5
The Head of
Commercial Services submitted a report on the proposed consultation on the framework
for development in the Northern Gateway area. Vincent Pearce, Major Development
Manager, and Laura Chase, Planning Policy Manager, attended to assist the Panel.
Laura Chase
explained that the Council had an interest in the Northern Gateway area both as
a landowner and in view of its responsibilities for the development of planning
policy. She outlined the process by
which the Framework document had been drafted. The detailed arrangements for
the consultation process were still being finalised but would be wider than the
proposals set out in the report. It was now intended to hold between 7-8
sessions and the consultation would be extended into August. Officers would
ensure that the consultation was widely publicised.
Vincent
Pearce presented the proposals in the draft Framework document. He noted the concerns
expressed about the quality of the reproductions of the plans contained in the
agenda. In broad terms the northern part
of the area would be designated for leisure uses, whilst the southern part
would be a commercial hub. They would be connected by sustainable green links. In development terms, the only entirely new
proposal was the housing development on part of the existing Colchester Rugby Club
site. This would be enabling
development, which would fund the relocation of the club to new pitches north
of the A12. The Framework also proposed
a number of other sports facilities including a velodrome and a mountain bike
course. He stressed that the proposals
were not fixed at this stage: the aim was to create a strategic vision for the
development of the area. He also emphasised
the importance of local consultation and highlighted that the Council would be
looking for synergies with Myland Community Council’s Neighbourhood Plan.
Councillor
Arnold attended and, with the consent of the Chairman, addressed the Committee.
Given that the northern part of the proposed development area was in Boxted,
Fordham and Stour ward councillors and Boxted Parish Council should have been
consulted earlier. He expressed concern
that the road in the northern part of the development would be extended to join
either Severalls Lane or Straight Road.
Residents of Boxted were concerned about the potential impact on traffic
levels on Straight Road, given that it could potentially be used for access to
the A12. When the proposals went out to
consultation it should be reiterated that it was Council policy that there
should be no direct links from the A12 northwards to Boxted and Langham. Whilst
he noted the claims that the proposals would open access to countryside north
of Colchester, there was no access from the development area to this countryside.
The proposals also provided an opportunity to divert National Cycle Route One
to a more pleasant environment. The
highways implications of the proposals needed to be included when the proposals
went out to public consultation. He
asked whether the access to White House Farm could be used as an access to the
development. There was also an opportunity stop strategic traffic using
Severalls Lane, which would make it more pleasant. The position on the proposals
for wind turbines which had been included on previous proposals for this area
needed to be clarified Concern was also
expressed about how the proposal would affect the balance between employment
land and housing land and whether they would lead to a deficit of employment
land. He concluded by stressing that it was for the Local Plan Committee to
determine land use issues.
Councillor Hewitt,
Myland Community Council, addressed the Committee pursuant to the provisions of
Meetings General Procedure Rule 5(3). He
thanked officers for consulting with Myland Community Council on the Northern
Gateway Vision proposals and looked forward to that consultation continuing. There was scope for the Myland and Braiswick
Neighbourhood Plan to encompass the Northern Gateway proposals and vice versa. He expressed a hope that a significant amount
of the rugby club land would be retained as green space and that the hedge
boundary to the site would be retained. This
was important locally and was a key feature of the street scene. This was
likely to be a key factor in the consultation.
Ben Locker
addressed the Committee pursuant to the provisions of Meetings General
Procedure Rule 5(3). He sought clarification on the results of any work that
may have been done to determine the amount and type of housing that was
necessary for the Rugby Club site in order to fund the relocation of the Rugby
Club. He noted the reference to other uses and asked whether any uses had been
ruled in or out at this stage.
In response
to the comments by the speakers, Vincent Pearce stressed that in terms of the
traffic issues, it was not the intention to create “rat runs” through to the
A12. The suggestion to divert National
Cycle Route 1 seemed sensible. The Council did not own the access to the White
House Farm. There was nothing in the
proposals to suggest there would be a reduction in the allocation of employment
land. There were no details on the types or numbers of homes or other uses on
the Rugby Club site. There no proposals
for wind turbines in the area as the development would be too dense to
accommodate the safety zones surrounding such turbines. The importance of the
hedgerows as part of the landscape was understood and it was hoped these could
be retained. It was hoped that some of
the ideas from Myland Community Council could be integrated.
In
discussion members of the Committee raised the following issues:-
- The need for the public to be properly consulted on the
proposals and for their views to be taken seriously. Consultation should
be borough wide and not limited to communities in north Colchester. Some concern was expressed that
residents and ward councillors in Highwoods had not been consulted to date
and this needed to be rectified in future consultations. Residents of the
Travellers Site needed to be included in the consultation.
- Many in the local community would like to see the Rugby
Club remain on the present. Site. A
number of other sports uses were also undertaken on the site. However, should
it relocate, the Rugby Club site should remain as open land, possibly as a
continuation of the County Park.
- One estimate was that it could cost £4.5 million to
relocate the Rugby Club. Local
people would want to know how much of the rugby club site would need to be
developed in order to raise that sum.
The remaining land should be put in a trust to protect it from
future development.
- Should the Rugby Club relocate, the enabling development
should include community facilities, including land set aside for church
use and a full size football pitch. Additional school places and
infrastructure requirements would be generated by the development. The
footpath off Mill Road at the corner of the Rugby Club should be
maintained.
- Any access to housing on the Rugby Club site should be via
Axial Way rather than Mill Road.
- Progress on NAR3 and Park and Ride;
- Development was creeping northwards and eating into the
green wedge between Colchester and Boxted.
Was there a point beyond which north Colchester would not be
allowed to develop?
- Residents of Boxted were unlikely to view the proposals
favourably but the publicity surrounding the proposals needed to stress
that they would provide greater access to the countryside from the north.
- Light and noise pollution issues arising from the
development needed to be addressed.
- The need for the proposals to tie in with those of Myland
Community Council.
- Whether Cuckoo Farm Studios would be integrated into the
plan.
- Provision needed to be made for informal sports uses.
- The timescale for the development.
- The need to ensure that the facilities and sites provided
in the development were fully accessible.
- The Highways Authority should be brought into discussions
at an early stage to address the highways issues.
- Concern that elements of the proposals had been considered
by Cabinet before the Local Plan Committee.
In response
to the concerns and points made by made by members, officers made the following
points.
- The Council did not own any further land north of the
boundary of the proposed site so therefore it was unlikely that further
proposals for development north of the site would be forthcoming.
- There would be full and proper consultation on the
proposals.
- There would no reduction in the provision of employment
land.
- Some of the sports facilities provided would be free
access. There would be space for a full size football pitch to be
provided.
- Light and pollution concerns would be addressed with
Environmental Control.
- Cuckoo Farm Studios would not be formally included in the
proposals.
- The concerns about access onto Mill Road from housing
development on the Rugby Club site were acknowledged.
- The full infrastructure requirements would be discussed as
the proposals developed.
- The funding for the development would be generated partly
by the enabling development on the Rugby Club site, together with some
external funding.
- The proposals could be brought forward before the adoption
of a new Local Plan. The proposals would represent a departure from the
Development Plan and it would be necessary to show that any variations
from current adopted policies had been thoroughly considered.
- The issues that Cabinet had considered arose from the
Council’s position as landowner.
All land use and planning policy issues would be referred to Local
Plan Committee to determine.
RESOLVED that the content of the
Northern Gateway Draft Framework Document as the basis for
(i) Consultation with the community;
(ii) Development of the document for adoption
as a material planning consideration in the determination of any future
development proposals and to inform the development of a new Local Plan for the
Borough.