Agenda item

Report of Head of Planning

(copy herewith)

Ward: Old Duston

The Head of Planning submitted a report in respect of application no. N/2011/0241, elaborated thereon and referred to the Addendum that set out further consultation responses from the Highway Authority, Environment Agency and Housing Strategy; amended the recommendation and set out additional conditions if the Committee were minded to approve the application.   .

Mr Green, on behalf of Save Our Services, noted that the application was as a result of the County Council’s review of over 40 schools in Northampton and the PFI arrangement that it had made to construct new schools and to maintain them and the existing ones. Clearly the proposal would reduce the amount of open space available to the public. Mr Green commented that there were supposed to be community access agreements in place to allow the public access to facilities on school sites but in fact none were. In practice it was very difficult to book anything. He noted that his son had gone to the school and used the sports field which had also been used for junior sports events on a town and county basis. He observed that the school itself had not been closed and noted that Duston had one of the lowest numbers of and total area of open space in the town. He referred to the large developments that had already taken place. Mr Green requested that the Council revisit the issue of open spaces; challenge the PFI arrangements and investigate the return of this site as open space.  

Mr Williams, the Architect, stated that the existing outline planning consent for 80 units was, in the current economic climate, no longer viable. The proposal was for 52 predominately two storey houses with gardens. The site was well located in terms of nearby facilities and the footpath along Tollgate Way would be enhanced. He noted that the amount of affordable housing was reduced from the previous application; that the highways issues were more or less completely resolved and that Westleigh New Homes had a good track record. In answer to questions Mr Williams commented that Westleigh New Homes typically moved quickly to action planning approvals; that a proper ecology study of the site would be undertaken and that most of the affordable housing would be clustered (along the southern loop road) which was how most housing associations preferred it.

The Head of Planning noted that the comments made by Mr Green related to the County Council’s review of schools several years previously and that outline consent already existed for the site so the principle of development had been established. In answer to questions the Head of Planning noted that the starting point of the Council’s affordable housing policy was 35% but that same policy (and national advice) required that viability was a material consideration to be taken into account and it was increasingly an issue in the current economic climate. The Applicant was additionally funding highway works and a pumping station. The details had been sent to the Council’s Valuers and Housing Strategy service who had broadly agreed the data supplied and the conclusions drawn from it. He noted that in contrast with another recent situation considered by the Committee the Applicant, on this occasion, had been open about the data they had used and had adopted an appropriate methodology for arriving at their conclusion. The Head of Planning noted that it was usual for affordable housing to be located in clusters throughout developments and that around twelve units together was commonplace. He also confirmed that the existing footpath crossing part of the site from east to west would be retained.

The Committee discussed the application.

RESOLVED:  That the application be approved in principle subject to the following:

             (1) Prior finalisation of a S106 agreement to secure:

·        The provision of an appropriate level of affordable housing within the site, given the question over viability.  The level to be required to be delegated to the Head of Planning to negotiate.

·        10% of the total units on the site to be mobility units.

·        The provision, retention and maintenance of the open space

·        A financial contribution towards the Tollgate Way improvement Scheme in order to mitigate the impacts of this development on the local highway network.

·        The adoption, maintenance, operation and management in perpetuity for all elements of the surface water drainage scheme, with contingency arrangements.

             (2) The planning conditions set out in the report and the additional conditions set out in the Addendum as the proposed development would have no undue detrimental impact on the amenities of neighbouring occupiers as adequate separation can be provided to prevent any overlooking and overshadowing and would be in keeping with the character and appearance of the area due to the density of development proposed. The development would therefore be in line with the Policies H6, H17, H32, E20, E40 of the Northampton Local Plan and the advice contained in PPS1, PPS3 and PPG13 and PPS25.

(3)   That in the event that the S106 legal agreement is not secured within three calendar months of the date of this Committee meeting, delegated authority be given to the Head of Planning to extend this deadline in appropriate circumstances or to refuse or finally dispose of the application on account of the necessary mitigation measures not being secured in order to make the proposed development acceptable.