Agenda item

Report No: DEV/WS/21/027

Reserved matters application - submission of details approved under outline planning permission F/2013/0345/OUT for access, layout, scale, appearance and landscaping (not EIA) for up to 81 dwellings and associated works (as amended)

Reserved matters application - submission of details approved under outline planning permission F/2013/0345/OUT for access, layout, scale, appearance and landscaping (not EIA) for up to 81 dwellings and associated works (as amended)

This application was referred to the Development Control Committee following consideration by the Delegation Panel.

Members were advised that outline planning permission was granted for up to 81 dwellings at the site in September 2018. The application before the Committee sought approval of matters reserved by condition 2 of the outline planning permission.

The Principal Planning Officer – Major Projects explained the linkage between the application site and that of the adjacent development site which would include Lakenheath’s second primary school.

The lack of play space within the proposed scheme was highlighted to Members. The Officer advised that this was likely to be delivered within the adjacent site, however, provision had been made to secure financial contributions from this scheme if necessary.

Attention was also drawn to the initial comments received from the Council’s waste service in respect of the scheme. A plan was shown to the meeting which outlined waste bin movements, comments in response to this had yet to have been received from the waste service hence a condition had been included in order to address this matter.

Further to comments made by Lakenheath Parish Council regarding the “over engineered” road scheme within the proposal, the Committee were advised of the reasoning behind this which was to ensure the road was officially adopted by the Highways Authority.

Reference was made to the supplementary ‘late papers’ which had been circulated following publication of the agenda and which contained an amended recommendation to the report.

Further to the matters set out in the late papers the Officer also:

·         Presented an amended plan which set out the redesign of Plot 40 in order to improve the parking provision. Members were advised that the Highways Authority were in support of the amendments; and

·         Highlighted the recent changes to the NPPF, principally in relation to the definition of “beauty” and how this related to the application before the Committee.

Officers were recommending that the application be approved as per the amended recommendation set out in the supplementary late papers.

Speakers:    Lakenheath Parish Council spoke against the application

(A representative from the Parish Council did not attend the meeting to personally address the Committee and instead the Democratic Services Officer read out a pre-prepared submitted statement on their behalf.)

Kevin Jewell (applicant) spoke in support of the application

Peter McKeown (agent) spoke in support of the application

In response to questions/comments posed by Members during the debate, the Principal Planning Officer – Major Projects responded as follows:

·         A condition had been included on the outline planning permission in respect of electric vehicle charging points;

·         Air source heat pumps were proposed for the properties’ heating, however, there was no policy basis for this to be controlled by conditions; and

·         The Committee was advised that off-site highways improvements were required at the Sparkes Farm, Eriswell junction following the Highways Authority’s collective assessment of all four major development applications for Lakenheath (one of which being Rabbit Hill Covert).

Councillor David Roach spoke in support of the density level of the scheme and proposed that the application be approved, as per the Officer recommendation. This was duly seconded by Councillor Sara Mildmay-White.

Upon being put to the vote and with 14 voting for the motion and with 1 abstention, it was resolved that

Decision

1.   That following i) receipt of satisfactory amendments to address the landscaping/ecology matters discussed in the officer report and the bin collection points discussed in the late papers and, ii) completion of a Deed of Variation to the S106 Agreement (or equivalent) to secure i) developer contributions towards off-site provision of children’s play space and equipment and ii) to secure an off-site 10-metre wide ‘fall-back’ planting belt along the length of the eastern site boundary, reserved matters be approved, subject to the following conditions:

·         As recommended by the Highway Authority (insofar as they i) relate to the reserved matters under consideration and ii) do not already appear as conditions of the outline planning permission).

·         To secure protective measures for new trees proposed to be planted in close proximity (within 2.5 metres) of adoptable highway.

2.   That the notice of approval of the reserved matters only be issued once the Director (Planning and Growth) is satisfied that all other relevant planning applications (reference DC/21/0079/FUL) and relevant applications to discharge planning conditions which might necessitate amendments being made to the reserved matters have been approved without material amendments to the reserved matters being required; and

3.   If the Director (Planning and Growth) considers that any future changes to the plans required by recommendations 1) and/or 2) are material to the determination of any of the reserved matters, the reserved matters be referred back to the Committee for further consideration and fresh resolution.