Agenda item

Residential development comprising up to 240 dwellings including associated internal accesses, parking, internal road and footpath network, open space, children's play areas, community garden with associated parking, drainage attenuation works, landscaping, vehicular access from the B4009, emergency access from Hale Road and land to be safeguarded for future infrastructure to form part of the Edge Road around Benson.

The committee considered outline planning application P17/S1964/O for a residential development of up to 240 dwellings included associated internal accesses, parking, internal road and footpath network, open space, children’s play areas, community garden with associated parking, drainage attenuation works, landscaping, vehicular access from the B4009, emergency access from Hale Road and land to be safeguarded for future infrastructure to form part of the Edge Road around Benson and to the north of Watlington Road/The Sands (B4009) and east of Hale Road, Benson. Apart from access, all matters are reserved for subsequent approval.

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.

Ian Glyn, a representative of Berrick Salome Parish Council, spoke objecting to the application.  His main areas of concern were as follows:

·         Consideration of this application is premature when the Benson Neighbourhood Plan is due to go to referendum in late June.

·         The neighbourhood plan is open to challenge in the context of the relief road.

·         The Chalgrove airfield development is one of the main reasons for the relief road, yet it is now in doubt for inclusion in the Local Plan;

·         One of the proposed expressway routes will affect the traffic flow proposed by the relief way.

·         Ben 5 is currently being appealed and if won, will destabilise the support infrastructure.

Jon Fowler, a representative of Benson Parish Council and chair of the Benson Neighbourhood Plan Group spoke in support of the application. The site is allocated in the Benson neighbourhood plan, due to it being key for the provision of the Benson relief road. The relief road was cited as a priority as identified in the First Oxfordshire housing needs assessment carried out with Benson residents. Oxfordshire County Council supports the proposal and the independent examiner, who assessed the neighbourhood plan was content the site met planning policy objectives.

Christopher Kilduff and Paul McCann, local residents, spoke objecting to the application.  Their concerns can be summarised as follows:

·         The development will alter the relationship between Rokemarsh and Benson. The proposal would make Rokemarsh part of a Benson housing estate, the distinction between them should be preserved.

·         The scale of development is excessive and will have an urbanising effect.

David Murray-Cox, the applicant’s agent, spoke in support of the application and can be summarised as follows:

·         The Benson Neighbourhood Plan is locally-led, at an advanced stage and can be afforded substantial weight.

·         The relief road will be 6m wide with additional cycle and pedestrian paths on either side.

·         Oxfordshire County Council have not objected on educational grounds.

Sue Cooper, one of the local ward councillors, spoke to the application requesting a cycle route from the development to Rokemarsh. 

Felix Bloomfield, one of the local ward councillors, spoke to the application expressing concerns about the relief road moving traffic issues to different residents and that an extra 240 properties is a significant addition to developments already permitted.

In response to questions raised by the committee, the officers reported that:

·         Legal advice was sought regarding the consideration of this application prior to the result of the neighbourhood plan referendum, the barrister was satisfied with the timing. If not considered, there would be a risk of the applicants appealing on the grounds of non-determination.

·         Officers are confident that the relief road will be delivered.

Whilst committee members understood the sentiments of Berrick Salome Parish Council and local residents and expressed their frustration due to the prematurity of considering the application so close to the neighbourhood plan referendum, they were confident that with the support of the Benson Parish Council and substantial weight that the neighbourhood plan carried at this stage. Members congratulated Benson on getting their neighbourhood plan to the referendum stage, recognising the amount of work and community involvement that the process requires. They were also satisfied with the green buffer offered to the north of the site, the 40% affordable housing and that all further details will need to come back to committee for consideration at the reserved matters stage.

A motion, moved and seconded, to authorise the head of planning to approve the application was declared carried on being put to the vote.

RESOLVED: to authorise the head of planning to grant planning permission for application P17/S1964/O, subject to:

To delegate authority to grant planning permission to the Head of Planning

subject to:

I.        The prior completion of a Section 106 agreement to secure the affordable housing, financial contributions and other obligations stated above; and

II.        The following conditions:

1.    Commencement - outline with reserved matters.

2.    Approved plans.

3.    Maximum number of dwellings approved plans.

4.    Levels (details required).

5.    Materials.

6.    Market housing mix (outline).

7.    Refuse and recycling storage (details required).

8.    Contaminated land (preliminary risk assessment).

9.    Contaminated land - remediation strategy.

10. Foul drainage works (details required).

11. Surface water drainage works (details required).

12. Construction environmental management plan.

13. Biodiversity enhancement plan.

14. Roman snail.

15. Landscape and ecology management plan.

16. Hard landscaping.

17. Soft landscaping.

18. Open space.

19. Community garden.

20. Tree protection (general).

21. Implementation of programme or archaeological work.

22. Edge Road and occupation.

23. New vehicular access.

24. Estate accesses, driveways and turning areas.

25. Access Hale Road.

26. Travel plan and travel information pack.

27. Public right of way maintained.

28. Construction method statement.

29. Hours of operation - construction/demolition sites.

30. Construction noise.

31. Noise assessment and control (internal and external noise).

32. Air quality management.