Agenda item

Application for residential development of 99 dwellings with associated infrastructure vehicular access and areas of open space.

Late items received after preparation of the main agenda:

Introduction:-

Following the publication of the committee report, an amended Site Layout Drawing (ref: 100-634/(P)001 Rev W) has been received altering the internal road network along with  amended Vehicle Swept Path plans, boundary treatment plan, materials plan and maintenance and tenure plans.

An amended Financial Viability Review has also been received from the Council’s Viability Appraiser reappraising the revised scheme of 99 dwellings. A consultation response has been received from LCC Planning Obligations.

Appraisal:-

Internal Road Network

The Highway Authority (LHA) previously commented that the internal road network was unsuitable for adoption. In response to their concerns raised, the applicant has submitted a revised internal layout with a view to addressing the outstanding concerns raised by the LHA. The LHA has confirmed that based on the amended plan the internal road network is now considered suitable for adoption and updated conditions and informatives are recommended.

Due to the alterations made to the internal road network, other plans using this layout have also been altered. Minor amendments are shown on the boundary treatment plan, the materials plan, the tenure and maintenance plans and the vehicle swept path plans. These amendments do not alter the previous comments in the committee report on the design and impact on the character of the area of the proposal.  

Amended Financial Viability Review

Following receipt of a late contribution request for secondary school education received from LCC (as discussed in paragraph 8.97 of the committee report), the Council has sought to update the Financial Viability Review based on the amended scheme of 99 dwellings. A Sense Test Appraisal has been produced by the Council’s Consultant based on the delivery of affordable housing and the timely progression of the scheme.

The Sense Test Appraisal confirms that the proposal can support an additional £136,110 of contributions which in this case would be towards secondary school education at The Market Bosworth School. The applicant has agreed to this additional contribution. Therefore, the total education contribution funded by the proposal would be £184,412.07.

The education contribution would provide a shortfall of £78,293.63. Whilst the viability of the proposal can only support 70% of the education contribution requested, as discussed in paragraph 8.98 of the committee report, the wording in the Section 106 Agreement would require applicants allocated to the proposed housing, in the first instance, to have a local connection to Barlestone. Many of these applicants will have children already enrolled at the local schools.

A consultation response has been received from LCC Planning Obligations confirming that a contribution of £184,412.07 is acceptable. They have asked if the contribution could cater for secondary needs in one of the following academies:  Market Bosworth, Bosworth and South Charnwood academies. The contribution is for The Market Bosworth School academy. It is therefore recommended that the education contribution is acceptable and does comply with the CIL Regulations.

Planning Balance

Housing Land Supply

On 25 March 2021, ONS published the latest median house price to median gross annual workplace based earnings ratios used in step 2 of the standard method for calculating local housing need as set out in paragraph 2a-004 of the PPG. The application of the new ratio means that the local housing need for Hinckley and Bosworth is now 450 dwellings per annum (rather than 452 dwellings per annum using the previous ratio). Using this updated figure the Council can now demonstrate a 5.01 year housing land supply.

The housing policies are considered to be out-of-date and therefore paragraph 11(d) of the NPPF is triggered and permission should be granted unless adverse impacts would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in the Framework taken as a whole. This is a material consideration to weigh in the context of the statutory requirement to determine applications and appeals in accordance with the Development Plan unless considerations indicate otherwise. The tilted balance of Paragraph 11d) of the NPPF is engaged, irrespective of the housing land supply figure. This is a product of the age of the plan and the out-of-date evidence base it relies upon. The Core Strategy plans for a minimum requirement of 9,000 dwellings over a 20 year period between 2006-2026, this equates to 450 dwellings per annum. This figure was derived from the East Midlands Regional Plan and was considered the ‘end point’ for housing need requirements for that period. The Site Allocations and Development Management Policies DPD is also based upon these requirements in terms of the allocations it makes and the settlement boundaries it fixes.  The Standard Methodology set by government currently identifies a requirement for Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council of 450 dwellings per annum. Whilst the figure is the same as the Core Strategy requirement, it is the ‘starting point’ for the need; the ‘end point’ has not yet been assessed and the allocations to meet it / the new settlement boundaries will not be confirmed until the publication of the new Local Plan. The new Local Plan period will cover 2019-2039.

The Planning Balance undertaken in section 9 of the committee report remains unaltered in that, on balance, the level of harm from the proposal does not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the identified benefits of the scheme when assessed against the Framework as a whole. Therefore, the presumption in favour of sustainable development does apply in this case and material considerations outweigh the conflict with some elements of the development plan.

Recommendation:-

The recommendation contained in the Committee Report remains unaltered. However, the S106 agreement should be amended to secure the amended education contribution of £184,412.07.

Conditions 2 and 18 should be amended to read:

2.            The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out otherwise than in

complete accordance with the submitted application details, as follows:

Drg No: c-1757-03 (Tree Removal Plan) received by the local planning authority on 15 May 2020

Drg No: 100-634/(P) 023D (Site Location Plan) received by the local planning authority on 1 June 2020

House Types Drgs No: 100-634/(P) 042; 043; 01 3D; 01 2D; 01 1D; 00 9D; 00 8C; 00 7D; 00 5C; 00 4C; 03 0B; 02 8B; 02 6B; 02 0D; 01 6D; 01 5D; 01 4D; 01 8F received on 20 October 2020

Drgs No: T20025 SK01 Rev B and SK02 Rev B; all received on 25 January 2021

Drg No: C1757-04 (Tree Removal Plan) received on 26 January 2021

Drgs No: c1757 01 Rev D and c1757-02 Rev D (Detailed Landscaping Proposals) received on 24 February 2021

Drg No: 20025 1 Rev K (Drainage); 2 Rev K (Drainage); 3 Rev H (Drainage) all received on 3 March 2021

Drgs No: 022H (Street Scenes) received on 8 March 2021

Drgs No: 100-634/(P) 001 W (Site Layout); 002 (O) (Boundary Treatment); 003R (Materials Plan) 038K (Tenure Plan); 039J (Maintenance Areas Plan); 040K (Maintenance and Tenure Plan; T20025 SK03 Rev I; SK04 Rev I; SK05 Rev I; SK08 Rev G and SK09 Rev G all received on 25 March 2021

Reason: To ensure a satisfactory form of development in accordance with Policies DM1, DM10 and DM12 of the Site Allocations and Development Management Policies Development Plan Document (2016).

18.      Each dwelling hereby permitted shall not be occupied until such time as the parking and turning facilities for that dwelling have been implemented in accordance with Drg No:100-634/(P)001 Rev W. Thereafter the onsite parking provision shall be so maintained in perpetuity.

Reason: To ensure that adequate off-street parking provision is made to reduce the possibility of the proposed development leading to on-street parking problems locally in the interests of highway safety and in accordance with Policy DM17 of the SADMP (2016).

Application for residential development of 99 dwellings with associated infrastructure, vehicular accesses and areas of open space.

It was moved by Councillor W Crooks and seconded by Councillor Sheppard-Bools that the application be deferred for a site visit to allow members the opportunity to view the roads and traffic around the site.

It was moved by Councillor R Allen and seconded by Councillor Roberts that permission be granted. As the second motion, this was not put.

As the first valid motion, the motion to defer was put to the vote and subsequently CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED – the application be deferred to give members the opportunity to visit the site.