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 12 December 2022.

Resolved:

That the Minutes of the Strategic Planning Committee of 12 December 2022 be approved and signed as a correct record.

The application was withdrawn from the Committee agenda.

The application was withdrawn from the Committee agenda by the Head of Planning and Delivery. This was to enable a consultation with Kingsthorpe Parish Council. The application would then be reported back to Committee incorporating the comments of the Parish Council.

Approved subject to conditions.

The Majors Team Leader, substituting for the case officer, outlined the information in the report and advised that the reserved matters application for Zone 4 of Overstone Leys Sustainable Urban Extension was the development on the northern part of the outline consent DA/2013/0850, which was approved in 2015 for the Sustainable Urban Extension which comprised up to 2,000 dwellings.

Permission had previously been granted by the Committee for application WND/2021/0700 for 223 dwellings on Zone 4 in August 2021.  The amended application WND/2022/0770 also related to Zone 4 and was virtually identical.

The site proposed 47 affordable units which was, 21% of the units on the site. The S106 agreement had required 15% of dwellings to be affordable.

The Design Code Regulating Plan indicated that the application site fell within four character areas.  The design of the dwellings along the A43 frontage were to be contemporary with the use of flat roof porches and non-standard window design with grey frames.  The Primary Street would follow the design approach to the A43 with a more contemporary feel.  The dwellings along the Primary Street would predominately be semi-detached with detached dwellings on the corner plots. The General Neighbourhood would follow a more traditional approach with pitch roofed dormers with white window frames. 

The proposed layout achieved a density of 39 dwellings per hectare for Zone 4, as had previously been approved by the committee for application WND/2021/0700.

The Majors Team Leader provided a presentation which included maps and photographs from various vantage points of the proposed site and illustrative street views to give context.

Councillor Herring arrived during the presentation.

Overstone Parish Council had indicated their support and no representations had been received from residents.

In response to Member’s enquiries the Majors Team Leader advised that:

Removal of Permitted Development; Condition 2, rights for means of enclosure to fronts and Condition 4, access and parking, was considered acceptable. Each application would be considered on its own merits and a decision would be taken in line with the design code.

There had been negligible change to the densities of the units between the first application WND/2021/0700, and the amended application WND/2022/0770 before Committee for their consideration.  It was a similar scheme and of comparable design.

The conditions in the recommendation would specify the appropriate type of trees to line the boulevard.

The Development Management Manager further advised that Condition 3a and 3b, gave adequate detail pertaining to soft landscaping.  The conditions for landscaping would not be discharged unless it was deemed suitable, the responsibility for maintenance would be detailed in a reserved matters application

Councillor Herring was advised that she would need to refrain from voting as she had not been in attendance for the whole of the presentation.

Councillor Parker proposed the application be approved, the proposition was seconded by Councillor Shepherd and on being put to the meeting was declared carried unanimously

RESOLVED:

That the Reserved Matters be approved subject to conditions with delegated authority being provided to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102.

Approved subject to conditions.

The Principal Planning Officer outlined the application and provided a presentation which included maps, elevations, street scene visuals and photographs of the proposed site and advised that the reserved matters application was for the delivery of a primary school, playing fields and a community centre which lay to the west of Landimore Road.  The application for the first phase, land to east and west of the site, had previously been approved.

The proposed community centre and school buildings would be located in the south eastern part of the site with the playing fields occupying the western part of the site. Access to both the school and community centre would be from the new estate road to the south.

The proposed school would provide a two-form entry primary school and had been designed to accommodate 420 pupils.

The proposed community centre would provide 456m² of floor space. Comprised of two separate halls with the remainder of the building providing provide ancillary space, a foyer, office, storage rooms and toilets as well as a separate disabled toilet, baby changing room and shower.

There would be a 35 space car park for school staff and separate car park for the community centre providing 49 spaces. The community centre car park would also serve as a drop-off and pick-up parking area for the school. Each with their own vehicular access points.  A Parking Management Strategy would be required to be submitted to, and approved by, the Local Planning Authority before the development could be brought into use.

Two pedestrian accesses would be provided off Sparrowhawk Crescent and a further pedestrian access provided to the north.

The development would include playgrounds and a large playing field.

