Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: The Forum, Towcester

Contact: Diana Davies, Democratic Services 

Items
No. Item

53.

Declarations of Interest

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.

Minutes:

None advised.

54.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 229 KB

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 11 April 2022.

Minutes:

That the Minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee of 11 April 2022 be approved and signed as a correct record.

55.

WND/2021/0172 - Reserved Matter, Zone 10 Overstone Leys, Overstone Lane, pdf icon PDF 191 KB

The Officer’s Addendum to the report to the Strategic Planning Committee for 13 December 2021 will be included as an update and published in advance of the meeting.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Refused, due to reasons set out in the Addendum to the Committee Report.

Minutes:

WND/2021/0172 for the Reserved Matters application relating to (access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) for 350 dwellings (Zone 10) pursuant to outline approval DA/2013/0850 and approval of Condition 26 (noise) and Condition 37 (travel plan).

 

The Major Projects Officer outlined the information in the addendum report to Committee for the reserved matters application.

 

Councillor Andre Gonzalez De Savage entered the meeting.

 

Members’ were advised that the Council’s Environmental Health Officer had raised significant concerns in relation to noise (internal and external) from the commercial buildings to the south of the site.

 

Katherine Else, the agent addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

Further to enquiries from Members, the Major Projects Officer advised that the principal of residential development had been approved at the outline stage.  However Condition 26 required the scheme to meet specific requirements regarding noise levels. Following extensive negotiations the updated submissions from the developer remained unacceptable to the Council and it was now before committee with a recommendation for refusal (as set out in the addendum to the agenda).

 

Suggestions for mitigating the noise impact from the commercial units included: The provision of double glazing, moving houses further away, changing the style of housing, noise bunds and a suggestion that the developer contact the owner of the commercial unit.

 

In response to a Member enquiry, the Senior Environment Health Officer reported that bunds had been considered to reduce the impact of noise on the site.

 

The Chair reminded Members that if they had not been present for the full presentation they would not be in a position to vote.

 

Councillor David James proposed the application be refused, this was seconded by Councillor Charles Manners and on being put to the meeting was declared carried with six voting in favour, none against. Councillor Andre Gonzalez de Savage refrained from voting.

 

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be refused for the following reasons:

 

The proposal is contrary to Policy BN9 of the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy which requires new developments which are likely to result in exposure to sources of pollution to demonstrate they provide opportunities to minimise and where possible reduce pollution issues that are a barrier to achieving sustainable development and healthy communities.  In this case the proposed design of the residential scheme would result in unacceptable internal and external noise levels within the development, as a result of noise from the nearby industrial estate.

56.

DA/2018/0526 Land at Mickle Well Park, Ashby Road, Daventry pdf icon PDF 326 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

Approved subject to conditions set out in the report.

Minutes:

DA/2018/0526 for the Reserved matters application (appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) for development of 344 dwellings (including 17 self-build plots) pursuant to condition 1 of outline planning permission DA/2014/0869 in addition to discharge of conditions, 10, 15, 21, 22, 26 & 32

 

The Principal Planning Officer outlined the information in the report to Committee for the reserved matter application

 

In response to Members’ enquiries, the Principal Planning Officer advised that:

  • They would be working with the developer regarding the clustering.
  • The policy requirement for the provision of affordable housing for a development was a minimum of 25% and the provision on this development would be higher than that.
  • The affordable housing would be ‘Tenure Blind’ and therefore would not be identifiable.
  • The pricing of affordable housing was not within planning control. 
  • Design guides would set out the specification for the self-build and would include a minimum Sustainable Home Code level 4 and address climate change requirements.
  • The Councils requirement to amend the house types and the number of affordable units required to ensure the provision met the policy requirements,  would be addressed with the applicant.   Should the requirements not be met the application would be re-presented to committee.

 

George Smith, the agent addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

In response to enquiries, the Principal Planning Officer reported that:

  • Self-build would be delivered through the design code, where the level of specification would be brought forward. 
  • Once self-build developers had been identified they would determine the requirements and the specification. The design and build of houses would be set out in a design code. 
  • The build within the site would be delivered through a selection of projects once the demand had been assessed – not been actively marketed to make the assessment.
  • 17 units and additional 7 on phase 1.  Legal agreement would need to be varied if the 17 (application approved subject to legal agreement and conditions). 
  • Local authority would be assisting with the self-build.
  • Solar panels would be included within the site. 
  • There would be provision of Electrical Charging Units for electric vehicles.
  • The external appearance of the self-build would be approved through the reserved matters application.  The design code specifications would allow for innovation but would be sensitive to the area.
  • The provision of two bed houses had been reviewed with the Council’s planning strategy team.
  • Shared ownership properties were included within the site as per the policy – a mix of 2/3 rented 1/3 shared ownership.
  • Approval would be subject to the conditions listed and would be capped off before development.
  • The community facilities would comprise of a shop and community facility for local groups. Flat would be built on the upper floor above the shop so the area was in constant use to deter antisocial behaviour.  The community use D1, D2 had been secured by legal conditions.

