Agenda item

Report No: DEV/WS/19/017

 

Planning Application - Access road to serve residential development comprising 77 no dwellings - (resubmission of DC/17/0339/FUL)

Planning Application - Access road to serve residential development comprising 77 no dwellings - (resubmission of DC/17/0339/FUL)

 

This application was referred to the Development Control Committee in August 2019 as it related to a major planning application and the Parish Council objected to the scheme.

 

The Committee resolved at that meeting to defer consideration of the application in order seek clarification/further information in respect of a number of matters, namely; the related Masterplan, the road layout, emergency access, the impact on the tree belt and the purpose of Condition 21.

 

A Member site visit was held prior to the August meeting.  Officers were continuing to recommend approval, subject to conditions, as set out in Paragraph 68 of Working Paper 1 with the addition to Condition 21 as per Paragraph 18 of Report No DEV/WS/19/017.

 

The Principal Planning Officer drew attention to each of the matters Members raised at the last meeting and for which she had sought additional information, as set out in the report before the Committee.

 

Speakers:    Sara Hopkins (landowner) spoke in support of the application

Councillor Ben Lord (Chairman, Ixworth & Ixworth Thorpe Parish Council) spoke against the application

Daniel White (applicant, Persimmon Homes) spoke in support of the application

 

Councillor Jason Crooks moved that the application be approved, as per the Officer recommendation and this was duly seconded by Councillor Jim Thorndyke.

 

Upon being put to the vote and with 11 voting for the motion, 3 against and with 2 abstentions it was resolved that

 

Decision

 

Planning permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions:

 

 1       The development hereby permitted shall be begun not later than 3 years from the date of this permission.

 2       The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out except in complete accordance with the details shown on the approved plans and documents.   

 3       No development shall take place on site until the implementation of a programme of archaeological work has been secured, in accordance with a Written Scheme of Investigation which has been submitted  to  and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The scheme of investigation shall include an assessment of significance and research questions; and: 

          a.  The programme and methodology of site investigation and recording.

          b.  The programme for post investigation assessment.

          c.  Provision to be made for analysis of the site investigation and recording.

          d.  Provision to be made for publication and dissemination of the analysis and records of the site investigation.

          e.  Provision to be made for archive deposition of the analysis and records of the site investigation.

          f.  Nomination of a competent person or persons/organisation to undertake the works set out within the Written Scheme of Investigation.

          g. Timetable for the site investigation to be completed prior to development, or in such other phased arrangement, as agreed and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 4       The access road shall not be brought into use until the site investigation and post investigation assessment has been completed in accordance with the programme set out in the Written Scheme of Investigation approved under Condition 3 and the provision made for analysis, publication and dissemination of results and archive deposition has been secured.

 5       Prior to commencement of development, including any works of demolition, a Construction Method Statement shall be submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority. The approved Statement shall be adhered to throughout the construction period. The Statement shall provide for:

          i)       The parking of vehicles of site operatives and visitors

          ii)       Loading and unloading of plant and materials 

          iii)      Site set-up including arrangements for the storage of plant and materials used in constructing the development and the provision of temporary offices, plant and machinery

          iv)      The erection and maintenance of security hoarding including external safety and information signage, interpretation boards, decorative displays and facilities for public viewing, where appropriate 

          v)      Wheel washing facilities 

          vi)      Measures to control the emission of dust and dirt during construction 

          vii)     A scheme for recycling/disposing of waste resulting from demolition and construction works

          viii)    Hours of construction operations including times for deliveries and the removal of excavated materials and waste

          ix)      Noise method statements and noise levels for each construction activity including piling and excavation operations

          x)      Access and protection measures around the construction site for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users including arrangements for diversions during the construction period and for the provision of associated directional signage relating thereto.

 6       Prior to commencement of development an Arboricultural Method Statement (including any demolition, groundworks and site clearance) shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The Statement should include details of the following:

          i)       Measures for the protection of those trees and hedges on the application site that are to be retained,

          ii)       Details of all construction measures within the 'Root Protection Area' (defined by a radius of dbh x 12 where dbh is the diameter of the trunk measured at a height of 1.5m above ground level) of those trees on the application site which are to be retained specifying the position, depth, and method of construction/installation/excavation of service trenches, building foundations, hardstandings, roads and footpaths,

          iii)      A schedule of proposed surgery works to be undertaken to those trees and hedges on the application site which are to be retained.

