Minutes:
40.1
Application: DC/18/04247
Proposal: Outline Application- Erection of up to 300 dwellings, construction of a new spine road, land for a new primary school, burial ground extension, village car park and associated infrastructure.
Site Location: WOOLPIT- Land off Bury Road, The Street
Applicant: Hopkins Homes Limited
40.2 The Case Officer presented the application to the Committee, outlining the proposal before Members, the layout of the site, the proposed new spine road, land for a new primary school, burial ground extension, village car park, the contents of the tabled papers, and the officer recommendation of approval.
40.3 The Case Officer and Neil McManus from Suffolk County Council responded to Members’ questions on issues including: the schooling provision for the area, the possible extension of schools and the option to deliver a new school on the proposed site before Members, the design and access statement, the healthcare provision as detailed in the response from the NHS, cycle paths in the area, that the Affordable housing would have a review mechanism.
40.4 The Chief Planning Officer advised Members that the Woolpit Neighbourhood plan was still in a draft form.
40.5 The Case Officer responded to further questions from Members on issues including: the proposed roundabout, the Section 278 Agreement and the Section 106 Agreement.
40.6 Members considered the representation from John Guyler of Woolpit Parish Council.
40.7 The Parish Council representative responded to Members questions on issues including: the Schooling provision for Woolpit and Elmswell.
40.8 Members considered the representation from Richard Mawhood who spoke as an Objector.
40.9 The Objector responded to Members questions on issues including: the cycle pathways in the area, and the Section 106 contributions associated with the application.
40.10 Members considered the representation from James Alflatt who spoke as the Applicant.
40.11 The Applicant responded to Members questions on issues including: the sustainability of the proposal, the proposed parking provision on site, the proposed heating systems for the dwellings, and the local need for housing.
40.12 Members considered the email representation from the Ward Member Councillor Sarah Mansel which was read out by the Governance Officer.
40.13 Members considered the representation from the Ward Member Councillor Helen Geake.
40.14 The Case Officer responded to Members’ questions on issues including: the grading of the land on the proposed site, the response from the environment agency regarding the contamination of ground for the burial ground and associated conditions, the spatial distribution strategy.
40.15 Members debated the application on the issues including: the spatial distribution strategy, the schooling provision in the area, the demand for housing in Mid Suffolk, the Draft Neighbourhood Plan, and the Draft Joint Local Plan, public transport provision in the area, the access to the site, energy saving and sustainability measures, that the site was a visually important open space, the views of the Church in Woolpit.
40.16 Members continued to debate the application on the issues including: the proposed Affordable Housing provision, that residents would be travelling by car from the site, the scale of development, the sustainability of the proposal, the proposed spine road through the site, the heritage harm associated with the proposal, and the policies within the Core Strategy.
40.17 Councillor Peter Gould proposed that the application be approved as detailed in the officer recommendation with the additional conditions as detailed below:
- Contemporaneous Chief Planning Officer
- Energy and renewables to be in excess of 10% above building regulations standard
- Reserved matters to be in general conformity with indicative/ illustrative masterplan, character areas and landscape strategy
- Strategy for burial ground land contamination TBA
40.18 Councillor James Caston seconded the motion.
40.19 By 7 votes to 5
40.20 RESOLVED
That authority be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer to GRANT OUTLINE PLANNING PERMISSION FOR THE SUBMITTED DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL INCLUDING MEANS OF ACCESS TO THE SITE
(1) Subject to the prior agreement of a Section 106 Planning Obligation on appropriate terms to the satisfaction of the Chief Planning Officer to secure:
• Affordable housing – note this reflects the acceptance that a 20% affordable housing provision is justified in this case through Viability Assessment. This shall include:
Rented (45): -
· 6 x 1 bed 2-person flats @ 50sqm
· 4 x 2 bed 4-person flats @ 70 sqm
· 4 x 2-bedroom 3-person bungalows @ 61sqm
· 24 x 2 bed 4-person houses @ 79 sqm
· 7 x 3 bed 5-person houses @ 93 sqm
Shared Ownership (15): -
· 4 x 2 bed 4-person flats @ 70 sqm
· 8 x 2 bed 4-person houses @ 79 sqm
· 3 x 3 bed 5-person house @ 93 sqm.
- Properties shall be built to current Housing Standards Technical requirements March 2015 Level 1. All ground floor 1 bed flats to be fitted with level access showers, not baths.
