Agenda item

Recommended for Approval.

Alastair Wood addressed the Committee in support of the application.

The Head of Planning and Building Control recommended that in respect of application 3/16/1335/FUL, planning permission be granted subject to a legal agreement and the conditions detailed in the report now submitted.

The Head advised that the site had previously benefited from planning permission for B1 and D1 uses.  This application was in conflict with those previous permissions although the proposed development would create 50 full time equivalent jobs with a wide range of job types.  Officers had received consultant advice regarding the impact of the proposals on the provision of employment land in Buntingford.

Members were advised that the application would provide elderly care home beds and this was supported by the policies of the emerging District Plan.  Concerns had been expressed regarding the appearance and scale of the scheme but this was in accordance with residential development already being constructed in the vicinity as well as employment land to the south.  The Council’s Landscape Officer and the Urban Design Team were content with the proposed development and there had been no objections from statutory consultees.

Councillor J Jones welcomed the much needed care home provision and the much needed employment in Buntingford.  He referred to the issues of the proposed three stories, landscape prominence and access for construction traffic off the A10 roundabout rather than through the existing residential area.  He also referred to the matter of the ancillary building and whether this could be located away from the residential area.

Councillor S Bull stated that an underground car park would help considerably in addressing the issue of car parking.  The Head confirmed to Councillor B Deering that the point raised by the Legal Officer in the additional representations had been considered but inclusion in the legal agreement was not felt to be necessary in this case.

The Head advised that the context of the proposed development in relation to the site and existing development had been in the forefront of Officers’ considerations.  The site was between 16 and 50 metres, the highway and screening was already in place along London Road and a condition for additional landscaping would further soften the appearance of the proposed development and the ancillary building.

The Head confirmed that the main access would be via the existing residential development and Hertfordshire Highways had not raised any concerns regarding this application.  The current access for construction traffic was via the A10 roundabout and Officers could pass on the Committee’s views for the continued use of this access for construction traffic.

The Head concluded that the application proposed 21 car parking spaces when the parking standards stipulated a provision of between 12 and 16.5 spaces.  There would be a significant cost implication of underground parking which would impact of the viability of the proposed development.  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 in respect of application 3/16/1335/FUL, planning permission be granted subject to a legal agreement and the conditions detailed in the report.