Agenda item

Outline application for proposed development of up to 50 dwellings (all matters reserved, except access).

Late items received after preparation of main agenda:

Consultations:-

One further letter of objection has been received from Cllr Harris since the publication of the reports as summarised as below;

“Due to being a newly elected Councillor for HBBC, an application has recently been brought to my attention. Application 22/00527/OUT. I would request, if possible, my concerns be raised in the planning committee meeting due to take place this evening, as a late item.My concerns are those of Stanton under Bardon’s Parish council’s back in 2022.”

Stanton under Bardon Parish Council objected to the application in 2022 for the following reasons:

·                The application makes no reference to the Public Right of Way (R19), which crosses the site. 

·                Highway safety concerns:  Additional traffic from 50 houses is, “Unsustainable.” 

·                Both accesses to the site are located either near to a junction or a bend. The Parish Council considered that access and egress from the site by large vehicles, such as refuse lorries, will require the full width of the carriageway to enable them sufficient turning, which is likely to be a hazard. 

·                Main Street in Stanton under Bardon has several pinch points where parking further restricts road width. 

·                Increasing pressure on existing infrastructure  Stanton under Bardon Primary School is not able to accommodate additional pupils. Nearby villages such as Markfield and Thornton are also under pressure due to the increased number of properties in the area. 

·                The Severn Trent Water sewage facility on Thornton Lane is already under severe pressure, and is known to overflow, which causes effluent to enter the water course and the reservoir system. There have been 147 instances of overflow into the brooks in the last 12 months. 

·                Significant adverse effect on the intrinsic value, beauty, open character, and landscape character of the countryside, contrary to Policy DM4 and Policy DM9 of the SADMP. 

·                The development is outside of the settlement boundary.  The development exacerbates ribbon development.  Residential development does not safeguard the Borough’s natural and semi-natural open spaces.  The site is not contiguous with the current settlement boundary and is considered to be a standalone site.

·                Unsustainable location for development. 

·                Limited and poor bus services through Stanton under Bardon. The only facilities available to residents are two churches, the village hall, and one public open house. The community shop closed in March 2020.”

On 25 May 2023, Stanton under Bardon Parish Council have again objected to the application for the following reasons:

·                The site is outside of the Settlement Boundary as determined in the Site Allocations and Development Management Policies DPD. The site does not appear on the plan shown in within this document. The site is not contiguous with the current boundary of the village and, thus, would be a standalone site.

·                The development of the site would be contrary to Policy DM4 of HBBC's SADMP. This policy aims to safeguard the countryside with certain exceptions. The site would have a significant adverse effect on the intrinsic value, beauty open character and landscape character of the countryside. It will exacerbate ribbon development.

·                The development is contrary to Policy DM9 which aims to safeguard the natural and semi-natural open spaces. The construction of housing would not meet the criteria for exception to this policy.

·                The application makes no reference to the right of way R19 which crosses the site.

·                Main Street Stanton under Bardon has several pinch points where parking further restricts road width. Additional traffic from 50 houses would be unsustainable.

·                The community shop closed in March 2020 and there are currently no plans to reopen. The only facilities available to residents is two churches, the village hall and one public house.

·                The bus service through Stanton under Bardon is poor, with only four buses per day and none on Sundays. The first arrival in Coalville is 0925 and in Leicester 0825 making it unsuitable for workers.

·                Stanton under Bardon school is an Edwardian building with some more recent additions. Despite the erection of some 98 houses over the last ten years, there has been no increase in the size of school. The school hires the Village Hall during the winter to give additional space for exercise purposes. The school would not be able to accommodate additional pupils. Nearby villages such as Markfield and Thornton are also under pressure due to the increased number of properties either under construction or under consideration for planning.

·                The services to Stanton under Bardon are under severe pressure. Severn Trent Water regularly send tankers to empty the storage tanks at the sewage facility on Thornton Lane. This facility is known to overflow, causing effluent to enter the water course and, ultimately, the reservoir system. There have been 147 instances of overflow into the brooks recorded in the last 12 months.

·                Both accesses to the site are located either near to a junction or bad bend. Access by large vehicles such as refuse lorries requires the full carriageway to enable them sufficient turning. This is a road hazard.

