Agenda item

P20/S0928/FUL - Land at The Elms, Upper High Street, Thame

The erection of an extra care development (Use Class C2) of 66 units; 3 guest rooms; a communal resident's centre with staff facilities; provision of car, cycle and mobility scooter parking; the creation of new public open space; the provision of new pedestrian/cycle links from Upper High Street to Elms Road and Elms Park; and associated infrastructure works and landscaping.

 

Minutes:

Councillor David Bretherton and Councillor Kate Gregory, local ward councillors, stood down from the committee for consideration of this item.

 

The committee considered application P20/S0928/FUL for the erection of an extra care development (Use Class C2) of 66 units; 3 guest rooms; a communal resident's centre with staff facilities; provision of car, cycle and mobility scooter parking; the creation of new public open space; the provision of new pedestrian/cycle links from Upper High Street to Elms Road and Elms Park; and associated infrastructure works and landscaping on land at the Elms, Upper High Street, Thame.

 

Consultations, representations, policy and guidance and the site’s planning history were detailed in the officer’s report which formed part of the agenda pack for this meeting.

 

The planning officer reported that site was located within the centre of Thame in the vicinity of several listed buildings. The site was within the Thame Conservation Area and currently there was no public access through the site.

The application site had an extant planning permission and listed building consent for 37 dwellings and associated works.  The permission was extant as all pre-commencement conditions had been discharged and the access to the site had been implemented in accordance with the approved plans.  The extant planning permission was a significant material consideration in the determination of this application. An application in 2018 was refused under delegated powers and was the subject of an appeal.

 

As part of the appeal process, the council and the appellant were required to agree common ground and this was set out in a statement of common ground (SoCG). This enabled the Inspector to identify the main issues. A copy of the SoCG was attached as Appendix 2 of the report.  The Inspector set out the main issues in the determination of the appeal in paragraph 12 of the Decision Letter, which were set out in paragraph 2.4 of the report. The Inspector’s conclusions on the main issues, which resulted in his dismissal of the appeal, were of significant importance in the determination of this current application (the inspector’s reasons and details of the applicants’ high court challenge were set out in paragraphs 2.7 to 2.37 of the report). The committee noted that the appeal decision had included a reference to less than substantial harm. 

 

The planning officer reported that the proposed scheme opened up routes for public access and improved connectivity in Thame.  Key visualisations of these routes were shown to the committee as part of the presentation of the report. The scheme had a 21% footprint reduction in comparison to the extant scheme. The report provided information on the significant need for older persons’ accommodation in the district and gave details on the assessment of that need through the Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment (2014), updated through the Authority Monitoring Report (2019). These details were provided in paragraphs 8.26 to 8.31 of the committee’s report.

 

The committee noted that the proposal was contrary to Thame Neighbourhood Plan policies, which allowed for only 45 residential dwellings at the Elms. The planning officer reported that the scheme would deliver a policy-compliant affordable housing contribution, of which there was an overwhelming need. The housing officer had confirmed that it was appropriate that this contribution was made off-site, having regard to the nature of the development.  The contribution was a significant benefit, which should be afforded significant weight. Additionally, the proposed development would result in job creation during construction and operation, and the use would add to economic activity in the area.

 

Other benefits associated with the development would be the delivery of a good mix of housing types, a heritage benefit concerning improved public open space and the opening up of the park, and significant infrastructure benefits, besides the off-site affordable housing element, through the S.106 agreement.

 

Mr. Graeme Markland, a representative of Thame Town Council, spoke objecting to the application.

 

Mr. Adrian Reynolds, a local resident, spoke objecting to the application.

 

Mr Mark Sitch, the agent, spoke in support of the application.

 

Councillor Kate Gregory, a local ward councillor, spoke objecting to the application.

 

Councillor David Bretherton, a local ward councillor, spoke objecting to the application.

 

The committee questioned the planning officer in respect of the basis of the calculation for the affordable housing element and were sceptical that the number of off-site units quoted in the report would be realised. The planning officer reported that the figures were the result of detailed work undertaken by a specialist housing officer, who was not present at the meeting. The committee considered that it required comprehensive information on affordable housing, the financial contribution and the number of units, and therefore at the present time did not have all the relevant information upon which to make a decision.  It considered that it would be appropriate to defer consideration of this application and to invite the housing officer to the meeting when the application would be determined.

 

A motion moved and seconded, to defer consideration of the application, to permit further detail on the affordable housing element to be brought to the committee, was declared carried on being put to the vote.

 

RESOLVED: to defer consideration of application P20/S0928/FUL pending further information in respect of affordable housing.

Supporting documents:

 

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