Issue - meetings

Application for development comprising of up to 140 dwellings and extension of Sketchley Meadows Business Park for up to 30,000 sq m (322,920 sq ft) gross external floor space for Class B2 General Industrial/Class B8 Warehousing and Distribution use with associated means of access from Watling Drive and Sketchley Lane, associated internal estate roads, parking, landscaping, open space and sustainable drainage (Outline - including access).

Late items (amended recommendation at the end of the text):

Policies:-

Burbage Neighbourhood Plan:

•           Policy 1: Settlement Boundary

•           Policy 3: Design and Layout

•           Policy 4 Parking

•           Policy 7: Protection of other important green spaces

·                     Policy 8:Ridge and Furrow Fields

•           Policy 9: Biodiversity

•           Policy 20: Business and retail

Appraisal:-

Assessment against planning policies

Since the publication of the committee report, the Burbage Neighbourhood Plan has been published Under Regulation 18, and can therefore be now afforded substantial weight.

Policies 1 of the Burbage Neighbourhood Plan (BNP) sets out a presumption in favour of residential development adjacent to the defined settlement boundary within the BNP as long as it accords with other plan policies.  The development lies adjacent to three settlement boundaries and therefore is acceptable in principle subject to it complying with other policies within the plan. 

Policy 9 seeks to protect and enhance the network of green spaces, stepping stones and wildlife corridors including species rich hedgerows, which provide a valuable linear network allowing for the movement, as well as providing a habitat, for wildlife.

Over 40% of the Parish has been developed due to its close proximity to Hinckley. The remaining area is predominantly improved grassland and arable, providing a valuable green lung for the community. Those sites that do survive are therefore proportionately of high significance in the local context and help to define Burbage’s character.  To protect these areas from further development a Green Corridor has been introduced.

The Green Corridor runs across the site east to west and also includes a large area of land adjacent to the existing employment and A5. The application is in outline however the indicative layout when compared to the areas identified as Green Corridor results in the majority of the commercial area being undevelopable along with areas of the residential.  As proposed the site cannot be developed whilst protecting and enhancing the Green Corridors and therefore the application is considered contrary to Policy 9 of the Burbage Neighbourhood Plan.

Planning Balance

Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and S70(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 require that applications for planning permission must be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

The housing policies in the adopted Core Strategy and the adopted SADMP are now considered to be out of date as they focussed on delivery of a lower housing requirement than required by the up-to-date figure. The Council also cannot demonstrate a 5 year housing land supply. Therefore, the ‘tilted’ balance in paragraph 11(d) of the Framework  ...  view the full agenda text for item 370

Application for development comprising up to 140 dwellings and extension of Sketchley Meadows Business Park for up to 30,000 sq m gross external floor space for class B2 general industrial / class B8 warehousing and distribution use with associated means of access from Watling Drive and Sketchley Lane, associated means of access from Watling Drive and Sketchley Lane, associated internal estate roads, parking, landscaping, open space and sustainable drainage (outline – including access)

At this juncture, Councillors Bray, Flemming and Lynch declared a personal interest as a member of Burbage Parish Council but stated he had come to the meeting with an open mind.

It was highlighted that the officer’s recommendation had been amended to that of refusal since publication of the report due to the Burbage Neighbourhood Plan having been published in the intervening period and now being afforded substantial weight.

Whilst in support of the amended recommendation, some members felt that the proposed development would also be harmful to the intrinsic value, character and beauty of the open countryside due to harm to the view from the footpath contrary to policy DM4 and would have significant adverse impact upon highway safety contrary to policy DM17. It was moved by Councillor Findlay and seconded by Councillor Walker that the application be refused in accordance with the officer’s recommendation and the abovementioned additional reasons. Upon being put to the vote, the motion was CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED – permission be refused for the following reasons:

(i)            The application proposes commercial and residential development on areas identified as a green corridor. The green corridors have been identified as important areas that should be protected due to their contribution to the character of Burbage. The development would neither protect nor enhance the green corridor and therefore the development is contrary to policies 1 and 9 of the Burbage Neighbourhood Plan;

(ii)           The development would be harmful to the intrinsic value, character and beauty of the open countryside contrary to policy DM4;

(iii)          The development would have significant adverse impact on highway safety contrary to policy DM17.

Application for development comprising of up to 140 dwellings and extension of Sketchley Meadows Business Park for up to 30,000 sq m (322,920 sq ft) gross external floor space for Class B2 General Industrial/Class B8 Warehousing and Distribution use with associated means of access from Watling Drive and Sketchley Lane, associated internal estate roads, parking, landscaping, open space and sustainable drainage. (Outline - including access).

‘Late items:’

This item has been withdrawn from the agenda.

It was noted that this item had been withdrawn from the agenda.