- The council is granted 100% nomination rights to all the affordable units on initial lets and 75% on subsequent lets
- All affordable units to be transferred freehold to one of the Councils preferred Registered providers.
- Adequate parking provision is made for the affordable housing units including cycle storage for all units.
- Commuted sum option available to be paid instead of on site provision should the LPA agree to such request.
• £522 625 – primary school contribution
• £529 497 – early years contribution
• Primary School land – 2.2 hectares of land reserved and offered to SCC or its nominee for the provision of a new 420-place primary school together with a 90-place pre-school centre. The land would be fully serviced by road access, drainage and utilities
• Open space provision including: green buffer area between the proposed development and existing dwellings on White Elm Road; smaller pockets of green space (including formal areas of play - LEAPs) suitable for play areas; and open space to the east of the site to allow for future expansion of the Woolpit Cricket Club in association with the Playing Fields Trustees. The maintenance and management would be transferred to either the District Council, Parish Council or Management Company.
• Village Hall Car Park – to provide a village hall car park (specification to be agreed) and, once constructed, transfer the land/car park to MSDC, Parish or its nominee.
• Burial Ground Extension – to provide land for a burial ground extension
• Possible contribution of £220 000 to provide the footway/cycleway link between the site and the A1088/Church Road junction if not achieved through s 278 agreement.
· A contribution of approximately £15,000 per site is required to construct or improve bus stops nearby.
(2) That the Chief Planning Officer be authorised to GRANT Outline Planning Permission upon completion of the legal agreement subject to conditions as summarised below and those as may be deemed necessary by the Chief Planning Officer:
· Standard time limit (Outline/Full for means of access)
· Approved Plans (Plans submitted that form this application)
· Development of detailed masterplan and detailed landscape strategy
· Phasing Condition (To allow phasing of the development and allows spreading of payments under CIL)
· Submission of EPS Licence for Great Crested Newts or statement from the relevant licensing body that it isn’t required
· Submission of an ecological Construction Environmental Management Plan
· Skylark Mitigation Strategy
· Pre-commencement survey for Badgers
· Submission of a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan
· Submission of a Biodiversity Enhancement Strategy
· Wildlife Sensitive Lighting Design Scheme
· SuDs conditions
· Market housing mix prior to or concurrent with reserved matters to be agreed
· Energy and renewal integration scheme to be agreed
· Rainwater harvesting to be agreed
· Construction Plan to be agreed.
· Development carried out in accordance with the accompanying arboricultural report
· Submission of detailed Arboricultural Method Statement and Tree Protection Plan
· Standard Land Contamination condition
· Submission of Written Scheme of Investigation for Archaeology and completion of works in accordance with the Scheme
· Completion of the mitigation measures for A14 junction 47 in accordance with an agreed timescale
· Details of roundabouts, estate roads and footpaths
· Details of the shared cycle link from the A1088 roundabout with Church Road Elmswell
· No occupation of dwellings until carriageways and footways serving that dwelling have been satisfactorily constructed
· New estate road roundabouts with A1088 and The Street to be provided prior to any other works commencing or delivery of any other materials
· Areas for loading, unloading, manoeuvring and parking of vehicles (inc. electric vehicle charging points) and secure cycle storage
· Submission of a Deliveries Management Plan (to include all HGV traffic movements to and from the site over the duration of the construction period).
· Prevention of surface water discharge on to the highway.
· Provision of Travel Information Packs for residents
· Submission and approval of Travel Plans both for residents, and prior to first occupation of the school
· Details of storage of refuse/recycle bins
· Identified mitigation measures in the submitted Noise Assessment to be secured
· Submission and approval of a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP)
· Achievement of sustainability targets for the development as identified in the Design and Access Statement
· Provision of vehicle charging points
· Phasing plan in order avoid adverse impacts on drainage infrastructure
· Submission of scheme on-site foul water drainage works
· Conditions requested by the Environment Agency
(3) And the following informative notes as summarised and those as may be deemed necessary:
• Proactive working statement
• SCC Highways notes
• Support for sustainable development principles
(4) That in the event of the Planning obligations or requirements referred to in Resolution (1) above not being secured and/or not secured within 6 months that the Chief Planning Officer be authorised to refuse the application on appropriate grounds
Additional Conditions:
- Energy and renewables to be in excess of 10% above building regulations standard
- Reserved matters to be in general conformity with indicative/ illustrative masterplan, character areas and landscape strategy
- Strategy for burial ground land contamination TBA
Supporting documents: