Agenda item

Outline planning consent (with all matters reserved save for access) for the erection of up to 18no. dwellings (amended description).

The Principal Planning Officer, Leigh Dalby (LD) gave a detailed presentation on the report relating to the abovementioned planning application, a copy of which had been circulated (for copy see file of minutes).  Members noted that the written report was supplemented by a visual presentation which included photographs of the site.  The application was for outline planning consent (with all matters reserved save for access) for the erection of up to 18no. dwellings (amended description) and was recommended for approval, subject to the conditions and Section 106 Legal Agreement as set out in the report.

The Chair thanked the Principal Planning Officer (LD) and asked the Committee for their comments and questions.

Councillor L Brown asked as regards the distance from the development to the nearest bus stop.  Councillor S Deinali noted she was one of the Local Members in respect of the application.  She explained as regards the location of the bus stop and frequency and destinations of the local bus services, she noted bus stops around 100 metres away on the opposite side of the road.

Councillor A Bell noted it was a strange application in that in appeared to be in a non-sustainable location, there were no objections, no comments from the Local Members and no speakers on the application.  He noted it was difficult to judge whether residents wished for the previous haulage use to cease and to have it replaced with residential development.  He asked for comments from Highways in terms of right turn into the site and whether there would be any issues.  The Principal DM Engineer, David Battensby noted that the site had been looked at very carefully, with an acute angle shown in reference to Mickle Hill Road.  He noted that it was the existing access for the haulage business and that at that point nearer to the junction, vehicle speeds would be lower than further along the road.  He noted that with only 18 properties proposed, peak generation only represented 10 vehicles and therefore it was more likely vehicles would not need to wait to make the right turn into the site, and the number of occasions in terms of waiting would not be great.

The Principal Planning Officer (LD) reminded the Committee noted that Monk Hesleden Parish Council had provided objections to the application and noted the last bus from the nearby bus stop ran at 7.48pm. 

Councillor S Deinali noted that when she initially saw the application she had concerns relating to the access position, that being originally to lead on to Fill Poke Lane.  She noted that issue had been addressed and noted that there was only limited traffic though the village.  She noted concerns raised as regards sustainable location, however, she noted existing residents use facilities at the other nearby villages in terms of GP Surgery and schools and noted the connections to the nearby A19 and other villages.  She added that Fill Poke Lane led to the popular Tweddle Farm and there was also the nearby Crimdon Dene and newly construction Hub, as well as links to the Haswell to Hart Walkway.

Councillor J Elmer noted it was an interesting application, adding he disagreed that it was a sustainable location, it being quite apparent that residents would likely have to use a car in order to access shops and services and therefore would not be in line with County Durham Plan Policy 6.  He noted the justification for the approval recommendation was the ‘unneighbourly use’ by the haulage business.  He noted that therefore it was important to understand what local residents wanted, however, he was still at a loss to understand what they would want.  Councillor S Deinali noted that there was an hourly bus service to other villages, towns and she agreed that this could be improved to be more frequent, but more people using the services would help make those services more sustainable.

Councillor C Marshall noted that in order to make communities more sustainable there was a need to get more people into an area to help drive investment in services. 

He noted that in rural communities, housebuilding was one of only a few ways of rebalancing those local economies.  He noted that most households were car users, and that the more contentious would choose to buy an electric vehicle (EV), however, it was a fact for those more rural areas.  He noted that on balance he was happy to move approval of the application in order to help improve the sustainability of the area.  He was seconded by Councillor J Quinn.

Upon a vote being taken it was:

RESOLVED

That the application be APPROVED, subject to the conditions and Section 106 Legal Agreement as set out within the report.