1.1.       Policy 19 of the Core Strategy identifies standards for play and open space within the borough. Developments should accord with the policy and provide acceptable open space within the development, or if that is not possible contribute towards the provision and maintenance of open space off site. The Open Space and Recreation Study 2016, updates these standards and also identifies the costs for off-site and on-site contributions. In line with the up-to-date standards identified in the 2016 study the table below identified the requirements for open space, which is provided on site and what would be the requirements off site.

1.2.       On 06 June 2023, the Council’s Compliance and Monitoring Officer advised that that the following provisions should be provided via S106 Agreement, and off-site contributions where on-site provision cannot be fully provided:

[Table 1: Open space requirements.]

[Table 2: Open space requirements.]

1.3.        The Open Space and Recreation Study (2016) requires developments of 10-200 dwellings to provide equipped open space on site with all dwellings within 100m of a LAP and 400m of a LEAP. The Open Space and Recreation Study (2016), highlights that deficiency in formal open space, amenity green space and facilities for teenagers in Stanton under Bardon. 

1.4.        The illustrative site layout shows that the residents of the development would be within 400m of an existing LEAP, but no LAP is currently suggested to be provided within the site. The other areas of open space on site are areas of casual/informal play and accessible green space. 

1.5.        The policy requirement would be for 180sqm of on-site equipped play, but there is existing provision nearby (STA05 – Stanton Under Bardon Recreation Ground) with a quality score below the required 80%.  However, on-site provision is preferred.

1.6.        The policy requirement of up to 840sqm is preferably provided on site and will include a LAP.  An on-site maintenance contribution is applicable for this provision.

1.7.        No on-site outdoor sports provision is made and so a contribution is required towards off-site provision at STA05 – Stanton Under Bardon Recreation Ground plus maintenance, which has a quality score below the required 80%. 

1.8.        The majority of the open space on site is to consist of accessible natural green space.  A total of 2000qm is required from 50 dwellings, and on on-site maintenance contribution is applicable for this provision. 

1.9.        Given that the application is for outline planning permission, the sums of money above are indicative and will be dependant of final layout submissions, however, any agreed s106 would obligate the developer to provide the minimum policy requirements.

1.10.     The developer will also be obligated to provide and then transfer the on-site open space area to a management company, or, in the alternative, request that either the Borough Council or the Parish Council maintain it. If the land is transferred to the Borough Council or Parish Council, the open space area would be transferred to the relevant authority together with a maintenance contribution.

1.11.     The provision of Play and Open Space is required for compliance with Policies 12 and 19 of the Core Strategy and Policy DM3 of the adopted SADMP. These Policies are consistent with the NPPF in helping to achieve the social objective of sustainable development through promoting healthy and safe communities as addressed in section of 8 of the NPPF. The provision of play and open space helps support communities’ health, social and cultural well-being and is therefore necessary. Core Strategy Policy 12 requires development in Stanton under Bardon to address existing deficiencies in the quality, quantity and accessibility of green space and play provision. Policy 19 sets out the standards to ensure all residents within the borough, including those in new development have access to sufficient high quality accessible green spaces.

1.12.     Using the adopted Open Space and Recreation Study (2016) the obligations and contributions directly relate to the proposed development. The extent of the Open Space and Recreation contribution and provision is directly related in scale and kind to the development and its impacts upon surrounding publicly accessible open spaces. The delivery of these obligations is policy compliant and has been applied fairly as with all development of this typology, the developer is not obligated to provide anything above policy compliant position and therefore the contribution relates in scale and kind.

No further late items have been received.

Application for development of up to 50 dwellings (all matters reserved, except access)

The agent spoke on this application.

It was moved by Councillor Bray and seconded by Councillor R Allen that a condition be added to ensure provision of broadband. Upon being put to the vote, the motion was CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED –

(i)            Permission be granted subject to:

a.    the conditions outlined in the officer’s report;

b.    an additional condition requiring broadband provision;

c.    the entering into of a S106 agreement.

(ii)          The Head of Planning be granted powers to determine the final detail of planning conditions.