Agenda item

Recommended for Approval.

Mr Miles addressed the Committee in objection to the application.  Mr Downes spoke for the application.

 

The Head of Planning and Building Control recommended that in respect of application 3/15/0260/FUL, planning permission be granted subject to a legal agreement and the conditions detailed in the report now submitted.

 

The Head explained that for all rural locations in East Herts, including its villages, the degree to which development would be fully sustainable had to be a balance given that the majority of education, employment and retail provision was located in the larger urban settlements and therefore, many residents would travel to these larger centres.  Members were reminded that there was a deficit in the 5 years supply of housing land and applications for sustainable development should be approved unless the harm could be proved to be both significant and demonstrable.

 

Members were advised of a number of local heritage assets and Officers felt that the setting of these assets would be improved by the proposed development, or at worse, neutrally affected.  The site was well contained by a landscape boundary and the impact was not considered to be harmful and Officers were therefore supportive of the scheme.

 

The Head responded to comments from Councillor R Brunton regarding policies EDE1 and EDE2 as well as comments from Councillor J Jones regarding the previous brownfield use of the site.  Officers were of the view that the marketing approach that had been taken was acceptable.

 

Following further comments from Councillors R Brunton, K Warnell and the Committee Chairman, the Head confirmed that the site was separate from Hunsdon and was outside the main body of the village.  A majority of residents used cars to access schools, jobs, doctor’s surgeries or for shopping trips.  Members were advised that there was some roadside footpath provision between the site and Hunsdon.

 

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the Committee accepted the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Building Control as now submitted.

 

RESOLVED – that subject to the following amended legal agreement:

 

·               A financial contribution of £32,966 towards Hunsdon JMI School (primary education);

 

·               A financial contribution of £716 towards youth for the New MUGA/sports provision for Ware Young Peoples Project, Mars Lane, Ware;

 

·               A financial contribution of £2,350 towards libraries (improvements to the Children’s Area at Sawbridgeworth Library);

 

·               A financial contribution of £272.30 per dwelling towards Community healthcare costs;

 

·               The provision of 25% affordable housing (plots 1-3);

 

·               A financial contribution towards of £18,029 (children and young people, parks and gardens and outdoor green space) towards improvements and refurbishment of existing open and play space in Hunsdon;

 

·               A financial contribution of £3,190 towards Hunsdon Parish Village Hall;

 

·               Details of the management and maintenance of amenity spaces;

 

·               Details of the refurbishment and maintenance of the grade II listed pump house located to the south of the application site. 

 

in respect of application 3/15/0260/FUL, planning permission be granted subject to the following amended conditions:

 

1.        Two year time limit (1T121)

 

2.        Approved plans (2E103)

 

3.        Materials of construction (2E111)

 

4.        Contaminated Land survey and remediation (2E33)

 

5.        The development permitted by this planning permission shall be carried out in accordance with the approved Flood Risk Assessment by JPP Consulting  reference R-FRA-T7534PM-01-K dated October 2016 and the following mitigation measures detailed within the FRA:

 

1)    Providing attenuation to ensure no increase in surface water run-off volumes for all rainfall events up to and including the 1 in 100 year + climate change event;

2)    Limit the surface water run-off rate to 5l/s providing a pre-development greenfield run-off rate.

 

The mitigation measures shall be fully implemented prior to occupation and subsequently in accordance with the timing / phasing arrangements embodied within the scheme, or within any other period as may subsequently be agreed, in writing, by the local planning authority.

 

Reason: To prevent the increased risk of flooding, both on and off site.

 

6.        No development shall take place until the final design of the drainage scheme based on the approved FRA by JPP Consulting  reference R-FRA-T7534PM-01-E and sustainable drainage principles and an assessment of the hydrological and hydro geological context of the development, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The drainage strategy should demonstrate the surface water run-off generated up to and including the 1 in 100 year + climate change critical storm will not exceed the run-off from the undeveloped site following the corresponding rainfall event.  The development shall include the following information:

 

·              Details of how the scheme shall be maintained and managed after completion;

 

·              Infiltration tests carried out in accordance with BRE Digest 365 in order to demonstrate the feasibility of disposing of surface water via infiltration to ground;

 

·              Assessment of the use of permeable paving in order to provide a water quality benefit;

 

·              Detailed engineering drawings of the proposed SuDS features including their size, volume, depth and any inlet and outlet features including any connecting pipe runs.

 

The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: To prevent the increased risk of flooding, both on and off site.

 

7.        Visibility splays of 2.4 metres x 43 metres shall be provided and permanently maintained in each direction within which there shall be no obstruction to visibility between 0.6 metres and 2 metres above the carriageway.

 

Reason: To provide adequate visibility for drivers entering or leaving the site.

 

8.        Tree/hedge retention and protection (4P05)

 

9.        Landscape design proposals (4P121)

 

10.    Landscape implementation (4P131)

 

11.    Wheel washing (3V25)

 

12.    Hours of working – plant and machinery (6N054)

 

13.    Prior to the commencement of any works to remove trees within the site, tree/s identified as having potential to support roosting bats shall be inspected and/or dusk emergence/dawn re-entry surveys shall be undertaken and any mitigation measures and the findings of the surveys shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall thereafter be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: In the interests of protected species in accordance with section 13 of the National Planning Policy Framework

 

14.    Prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved, details of the method of demolition of the existing buildings on the site to include measures to be taken to avoid any harmful impact on adjacent buildings and their occupiers shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA. Thereafter the development shall accord with the approved details.

 

Reason: To protect the special interest of adjacent building and the amenity of the occupiers of those buildings in accordance with policy ENV1 of the East Herts Local Plan Second Review April 2007.

 

Directives

 

1.        Highway works

 

2.        Street naming and numbering

 

3.        The residential curtilage of plots 8, 11 and 12 does not include the area included for surface water attenuation or the swale as shown in drawing T7534PM FRA04 G (which forms part of the approved Flood Risk Assessment).

 

Summary of Reasons for Decision

 

East Herts Council has considered the applicant's proposal in a positive and proactive manner with regard to the policies of the Development Plan; the National Planning Policy Framework and in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 (as amended).  The balance of the considerations having regard to those policies is that permission should be granted.