Agenda item

Demolition of existing buildings and development of 71 residential units comprising 51 houses and 20 flats with associated access, servicing, parking, amenity space and landscaping.

The committee considered planning application P19/S2350/FUL for the demolition of existing buildings and development of 71 residential units comprising 51 houses and 20 flats with associated access, servicing, parking, amenity space and landscaping, on land west of Fairmile, Henley-on-Thames.  

 

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 the meeting. 

 

The planning officer introduced the report and highlighted that the application was brought to the committee as the site incorporated land owned by the council. In addition, the planning officer also made a number of corrections to the officers’ report including that two new plans had been submitted replacing appendix 9, there were now 179 parking spaces provided including 22 unallocated visitor spaces, there is no studio for plot 29, that paragraph two of the report should read 46 to 49 (not 46 and 49), and that no roof heigh now exceeded 9.4 metres measured from the finished ground floor level.

 

The planning officer informed the committee that the application was for full planning permission for 71 houses, of which 40 per cent were affordable homes, and associated works. It was also noted that the site was not in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty but a portion of the south side of the site was in the Henley Conservation Area.

 

The planning officer also informed the committee that the site was allocated for 72 residential units in the Joint Henley and Harpsden Neighbourhood Plan and therefore that the principle of development for this many units on the site was considered acceptable.

 

The objections from residents were also noted but the planning officer believed that, as the development was designed to appear low density, the landscape buffer and distance between buildings meet council policy, that there were no objections from the conservation officer, the 105 replacement trees for those that would be removed were satisfactory, the protected species could be protected through conditions and in the legal agreement, the pedestrian access to the south would be secured through the Section 106 agreement, and that the local highway authority was satisfied with the scheme subject to conditions, the application was satisfactory and recommended it be approved.  

 

Overall, as the site was allocated for several years in Joint Henley and Harpsden Neighbourhood Plan and that there were no objections to the application from technical consultees, the planning officer recommended it be approved, subject to conditions.

 

 

Councillors Ken Arlett spoke on behalf of Henley-on-Thames Town Council, in support of the application. 

 

Jaime Alto and Will Spriggs spoke objecting to the application. 

 

Simon Fruchter, the applicant, supported by Charles Merry, Tanya Jordan, David Parker, Jen Parker, Simon Hawkins, Luke Greysmith, and Matthew Tickner spoke in support of the application. 

 

 

The committee asked about the quality of the transport assessment but were satisfied with the planning officers’ clarification that this was assessed by the Local Highway Authority, and they had no objections.

 

On the cycle path linkage from the south of the site, members asked if the planned shared cycle path could be made segregated from the pedestrian path. The planning officer informed the committee that an existing footpath had to be extended to allow for a cycle path and that, as 3 metres’ width was acceptable, they were working to that width.

 

Overall, as the committee was satisfied with the provision for cyclists and the number of one and two storey flats and affordable homes and recognising that the site was allocated in the Joint Henley and Harpsden Neighbourhood Plan, they agreed that the application should be approved, subject to conditions.

 

A motion, moved and seconded, to authorise the head of planning, in consultation with the chair of the planning committee, to approve the application was carried on being put to the vote. 

 

 

RESOLVED: to authorise the head of planning to approve planning application P19/S2350/FUL, in consultation with the chair of the planning committee, subject to the following:

 

i) the prior completion of a Section 106 agreement with Oxfordshire

County Council and the District Council to secure

-         affordable housing

-         on site open space

-         pedestrian and cycle access to Luker Avenue

-         off-site translocation of reptiles

-         financial contributions and other obligations stated above, and

 

ii) the following conditions

 

1. Commencement of Development - Full planning permission

2. Approved Plans

3. New vehicular access into site –including ghost island on Fairmile

4. Vision Splay Details

5. Samples of materials and sample panel

6. Details of balcony/terrace screening

7. Levels

8. Landscaping details (including planting, retaining features and details of open space equipment)

9. Landscape Management

10.Details of tree pits

11.Archaeology Written Scheme of Investigation

12.Archaeology Staged Programme of archaeological evaluation and mitigation

13.Details of construction of pedestrian and cycle link to Luker Avenue

14.Turning areas and parking spaces

15.Electric Vehicle Charging details

16.Cycle parking facilities

17.Estate access, driveways and turning areas

18.Construction Traffic Management Plan

19.Construction Method Statement including hours of construction

20.Travel Plan Statement and Travel Information Pack

21.Contaminated Land-further investigations following vegetation clearance

22.Sustainable drainage scheme based on surface water drainage strategy

23.Sustainable drainage systems compliance report

24.Foul drainage scheme

25.Water network upgrades confirmation prior to occupation

26.Construction Environmental Management Plan for Biodiversity

27.Biodiversity Offsetting scheme

28.Biodiversity Enhancement Plan

29.Lighting details

30.Refuse and Recycling storage

31.Tree Protection in accordance with submitted Arboricultural Method statement Rev B and Tree Protection Plans Rev J.

32.Withdrawal of Permitted Development – Roof extensions and conversions

33.No garage conversion for plots 9,10,23,24 and 26-31

34.Internal dimensions to meet National Space Standards

35.Low nitrogen oxide boilers

36.Sustainability measures as approved

37.Energy Statement Compliance and Verification

38.Broadband infrastructure