 

Councillor David James proposed the application be approved, this was seconded by Councillor John Shepherd and on being put to the meeting was declared carried unanimously.

 

RESOLVED:

That  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

57.

N/2014/1429 Dallington Grange, Mill lane, Kingsthorpe, Northampton, NN5 7PZ pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Additional documents:

Decision:

Approved subject to conditions set out in the report.

Minutes:

N/2014/1429 Application for the partial approval of details submitted pursuant to condition 8 (Design Code) to include all details relating to residential and landscaping areas but excluding details relating to all Commercial Areas, Mixed Use Areas, Grange Farm Commercial Hub, Secondary School and Primary Schools. relating to planning permission N/2014/1429 [Outline Planning Application (all matters reserved except access) for a Sustainable Urban Extension comprising up to 3,000 dwellings including affordable housing; up to 7.2ha employment land (Class B1 office/light industry and Class B2 general industry); a local centre to accommodate a food store (2,230m2), 6 shop units (750m2) for retail (Class A1), professional and financial services (Class A2), restaurant/cafe (Class A3), drinking establishment (Class A4) and hot food takeaway (Class A5); public house/restaurant; nursery (Class D1); 2 primary schools; secondary school; redevelopment of Grange Farm for cafe/restaurant/public house or hotel; extension of the North West Bypass on the site; provision of open space and strategic landscaping and wildlife corridors; surface water/flood management works and associated engineering works for drainage and services.

 

The Principal Planning Officer outlined the information in the report to Committee for the reserved matter application.

 

Further to enquiries from Members, the Principal Planning Officer reported:

  • The significant build would evolve against the wider development with any necessary changes being made if the build regulations were altered. 
  • The design and features policy??had not required the developers to include solar panels but would not preclude the developer including them. 
  • Application of the design code would be enforced through the reserved matters applications and the Sustainable Urban Extension’s enforcement officers.
  • Consideration had been given to the environment and nature.  The design code would provide landscaping, swales and parks within the development which would enhance the biodiversity of the site. Currently it was arable land which was considered poor for biodiversity.
  • The design code would be in two parts, residential & landscaping and commercial.  The commercial aspects of the development would be addressed at the latter stages of the development.
  • The Environmental Health Officer advised that the Section 106 agreement had set out the discharge at 1000 houses.

 

Nicky Scaife, Senior Planning Officer reported that the risk of noise and pollution from lodge farm industrial estate in the north of the site would be addressed in the conditions on the outline consent.

 

Councillor Ken Pritchard proposed the application be approved, this was seconded by Councillor David James and on being put to the meeting was declared carried unanimously.

 

RESOLVED:

To Delegate to the Head of Development Management and Enforcement to partially approve the details submitted pursuant to Condition 8 (Design Code) to include all details relating to residential and landscaping areas but excluding details relating to all commercial areas, mixed use areas, Grange Farm commercial hub, secondary school and primary schools subject to the following matters being addressed in a revised design code and considered acceptable:

 

58.

WNS/2021/1939/MAF Land adjoining Cherwell Valley Business Park OX17 3AA pdf icon PDF 473 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

Approved subject to conditions set out in the report.

Minutes:

WNS/2021/1939/MAF solar park with associated infrastructure including two substations, raised plinths and reinforced grass track.

 

The Principal Planning Officer outlined the information in the report to Committee for the application for the solar park.  And updated the Committee with regard to objections received and the conditions to recommendations which had been added.

 

Further to enquiries from Members, the Principal Planning Officer advised:

·         An informative could be added to this application to ensure it reverted to arable land and did not become a brown field site.

·         The land could be utilised for grazing.

 

Nicholas Wyke, representing Peter Frampton, the agent, addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

Further to enquiries from Members, the agent advised:

·         The contractor would be responsible for maintaining the solar panels.

·         A construction management plan would be drawn up, and a public consultation undertaken which would include affected neighbouring parishes.

·         An agreement had been made with western power who would take the renewable power.

·         The agent was not aware of a plan to increase this site to connected plots of land.

 

Further to enquiries from Members, the Principal Planning Officer reported:

·         Solarsense had produced the service reports and technical specifications.

·         The requirement for signage to provide a point of contact for maintenance issues, could be included in the conditions.

·         The specification for an unobtrusive colour of fencing could be specified in the conditions. 

 

Councillor John Shepherd proposed the application be approved, this was seconded by Councillor Andre Gonzalez de Savage and on being put to the meeting was declared carried unanimously.

 

RESOLVED:

To delegate to the Head of Development Management and Enforcement to Grant Permission subject to the conditions set out in the reports submitted (and any amendments to the conditions as deemed necessary).

59.

Urgent Business

The Chairman to advise whether they have agreed to any items of urgent business being admitted to the agenda.

Minutes:

There were no items of Urgent Business.