Agenda item

The Planning Committee are asked to consider the report and make the proposed recommendation set out in the report

Support officer recommendation  

Mr Bushell introduced the report and drew the Committee’s attention to Section 3 which set out the background to the application and why officers were seeking permission to contest the appeal.

Mr Bushell outlined the site location which was located within the Shopwhyke Lakes site. He highlighted the proximity of the site to the ‘Longacre House’ development, the Cala homes development site, and a nursing home.

Mr Bushell explained that the proposed development of 87 units would be in addition to the 585 dwellings which were permitted across the Shopwhyke Lake site.

The Committee were shown the proposed site layout and elevations which included 87 housing units, 85 car parking spaces, electric vehicle charging points and 87 cycle bays. Access to the site was already established via Longacre Way.

Mr Bushell highlighted the proposed landscaping, however, there was no onsite play space provided as development, the developer was relying on this provision being provided elsewhere.

Mr Bushell drew the Committee’s attention to the Agenda Update sheet which included a further consultee comment from financial viability consultants Dixon Searle Partnership; and amendments to reasons 1 and 2 for contesting the appeal following the advice from Dixon Searle.

The following representations were received;

Cllr Simon Oakley – WSCC Member

Mr Benjamin Hunt – Objector

Mr Simon Ible – Applicant

Officers responded to comments and questions as follows;

Responding to concerns regarding the proposed parking provision; Mr Bushell drew attention to paragraph 10.6 of the report which detailed the parking arrangements within the surrounding area and the consideration given to the amenity of future occupiers. There were provisions already in place to try and prevent ‘fly parking’ including double yellow lines, therefore it would be hard to contest the appeal on the grounds of highway safety or amenity. In addition, Mr Shaw explained the applicant had undertaken a bespoke assessment (at the request of WSCC) to better understand parking future parking requirements from the development. Through the forecasting the worst case scenario was a parking requirement for 90 vehicles which would result in an overspill of five vehicles at peak times.

Regarding affordable housing; Mr Bushell explained that following the viability testing undertaken by Dixon Searle, it would be difficult to substantiate defending an appeal on the grounds on no affordable housing provision as the profit level for the development is below what would normally be expected from a development of this scale and fall below the requirement for affordable housing delivery.              

Following a vote, the Committee agreed to support the amended report recommendation.

Resolved; That the Planning Committee:

i)               Notes the information within the report.

ii)             Agrees to contest the appeal APP/L3815/W/23/3332866, in respect of the following matters;

a.    Design, mass, bulk layout, appearance and over development of the proposed built form relative to its immediate and wider site context at Shopwhyke Lakes and the provision of insufficient open space and no equipped play space as required by the Planning Obligations and Affordable Housing SPD.

b.    Lack of infrastructure provision secured through a S.106 Agreement in respect of recreation disturbance mitigation, public open space including equipped play area, A27 highway improvements contribution, Travel Plan.

c.    Lack of financial contribution of the scale envisaged in draft Policy T1 of the Local Plan 2021- 2039: Proposed Submission to enable the Council to secure identified A27 improvements.