          The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved Method Statement unless agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 7       Prior to commencement of development  a scheme for the protection during construction of the trees on the site, in accordance with BS 5837:2012 - Trees in relation to construction - Recommendations, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The scheme shall show the extent of root protection areas and details of ground protection measures and fencing to be erected around the trees, including the type and position of these.  The protective measures contained with the scheme shall be implemented prior to commencement of any development, site works or clearance in accordance with the approved details, and shall be maintained and retained until the development is completed.  Within the root protection areas the existing ground level shall be neither raised nor lowered and no materials, temporary buildings, plant, machinery or surplus soil shall be placed or stored thereon.  If any trenches for services are required within the fenced areas they shall be excavated and backfilled by hand and any tree roots encountered with a diameter of 25mm or more shall be left unsevered.

  8      No development shall take place until a surface water drainage scheme for the site, based on sustainable drainage principles and an assessment of the hydrological and hydro geological context of the development, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The applicant shall submit a detailed design based on the Drainage Strategy & Appendices by GH Bullard (ref:-280/2016/FRA Rev         P12 & dated March 2019) and will demonstrate that surface water run-off generated up to and including the critical 100 year +CC storm will not exceed the run-off from the existing site following the corresponding rainfall event. The scheme shall subsequently be implemented in accordance with the approved details before the development is completed. Details of which will include:

          1. Details of further infiltration testing on site in accordance with BRE 365 to verify the permeability of the site (trial pits to be located where soakaways are proposed and repeated runs for each trial hole). Borehole records should also be submitted in support of soakage testing.

          2. Infiltration devices should be no more than 2m deep and will have at least 1.2m of unsaturated ground between base of the device and the groundwater table.

          3. Dimensioned plans illustrating all aspects of the surface water drainage scheme including location and size of infiltration devices and the conveyance network. A statement on the amount of impermeable area served by each soakaway should also be illustrated on the plans and should be cross referenceable with associated soakaway calculations.

          4. Full modelling results (or similar method) to demonstrate that runoff from the Northern Spine Rd will be limited to 2l/s and the Southern Spine Rd to 5l/s for all events up to the 100yr+cc event. Infiltration devices will be adequately sized to contain the critical 100yr+CC event for the catchment area they serve. Each device should be designed using the nearest tested infiltration rate to which they are located. A suitable factor of safety should be applied to the infiltration rate during design.

          5. Infiltration devices will have a half drain time of less than 24hours.

          6. Modelling of conveyance networks showing no above ground flooding in 1 in 30 year event, plus any potential volumes of above ground flooding during the 1 in 100 year rainfall + CC.

          7. Infiltration devices shall only be used where they do not pose a threat to groundwater. Only clean water will be disposed of by infiltration devices due to the site being inside an Source Protection Zone. Demonstration of adequate treatment stages for water quality control shall be submitted - SuDS features should demonstrate betterment to water quality, especially if discharging towards a watercourse or aquifer.

          8. Topographic plans shall be submitted depicting safe exceedance flow paths in case of a blockage within the main SW system and/or flows in excess of a 1 in 100 year rainfall event. These flow paths will demonstrate that the risks to people and property are kept to a minimum.

          9. A management and maintenance plan for the lifetime of the development which shall include the arrangements for adoption by any public body or statutory undertaker, or any other arrangements to secure the operation of the sustainable drainage system throughout its lifetime.  Details of the management arrangements for the SuDS basins shall be included together with detais of te access and egress points.

          10. Arrangements to enable any Surface water drainage within any private properties to be accessible and maintained including information and advice on responsibilities to be supplied to future owners.

9        No development shall commence until details of a Construction Surface Water Management Plan (CSWMP) detailing how surface water and storm water will be managed on the site during construction (including demolition and site clearance operations) is submitted to and agreed in writing by the local planning authority. The CSWMP shall be implemented and thereafter managed and maintained in accordance with the approved plan for the duration of construction. The approved CSWMP and shall include:

          a. Method statements, scaled and dimensioned plans and drawings detailing surface water management proposals to include :-

          i. Temporary drainage systems

          ii. Measures for managing pollution / water quality and protecting controlled waters and watercourses

          iii. Measures for managing any on or offsite flood risk associated with construction

10      Demolition or construction works shall not take place outside 08:00 hours to 18:00 hours Mondays to Fridays and 08:00 hours to 13:00 hours on Saturdays and at no time on Sundays, public holidays or bank holidays.

