Agenda item

Residential development of 88 dwellings (outline, inc. access)

The Committee considered a report of the Senior Planning Officer regarding an outline application for residential development of 88 dwellings, including access, on land at Rodridge Farm, Station Town, Wingate (for copy see file of Minutes).

G Blakey, Senior Planning Officer provided a detailed presentation of the application which included a site location plan, aerial photograph, indicative site layout and views across the site.

The Senior Planning Officer informed the Committee that a dust action plan for the construction phase had been approved and air quality assessment resolved and therefore the Conditions would need to be amended accordingly.

Councillor Richardson asked whether Rodridge Farm was a working farm because the proposed dwellings were located very close to the existing farmhouse and farm buildings.  The Senior Planning Officer replied that it had not been a working farm for some period of time, although a number of the farm buildings were used for warehouse purposes.

Councillor Tinsley referred to the indicative site layout and asked why a separate access was being proposed to the bungalows on the development.  The Senior Planning Officer replied that the layout displayed was not fixed and the layout was the choice of the applicant to promote a different offer for the bungalows on the development.  Councillor Tinsley expressed a concern that the separate access could lead to a two-tier development and asked there was a mechanism in place when reserved matters are received to ensure a connection between the bungalows and the rest of the development.

Councillor Wilkes considered that having an area with bungalows next to an estate could be beneficial as this created quieter areas and he therefore could not agree fully with Councillor Tinsley.  Councillor Wilkes applauded the applicant who was providing £104,000 towards the provision or improvements to open space and recreation within the Blackhalls Electoral Division and 10% affordable housing.  While the development would bring benefits to the community the development of open land contravened the District of Easington Local Plan and therefore Councillor Wilkes was unsure about supporting approval of the application.

The Senior Planning Officer, in responding to Councillor Tinsley, informed the Committee that if the development was to proceed then the developer would be encouraged to split the affordable housing throughout the site.

H Jones, Principal Planning Officer reminded the Committee that while weight could be given to saved Local Plan policies the amount of weight given needed to be balanced against their consistency with the NPPF and how old they were.

Councillor Jewell informed the Committee he understood the logic of the layout of the proposed entrance to the development.  There had been a low level of local objections to the application which Councillor Jewell considered to be a sensible scheme of development.  Councillor Jewell moved approval of the application.

Councillor Taylor, in seconding approval of the application, cautioned that this would be a tight narrow development with no open space.

Councillor Shield referred to Policy 3 of the Easington District Local Plan under which this development would not be allowed.  Policy 66 of the Local Plan required adequate provision for children’s play space and while this application was proposing £104,000 towards the provision or improvements to open space and recreation, this was not to this location.  Consistency between applications was needed.  Although there were no planning grounds for refusing the application, a comprehensive view needed to be taken of what was in store for the future, where children lived and were sustained within communities.

Councillor Wilkes highlighted that while the development was within the Blackhalls Electoral Division, it was on the border of Station Town and asked whether the Committee could recommend that the £104,000 was spent within that settlement.  The Planning and Development Solicitor advised that the Committee could specify a more discrete area if it wished but cautioned that if that area was too small then there may be no opportunities to spend the money.

Upon a vote being taken it was

Resolved:

That the application be approved subject to the completion of a Section 106 Legal Agreement to secure the following:

• Provision of a minimum of 10% affordable housing units on site;
• £396,981  towards the provision of additional capacity at primary schools in the Wingate area;
• £104,157 towards the provision or improvements to open space and recreation within Blackhalls Electoral Division;

and the Conditions contained in the report, subject to amendment as explained by the Senior Planning Officer.