Agenda item

Application for outline planning permission for up to 60 homes with associated open space and sustainable drainage with all matters reserved. As amended / clarified by plans and information received 17 September 2020.

Part way through the consideration of this application, members took a vote prior to the meeting guillotine of 8:30pm to continue consideration of this application and application P19/S1928/O (land off Cuxham Road, Watlington) in view of the fact that the applications were interrelated and that all the speakers were present.

 

The committee considered application P19/S1927/O for outline planning permission for up to 60 homes with associated open space and sustainable drainage with all matters reserved. As amended/clarified by plans and information received 17 September 2020, on land west of Pyrton Lane, Watlington.

 

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 the application sought permission for a residential development of up to 60 homes and associated open space and drainage.  The application was submitted in outline, with all matters reserved.  The matters of layout, scale, appearance, landscaping and access would be considered later under a ‘reserved matters’ application, if outline planning permission was granted.  It was also reported that the government’s Planning Casework Unit (PCU) had received a request from a third party to call-in the application. In the event of the committee approving the application, a referral to the PCU would be necessary.

 

The planning officer also reported that the site did not fall within any areas of special designation. The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Beauty (AONB) was located around the south and east of Watlington. Pyrton Conservation Area lay to the north and adjoined the northeast boundary of the application site.  This neighbouring land was associated with the Grade II* listed Pyrton Manor.  There were several other listed buildings within Pyrton Conservation Area.

The planning officer advised the committee that Watlington Parish Council had a “made” Neighbourhood Development Plan (WNDP). Pyrton Parish Council also had a “made” neighbourhood plan.  The WNDP aimed to provide a minimum of 238 new homes and included an indicative route for a re-aligned B4009 to the north and west of the town, in order to reduce congestion in Watlington town centre, to improve air quality, afford a less hostile pedestrian environment and provide a route for some through traffic.  The application site was thus allocated for development in the WNDP.  The site-specific policy (Site C) supported proposals for residential development on this site and required the proposal to comply with several amenity and environmental criteria. 

 

The committee’s attention was drawn to appendix B of the report, which was an illustrative layout depicting the route of the edge road, as shown in the WNDP.  On the basis of the indicative plan, the planning officer was satisfied that this site could accommodate 60 homes. The layout showed adequate open space and pockets of green space, with room for tree planting. This also would provide for a green buffer between the housing units and listed building Pyrton Manor. The planning officer reported that she had encouraged the applicant and neighbouring landowner to work together to find appropriate sensitive solutions for the boundary. It was also reported that the conservation officer had no objection to the application, but had commented that the development was likely to result in low level harm to the setting of heritage assets, but that this would be outweighed by the public benefits which would result.

 

The planning officer reported that at the request of Oxfordshire County Council (OCC), the applicant had submitted an alternative illustrative layout plan.  This was due to the exact route of the edge road not being finalised at this time.  The plans showed that, in combination, the application site and the neighbouring development site (Site B) could deliver the edge road along either of the two options identified for the possible route of the road.

 

To illustrate the possible routes of the edge road, the committee was advised that the plans attached as appendix C in the report showed the indicative layout with an alternative route for the edge road, utilising the existing roundabout serving Willow Close. This route was not shown in the WNDP, but was the alternative option being explored by OCC and was shown as safeguarded in the South Oxfordshire Local Plan (SOLP) 2035.  OCC were carrying out an ‘optioneering’ exercise to determine the best route for the edge road, but had not yet issued an outcome.

 

The planning officer also reported that as the application had been submitted in outline, with access as a reserved matter, the access point was not a matter to be considered under this application. 

 

The planning officer reported a recent occurrence of relevance to this application; an appeal scheme on site A allowed in 2020 was now being implemented, as building works has started on site. That application had shown the edge road. The planning officer had held discussions with the developer of site A, who was a willing to withdraw undetermined application which proposed utilisation of the Willow Close roundabout for the edge road. Therefore, this route, effectively the OCC’s route, would no longer be available.

