Outline planning application for 80 no. dwellings, new access and A134 crossings, land for allotments, provision of a Scout and Girl Guiding Hut with associated car park, public open space and associated works.
756
The Committee considered an outline planning application for 80 dwellings, new access and A134 crossings, land for allotments, provision of a Scout and Girl Guiding hut with associated car park, public open space and associated works at land to the east of Nayland Road, Great Horkesley, Colchester. The application had been referred to the Committee because the site was outside the settlement boundary for Great Horkesley and constituted a departure from the Adopted Local Plan but was allocated for development as part of the Emerging Local Plan.
The Committee had before it a report in which all information was set out.
The Committee made a site visit in order to assess the impact of the proposals upon the locality and the suitability of the proposals for the site.
Lucy Mondon, Principal Planning Officer, presented the report and, together with Simon Cairns, Development Manager, assisted the Committee in its deliberations. It was explained that there were some instances in the report where Ivy Lodge Road had been referred to as to Ivy Lodge Lane in error. It was also confirmed that the proposal included two access options, one for a T-junction on Nayland Road and another for the enlargement of the existing roundabout at the junction of Nayland Road and Coach Road.
Layla Brown addressed the Committee pursuant to the provisions of Planning Committee Procedure Rule 8 in opposition to the application. She explained that she was representing residents of Ivy Lodge Road. She was concerned about increased light and noise pollution and the negative impact this would have on residents and the natural environment; the proximity of new houses on the proposed development to existing properties on Ivy Lodge Road, particularly in relation to security and privacy; significant gaps in hedgerows on land adjacent to the application site, leading to exposure of houses to the development and increased traffic as a consequence of the development. She also commented on existing problems associated with vehicles travelling at excessive speed along Ivy Lodge Road; erosion of roadside verges and pavements; increased congestion and ecological disturbance and she sought assurances that the proposed ecological corridor would be implemented.
Andrew Ransome addressed the Committee pursuant to the provisions of Planning Committee Procedure Rule 8 in support of the application. He explained that the application had been submitted following public consultation and he welcomed the officer’s recommendation for approval. He referred to the weight attached to the Emerging Local Plan (ELP); that the application site had been identified in the ELP along with provision for 80 houses, allotments, a scout hut and cycling and walking facilities along the A134 and that the proposal had been formulated to deliver these objectives. He considered it would be able to resolve the objections to the application in the masterplan for the site and the reserved matters stage. He referred to objections relating to highway matters and commented that the application had been considered acceptable by the Highway Authority. He also referred to a lack of technical objections from any of the statutory consultees. He considered that the application fully accorded with planning policy requirements and he hoped the Committee would be able to support the recommendation for approval.
Councillor Arnold attended and, with the consent of the Chairman, addressed the Committee. He extended his thanks to a number of planning officers who had worked to bring the application to fruition. He referred to the Call for Sites exercise and the various sites in Great Horkesley which had been offered for inclusion, commenting that the application site was the one which had been considered by far the most acceptable by community members. He also thanked Essex Highways officers who had undertaken a feasibility study for the proposed cycle link between Great Horkesley and the Chesterwell Development in Mile End, including shops and the new secondary school and the assistance given towards securing an additional financial contribution towards the provision of the link beyond that provided by the development now proposed. He also referred to the contribution to be made from the development towards community facilities, explaining the very poor state of repair of the existing scout hut and the opportunity that would be provided by the relocation of the scout hut to release much needed additional land for development within the community. He considered this to be a significant step forward in the development of the village of Great Horkesley.
The Principal Planning Officer explained that light and noise implications would be more fully assessed when a detailed application for the layout of the development was submitted. She acknowledged existence of gaps in hedgerows and explained that it was difficult to assess the impact without the benefit of a detailed layout proposal, as such further information had been requested, by way of a condition, to ensure there would be no adverse impact on neighbouring trees. She was unable to comment on matters relating to excessive traffic speed along Ivy Lodge Road, as this was outside the consideration of the application. She was of the view that concerns about potential damage to verges from construction vehicle movements, could be addressed by adding a further remediation provision to the proposed condition relating to a construction traffic management plan. She acknowledged the importance of ensuring the ecology principles would be carried forward to the reserved matters application and this had been addressed by three proposed conditions. As such, Condition 5 required the reserved matters application to be in accordance with the ecological assessment and faunal surveys; Condition 7 required the submission of an ecological design scheme and a further arboricultural impact assessment which would include measures to prevent damage to trees and hedges offsite and Condition 12 required the submission of an ecological enhancement and mitigation plan. She also explained that the proposed landscape strategies included the enhancement of hedgerows which would contribute towards the infilling of hedgerow gaps.
Members of the Committee welcomed the proposals for the development on the site which was included in the ELP, which had the support in principle from the Parish Council and with the inclusion of affordable housing and a new scout hut. Comments were made in relation to the access options for the development, with a preference being stated for that which would provide for the enlargement of the existing roundabout at the junction of Nayland Road and Coach Road. Reference was also made to the proposed cycle route along the A134 to Mile End and the importance of ensuring a route into the development at its southern point rather than a requirement to cycle to the intended vehicular access at Coach Road.
Clarification was sought on the reference to a Secured by Design award and the required height of boundary treatments.
The Principal Planning Officer explained that Essex Police had suggested further work to address general safety concerns could be undertaken by the developers at the detailed design stage in order to achieve a Secured by Design accreditation. She also explained that boundary treatment fences were typically of two metres in height and would be the subject of consideration at the detailed application stage.
The Development Manager confirmed that, if considered appropriate, additional informatives confirming the Committee’s preference for a roundabout junction enlarging the existing Nayland Road/Coach Road mini-roundabout, and for the proposed cycle route to connect to the southern end of the site at Nayland Road could be satisfactorily incorporated.
RESOLVED (UNANIMOUSLY) that: -
(i) The Assistant Director Policy and Corporate be authorised to approve the outline planning application subject to the conditions set out in the report; authority for the Assistant Director to make changes to the wording of those conditions, as necessary; two additional informatives confirming the Committee’s preference for Access Option 2, a roundabout junction enlarging the existing Nayland Road/Coach Road mini-roundabout, and for the proposed cycle route to connect to the southern end of the site at Nayland Road and subject to the signing of a legal agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 within six months from the date of the Committee meeting, to provide for the following:
• Affordable Housing: 30% (to include two wheelchair accessible units);
• Archaeology: A contribution towards the display and interpretation of any archaeological finds (should the development not affect any archaeological remains, a smaller contribution would still be required to integrate the information from the archaeological investigation into the Historic Environment Record);
• Community Facilities: Provision of an on-site scout hut that could also be used for wider community use (with the need to include a fallback for a monetary contribution to be made, should the Council not require the onsite facility);
• Education: A contribution towards early years and childcare and secondary education;
• Open Space, Parks and Recreation: A maintenance contribution should the public open space be adopted, requirement for Local Equipped Area for Play (LEAP) on site (confirmation that no offsite sport and recreation contribution required);
• A contribution of £122.30 per dwelling towards mitigation under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 and in accordance with the draft North Essex Recreational disturbance Avoidance Mitigation Strategy (RAMS).
(ii) In the event that the legal agreement is not signed within six months from the date of the Planning Committee, Assistant Director Policy and Corporate be authorised, at their discretion, to refuse the application or otherwise be authorised to complete the agreement.