Agenda item

The consultation procedure undertaken was outlined in the report together with background information in respect of the site.

 

Members were advised that a total of 6 representations were received to the application, 5 of which were objections.  Since the publication of the agenda, an additional objection was received that was a copy of an earlier objection already considered. An additional condition was recommended regarding Sustainable Drainage and Climate Change, as detailed in the AB update list.  A letter of objection had also been received from Mr Mike Amesbury MP, which was also presented in the published AB list.

 

The Committee was addressed by Mr Smalley who represented the Applicant.  He introduced the scheme as being part of the wider site of the Redrow Development, which included 151 new homes.  He stated:

 

·         The proposal consisted of Redrow’s Heritage Collection and would make a significant contribution to the supply of housing stock in the area;

·         It would provide benefits for local communities such as employment opportunities and economic benefits arising from the supply chain;

·         The plans included green technology such as heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points;

·         The plans included landscaping and public open space improvements which included a children’s play area;

·         Referring to the landscape corridor in the centre of the site; this would be planted with hedges and 450 trees;

·         The developer had worked closely with the adjacent land owner; and

·         The developer had worked closely with the Council’s planning and highways officers to deliver this robust scheme.

 

The following matters were discussed by the Committee:

 

·         Access to the site – this would be from a new access point to the A56 parallel to the existing A56;

·         Public Right of Way (PROW) diversionary routes and access over the George Gleaves Bridge – this Bridge is owned by Peel Holdings and is a listed building.  There was no public access to the bridge currently but this was an aspiration being discussed with the Applicant for the remaining strategic site applications that were still being considered;

·         Concerns over the absence of affordable homes being included in the application – further to the Inspector’s report and financial viability study submitted by the applicant, priority in this case was given to the wider strategic off-site improvements to the locality that when combined with the costs of opening up of the site for development, such as the infrastructure works required to make the site accessible to the existing highway network, resulted in the site being unable to deliver affordable housing;

·         Whether future applications in this area could have affordable homes included – both parts of the former hybrid planning application 17/00407/OUTEIA were subject to a financial viability appraisal.  There is an additional planning application on the opposite embankment of the Bridgewater Canal, the delivery of affordable homes on that site was a matter of ongoing discussion with the Applicant; 

·         Concerns over accessibility in relation to bus stops and cycling lanes – although bus routes were not yet finalised, the roads within the site were planned with buses in mind and one of the conditions stipulates that bus stops must be included; and

·         Whether or not to remove the recommendation for delegated authority and request the application returns to Committee following the resolution of the outstanding matters.

 

Clarity was provided to Members over the matters outstanding and the request for officer delegation once these had been resolved.  Further to debate it was agreed that the delegation would include consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Committee.

 

Councillor Abbott did not take part in the vote on the decision of the application, as he was absent from the room for part of the debate and officer responses.

 

 

RESOLVED:  To approve the application subject to the resolution of the outstanding matters of drainage and works to the PROW and to delegate the determination of these outstanding matters to the Operational Director – Policy, Planning and Transportation, in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Committee. 

 

Any permission would be subject to the below conditions and the inclusion of the additional recommended condition mentioned above, relating to sustainable drainage and climate change and any others considered necessary relating to the drainage and PROW:

 

a)    Deed of variation to include the approval of this planning application in the definitions section of the existing S106 Agreement.

 

b)    Conditions relating to the following:

 

1.    Time limit – full permission;

2.    Approved plans;

3.    Contaminated land identification and remediation strategy;

4.    Contaminated land validation report;

5.    External facing materials;

6.    Structural details of all retaining walls within 4m of a highway boundary;

7.    Electric Vehicle charge parking spaces to be detailed;

8.    Construction management plan including avoidance measures re habitat/mammal/bird nesting/amphibians;

9.    Construction waste audit;

10. Hedgehog highway network measures;

11. Lighting scheme to limit impact on nocturnal species along Bridgewater Canal;

12. Ecological protection strategy;

13. Replacement of Existing hedgerow;

14. Ecological habitat management plan;

15. Soft landscaping plan;

16. Soft landscaping management plan;

17. Hard landscaping;

18. Invasive species method of eradication statement;

19. Invasive species validation report;

20. Bird and bat boxes;

21. Boundary treatment details;

22. Details concerning public right of way diversion including connection to George Gleaves Bridge;

23. Details of visibility splays;

24. Domestic refuse storage details;

25. Ground water flood risk assessment;

26. Suds verification report;

27. Barn owl mitigation strategy;

28. Delph Lane turning head and prohibition of vehicular through traffic details;

29. Bus stop details;

30. Final vehicle tracking;

31. Full engineering details for estate streets;

32. A56 access details; and

33. Removal of GRDO Schedule 2, Part 1, Class F – no fences forward of front elevation.

 

c)    That if the Deed was not made within a reasonable period of time, authority be delegated to the Operational Director – Policy, Planning and Transportation, in consultation with the Chair or Vice Chair of the Committee to refuse the application.