11      No development above ground level shall take place until details of any boundary fences / structures in respect of the access road and SuDS have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The details shall specify the siting, design, height and materials of the screen walls/fences to be constructed or erected and/or the species, spacing and height of hedging to be retained and / or planted together with a programme of implementation. Any planting removed, dying, being severely damaged or becoming seriously diseased within five years of planting shall be replaced by soft landscaping of similar size and species to those originally required to be planted.  The works shall be completed prior to first use/occupation in accordance with the approved details.

12      All ecological measures and/or works shall be carried out in accordance with the Best Practice Measures contained in The Ecological Report prepared by Wild Frontier Ecology dated February 2017 and Ecological Report Addendum letter prepared by Wild Frontier Ecology dated 12 October 2018 as already submitted with the planning application and agreed in principle with the Local Planning Authority prior to determination.

13      Site clearance, removal of hedgerows, trees, shrubs, other vegetation and habitats, or works to or demolition of buildings or structures that may be used by breeding birds or bats, shall be overseen on site by an ecological clerk of works, on-site ecologist or other appropriately competent person at the written approval from the Council. A site attendance record shall be maintained by the applicant which shall contain name and purpose of the visit and shall be available for inspection at 24 hours' notice.

14      Prior to first use of the road, a "lighting design strategy for biodiversity" shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The strategy shall:        

          i)       Identify those areas/features on site that are particularly sensitive for and that are likely to be disturbed by lighting;

          ii)       Show how and where external lighting will be installed (through the provision of appropriate lighting contour plans and technical specifications) to demonstrate that areas to be lit will not disturb or prevent the above species using their territory or having access to their breeding sites and resting places.

          All external lighting shall be installed in accordance with the specifications and locations set out in the strategy, and these shall be maintained thereafter in accordance with the strategy. No other external lighting be installed without prior consent from the Local Planning Authority.

15      Prior to commencement of the development hereby approved, details of the implementation, maintenance and management of the drainage system adjacent to the access road shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The scheme shall be in accordance with Section 11 of the approved FRA prepared by GH Bullard, dated March 2019 and shall include the following details:-

          (i) the body responsible for the management and maintenance of the system;

          (ii) cyclical maintenance;

          (iii) inspections;  and

          (iv) remedial actions

          The strategy shall be implemented and thereafter managed and maintained in accordance with the approved details.

16      The gradient of the access road shall not be steeper than 1 in 20 throughout its length.

17      No other part of the development shall be commenced until the new vehicular access road has been laid out and completed in all respects in accordance with Drawing Nos 215-E-201 Rev D & 215-E-200 Rev D and has been made available for use.  Thereafter the access shall be retained in the specified form.

18      Before the development is commenced, details of the estate roads and footpaths, (including layout, levels, gradients, surfacing and means of discharge of surface water drainage), shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

19      All HGV traffic movements to and from the site over the duration of the construction period shall be subject to a Deliveries Management Plan which shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for approval a minimum of 28 days before any deliveries of materials commence.

          No HGV movements shall be permitted to and from the site other than in accordance with the routes defined in the Plan.

          The site operator shall maintain a register of complaints and record of actions taken to deal with such complaints at the site office as specified in the Plan throughout the period of occupation of the site.

20      All HGV traffic movements to and from the site over the duration of the construction period shall be subject to a Construction Management Plan which shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for approval a minimum of 28 days before any deliveries of materials commence.

          The site is adjacent to a school via a narrow adopted road and the A1088.  The site crosses an adopted highway that must remain open to all traffic and care should be taken not to introduce mud and detritus onto the highway.

          The site operator shall maintain a register of complaints and record of actions taken to deal with such complaints at the site office as specified in the Plan throughout the period of occupation of the site.

          The plan should contain amongst other usual remediation, the parking location of construction vehicles and method of control and removal of mud control onto the highway.

21      Before the access is first used visibility splays shall be provided as shown on Drawing Nos 215-E-201 Rev D & 215-E-200 Rev D and thereafter retained in the specified form.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Part 2 Class A of the Town & Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 (or any Order revoking and re-enacting that Order with or without modification) no obstruction over 0.6 metres high shall be erected, constructed, planted or permitted to grow within the areas of the visibility splays.

22      Prior to commencement of development a scheme for the provision of fire hydrants within the application site shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. No part of the development shall be occupied or brought into use until the fire hydrants have been provided in accordance with the approved scheme. Thereafter the hydrants shall be retained in their approved form unless the prior written consent of the Local Planning Authority is obtained for any variation.

 

(On conclusion of this item the Chair again invited any members of the public at the back of the Public Gallery, who were struggling to hear, to move forward to the available seats on the front row.)