Address:       Land between Taylors Road and Astwick Road, north of 51 Astwick Road, Astwick Road, Stotfold (nearest postcode SG5 4AU)

Residential development of 26 dwellings to include landscaping, access, parking and all ancillary works.

Applicant:     GPS Estates Ltd

The Committee considered a report regarding Planning Application No. CB/17/01585/FULL for a residential development of 26 dwellings to include landscaping, access, parking and all ancillary works at land between Taylors Road and Astwick Road, north of 51 Astwick Road, Astwick Road, Stotfold.

The planning officer advised that in condition 9 a reference to plan 17772/103 had been omitted.  The attention of Members was also drawn to the following as set out in the Late Sheet:

Any planning permission would be subject to a s106 obligation requiring that all of the dwellings were built within a five year period from the date of a permission (the ‘Build Rate Timetable’).

In advance of consideration of the application the Committee received a representation made by Stotfold Town Council under the public participation scheme.  Clarification on the highways issues raised was sought by a Member.

The Committee considered the application and in summary discussed the following:

·         A wish to see the dispersal (‘pepperpotting’) of the affordable homes throughout the development strictly enforced.

·         The MANOP (Meeting the Accommodation Needs of Older People) request that a proportion of the dwellings be suitable for older people, the importance of gain in green infrastructure and the absence of a s106 contribution to health service provision.  In response the planning officer stated that there was no policy requirement for dwellings to be made available under MANOP and not on a development of this scale.  He suggested that chalet bungalows constructed under the application might prove attractive in this context.  With regard to the green infrastructure the planning officer stated that condition 10 could be amended to place an emphasis on this matter.  Last, he explained that the NHS would not be expected to reply on a development of under 100 units.  Further, it would prove difficult to introduce additional contributions at this stage.

·         Concerns at the failure by the NHS to take account of the cumulative impact of smaller housing developments.  It was requested that local GP surgeries be contacted in future to establish their stance on the need for such contributions.

·         The potential for strengthening condition 10 to ensure strict compliance with the requirements of the detailed surface water drainage scheme even at the expense of the eventual number of dwellings erected.

·         The potential for a condition ensuring that a reasonable number of the dwellings erected were to Lifetime Standards, thereby making them suitable for older persons, and that the affordable homes were ‘pepperpotted’ through the development.

·         The absence of any mention by the Landscape Officer on protecting the existing hedges along Astwick Road and on preventing their unnecessary removal.  The planning officer undertook to consider how best to strengthen the existing landscape condition to meet this request.  In response to comments regarding the proposed planting mix and boundary management the planning officer stated that the applicant had now addressed the Landscape Officer’s initial concerns on these issues through the submission of revised landscaping details.

In response to the points raised by a Member, the Chairman, whilst fully accepting the Member’s comments, reminded the meeting that the applicant had voluntarily agreed to a Build Rate Timetable and the provision of affordable homes could be jeopardised by the Member’s demands. 

The planning officer also stated that there were no development plan policies relating to ‘pepperpotting’ of affordable dwellings or Lifetime Homes for older persons on a development of this size and he advised against applying conditions without supporting policies.  The use of informatives was a possible, if weaker, alternative course of action.

Following lengthy debate the Committee indicated that it would wish to see the strengthening of condition 10 relating to green infrastructure and the conditioning of ‘pepperpotting’ of affordable homes and the provision of a reasonable number of homes suitable for older persons through Lifetime Standards if possible.  If it was not possible to do so then informatives should be used.

On being put to the vote 12 Members voted for approval, 0 voted against and 1 abstained.

RESOLVED

that Planning Application No. CB/17/01585/FULL relating to land between Taylors Road and Astwick Road, north of 51 Astwick Road, Astwick Road, Stotfold be approved as set out in the Schedule attached to these minutes.