for 20-box racehorse training establishment (with associated Trainer's house) and up to 63 no. dwellings (including 19 no. affordable units) with associated access arrangements and open space provision

Reserved Matters Application - Submission of details under Outline Planning Permission - DC/14/0585/OUT - Appeal ref - AP/15/0030/REF - the appearance, landscaping, layout and scale for 20-box racehorse training establishment (with associated Trainer's house) and up to 63 no. dwellings (including 19 no. affordable units) with associated access arrangements and open space provision

This application was originally referred to the Development Control Committee meeting on 3 October 2018 by the local Ward Member (Councillor Roger Dicker – South Ward) due to the importance of the site to the village and the local interest in the application.

At the October meeting Members resolved to defer consideration of the application in order to allow Officers additional time in which to work with the applicant in light of concerns raised by the Committee in relation to:

·         The adequacy of the racehorse training establishment element of the development;

·         The impact of the development on neighbouring amenity;

·         The clustering of the affordable housing; and

·         The shortfall in visitor parking.

Since publication of the agenda supplementary papers had been circulated which related to; the Council’s standard water efficiency condition and further comments received from the Jockey Club.

A Member site visit was held prior to the meeting.  Officers were continuing to recommend that the application be approved, subject to conditions as set out in Paragraph 8.37 of Report No DEV/FH/18/024.

The Committee were reminded that outline permission granted at appeal had established the use of the site for racehorse training and the component parts of the establishment and this was not therefore for the Planning Authority to debate in a reserved matters application.

As part of her presentation, the Principal Planning Officer advised the Committee of the following updates:

·         The misspelling of Nick Patton (of the Jockey Club)’s name within the supplementary paper;

·         Further comments had been received from the Design Out Crime Officer reiterating earlier points made with regard to surveillance.

·         A management plan for the preservation of archaeology had been submitted by the applicant;

·         Further comments had been received from Suffolk County Council Highways welcoming the provision of visitor parking but reiterating other concerns as previously raised.

The Officer also drew attention to the amendments which had been made to the plans by the applicant in respect of the racehorse training establishment element, following the comments submitted by the Jockey Club which provided assurance that the scheme proposed could fulfil a useful purpose.

Lastly, reference was made to the visitor parking that had now been included alongside the amendments which had been made to the residential element of the scheme. 

One less market dwelling was proposed and the layout at the Northern boundary had been altered to improve the appearance of this area and to reduce the impact of the development on the residents in Meddler Gardens.

Speakers:    Councillor Malcolm Baker (Chairman, Kentford Parish Council) spoke against the application

                   Mr Matthew Bartram (applicant) spoke in support of the application

Councillor Roger Dicker was invited to address the meeting by the Chairman, in his capacity as Ward Member (South) for the application.  Councillor Dicker highlighted to the Committee that the first application submitted for the site was for 144 houses; he now considered the scheme seeking determination to be a much more acceptable level.

Councillor Dicker commended the work that the applicant had undertaken with the Planning Authority and the Parish Council.  He welcomed the inclusion of visitor parking and praised the amendments that had been made to the layout at the Northern boundary.

Councillor Carol Lynch raised a question with regard to the buildings required for the racehorse training establishment element, she stressed that these would need to be constructed as permanent structures.

In response, the Case Officer advised that the plans detailed permanent and not temporary structures, furthermore the materials to be used would be controlled by way of a condition.

Councillor Ruth Bowman spoke in support of the application and the amendments that had been made since the previous meeting of the Committee.  She moved that the application be approved, as per the Officer recommendation.  This was duly seconded by Councillor Carol Lynch.

Upon being put to the vote and with 8 voting for the motion, 2 against and with 1 abstention it was resolved that

Decision

Reserved Matters consent be GRANTED subject to conditions including the matters set out below, the precise wording of which to be delegated to Officers:

1.   Compliance with approved plans

2.   Material samples

3.   Bin and cycle storage strategy for the affordable units (details to be approved and thereafter implemented)

4.   Secure bicycle storage provided for each market plot

5.   Full details of highways and footways including paths within open space and connecting path to the east

6.   Landscaping (precise details of new hard and soft landscaping, including on plot planting, planting of the public open space and play area)

7.   Equipped play area details

8.   Boundary treatment details including any knee-rails and bollards

9.   All boundary fences to be hedgehog permeable

10.Details of anti-crime design features

11.Retention of access to areas of open space

12.Mitigation, enhancement and precautionary measures as set out in ecology reports

13.Stable waste management plan

14.Water consumption for dwellings

15.Refuse storage and collection details

16.Lighting details

17.Adherence to strategy for preserving earthworks