Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members are asked to declare any interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting.

None Advised.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 14 February 2022.

RESOLVED:

The Minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee of 14 February 2022 be approved and signed as a correct record.

To receive communications from the Chair.

Attendees were requested to ensure that their phones were set to silent, appraised of the fire evacuation procedure and speakers were advised they would have an allocation of 3 minutes.

Attendees were further advised that a recording of proceedings would be made in the public gallery.

Approved subject to various requirements to be set out in the minutes.

Consideration was given to the report detailing the planning applications which had been previously circulated.

DA/2020/0001 Land to East of Kettering Road, Overstone - Outline application for an urban extension consisting of circa 1600 dwellings; works to accommodate a new section of A43 dual carriageway road; up to 5.73ha of commercial land, including: a local centre (use Classes A1/A3/A5/D1), assisted living/residential care home (Class C2), conversion of former agricultural buildings to a community hub (Classes D1/A3) and employment (Classes B1/B2/B8); a new 2-form entry primary school; public open space, including allotments and children’s’ play space; structural landscape planting; and associated infrastructure including drainage features, footway/cycleways and access (part access unreserved for the roundabout access into the site off the A43).        

The Major Projects Officer outlined the proposal for an outline application for an urban extension to land east of Kettering Road, Overstone. All matters were reserved except for details of the access into the site from the A43. The roundabout had been enlarged to provide a single access to the whole development. A commercial area had been included as part of the application as this was a policy requirement. The existing hedgerows would be retained and there was a large gas main that ran through the centre of the site. The total area of green space that was allocated on the site plan was greater than that required by policy. There was a large area of trees to the south of the site, Cow Pasture Spinney, which were protected by a Tree Preservation Order and houses would be built 10 metres away from the trees. There was a designated green wedge between the village and the Sustainable Urban Extension. The Major Projects Officer drew Members’ attention to the supplementary information. Since the agenda had been published, matters relating to the  offsite highway works had been identified: 1,200 dwellings would be built before the works to the spinney roundabout works would take place and these would be secured in the Section 106 agreement and by a Grampian condition; on the A43 roundabout between Holcot Lane and Sywell Road works would be disruptive and therefore they would be carried out by the Council with the Agent providing costs after the first 50 occupants had moved onto the site.

With regard to the overall scheme viability, a provision of 25% affordable housing had been negotiated or 20% affordable housing with a late review mechanism. The recommendation had been revised in order to reflect the changes referred to above.

The Major Projects officer reported that Councillor John Shephard had submitted some queries regarding the application. Firstly, relating to secondary school education and the lack of a sixth form at Northampton School for Boys. Colleagues in Education had advised that funding could not be asked for directly, but the Section 106 agreement would identify the options available.

The process for allocation of school places would follow the secondary school admissions procedure. Places would be allocated on the basis of children in care, siblings at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.