Whilst the perimeter of the school site was proposed to be secured with black weldmesh fencing, the site frontage would be left open which reflected the Design Code.

The Principal Planning Officer drew Members’ attention to the committee updates and amended recommendation, advising that the Lead Local Flood Authority had not formally commented on the detailed design of the proposed drainage scheme for the site.

In response to Member’s enquiries the Principal Planning Officer advised that the application was the second phase and a plan was displayed which identified the areas that had been approved and the remainder of the area to be developed.

The Section 106 Agreement required a 2 form entry primary school, serving children ages 4 to 11, but there was no requirement for nursery provision.

Environmental Health had recommended a restriction of operational hours for the community centre, due to proximity of housing and to protect the amenity of the area.  The Development Management Manager further advised the Members could consider an amendment to Condition 7 and vary the hours of opening.

The detailed soft landscaping scheme would include the playing fields.

To enable all year use of the sports pitches, the drainage for the playing fields could be included in the landscaping condition.

Whilst the colour palette did not comply with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 103.

Report to Follow:

Neighbouring Authority Re-Consultation - Ref 22/01488/OUT (Construction of up to 140,000 sq m of employment floorspace (use class B8 with ancillary offices and facilities) and servicing and infrastructure including new site accesses, internal roads and footpaths, landscaping including earthworks to create development platforms and bunds, drainage features and other associated works including demolition of the existing farmhouse)

The report will contain the Councils response to a consultation it has received from Cherwell District Council regarding the above planning application. The planning application that Cherwell DC is determining is now subject to a non-determination appeal (PINS Appeal Ref: APP/C3105/W/22/3311992) that has been lodged with the Planning Inspectorate. West Northamptonshire Council has been advised by the Planning Inspectorate that any comments it wishes to make on the planning application must be made by the 31^st January 2023. The Committee report will set out the Councils proposed objections to the Planning application.

The Principal Planning Officer outlined the information in the report that had been included in the Committee Updates and advised that, as a result of the applicant submitting an appeal for non-determination, Cherwell District Council had informed West Northamptonshire Council on 28 December 2022 that a consultation response would have to be submitted to The Planning Inspectorate by 31 January 2023.

The outline application for construction of up to 140,000 sq m of employment floorspace (use class B8 with ancillary offices and facilities) and servicing and infrastructure comprised of 66.15Ha of agricultural (greenfield) land would abut West Northamptonshire Council’s boundary.

The site had not been allocated for development in Cherwell District Council’s Development Plan.

The roads in the area were already heavily congested and in poor condition, the increased traffic from the development would have a significant impact on congestion and road surfaces.

The Conservation Officer had assessed the potential impact on two nearby heritage assets, the Grade II designated Seales Farm and Overthorpe Hall and had been satisfied that both had been considered.

The loss of habitat and foraging areas would have an impact on the wildlife within West Northamptonshire Council. 

Further consideration needed to be given to the potential impact on the Great Crested Newt population in the local landscape area.

A landscape and visual impact study had been submitted and identified that the land levels and topography would mitigate the visual impact on some aspects of the area.  However, it had not fully demonstrated effective mitigation to the landscape and visual impact to land within West Northamptonshire, or the visual impact on the rural landscape to the north of the site.

In response to Member’s enquiries the Principal Planning Officer advised that:

The original application had been submitted in June 2022 and there had been two subsequent re-consultations.  Cherwell District Council had been advised, by the applicant, on the first expiry date that they would need to submit a non-determination appeal.

National Highways had issued holding directions (expiring 21st March 2023) indicating that the application proposals should not be determined until they had time to properly assess the implications of development on the strategic highway network. 

Cherwell District Council would not be in a position to determine the application until National Highways had provided a response.

Cherwell District Council had not issued an official decision.  Consultation responses were still being sought including those relating to highways and air quality.

Members considered the report and presentation and noted that:

The site was not designated in Cherwell District Council’s local plan and went against policy.

Flood attenuation had not been considered.

Concerns were expressed at the impact that the increased traffic would have on local villages and the additional congestion on the existing roundabout and M40 junction.

That no Community Infrastructure Levy would be afforded to West Northamptonshire Council to mitigate the costs of the detrimental effects of traffic on the roads and infrastructure.

That the playing area of the two Overthorpe Schools extended to the boundary of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104.