 

The planning officer also reported that as part of the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal, Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) had secured funding to forward fund delivery of parts of the edge road beyond the identified development sites along it. OCC was preparing a planning application for the road and that council’s ambition was to deliver the road by late 2023/early 2024.  The planning officer reported that the contributions/obligations which had been secured by OCC to mitigate the impact of the development were incorrectly stated at paragraph 6.70 of the report; instead of a £7,000 per dwelling contribution towards Watlington edge road, this figure should read £7,400.  The applicant was aware of this correction and had agreed the amounts.

 

 

The planning officer clarified that the comments made by the highways officer about two 4 by 4s being able to pass each other along Pyrton Lane was only in reference to the part of Pyrton Lane that was to the north of where the edge road would meet Pyrton Lane.  The edge road through this site and the neighbouring site would by-pass the southern part of Pyrton Lane, including the tight ‘s’ bends and house frontages, where there was considerable safety concern.  The county council comments added that the edge road within the two sites would be required prior to first occupation of the sites so that no occupants would need to travel through the part of Pyrton Lane where the ‘s’ bends were.  The highways officer had confirmed that this would be secured through the provision of the legal agreement that would need to be completed before planning permission was granted. 

 

The planning officer informed the committee that under the new local plan a new housing tenure mix had been proposed, as detailed in paragraphs 6.6 to 6.10 of the report. Policy H9 of the SOLP 2035 required a tenure mix of 40 per cent affordable rented, 35 per cent rented and 25 per cent other affordable routes to home ownership.  The council’s housing development team would be preparing new comments on the application based on the requirements of SOLP 2035 policy H9.

 

The planning officer reported that an additional condition 28 would be recommended, which would be in addition to recommended condition 22 (air quality mitigation measures). To maintain control over all of housing, there would be a requirement for on plot electric vehicle charging points for all housing, communal parking and on street parking. These measures could be secured through a s106 agreement. The developer had anticipated these proposals and had agreed to them.

 

Councillor Andrew McAuley, Chair of Watlington Parish Council Planning Committee, spoke in support of the application. His statement had been circulated to the committee prior to the meeting by the democratic services officer. He wished to make it clear that he also supported P19/S1928/O.

 

Mr. Ian Goldsmith, Chair of Cuxham with Easington Parish Meeting spoke objecting to the application. He wished to make clear that he also objected to application P19/S1928/O.

 

Mr. Jack Spence a representative of Shirburn Parish Meeting spoke objecting to the application. The parish meeting’s statement had been circulated to the committee prior to the meeting by the democratic services officer. Mr. Spence wished to make clear that he also objected to application P19/S1928/O.

 

Mr. Dominic Mahoney of Glebe Farm spoke objecting to the application. His statement had been circulated to the committee prior to the meeting by the democratic services officer.

 

Mr. Wayne Burt, the occupier/custodian of Pyrton Manor spoke objecting to the application.

 

Mr. Jeremy Bell representing Marlbrook Estate residents, spoke objecting to the application. His statement had been circulated to the committee prior to the meeting by the democratic services officer.

 

Mr. Robert Wickham, the agent spoke in support of the application. His statement had been circulated to the committee prior to the meeting by the democratic services officer.

 

Councillor Anna Badcock, the local ward councillor, spoke to the application.

 

In response to a question, regarding the timing and ordering of housing development and of roads, the planning officer confirmed that the edge road and access details would be considered at reserved matters stage. It was probable that any future edge road would not now use the Willow Close roundabout. The applicant was required to agree phasing within the application site, which would give the council some control over timing. However, decisions regarding the surrounding roads would not be forthcoming until later in 2021. Also in response to a question, regarding use of school and college land to improve the footpaths network and access to local fields, the planning office responded that this would also be dealt with at reserved matters stage and only land within the site’s boundary could be considered.

 

The committee considered that recommended extra condition 28 on electric vehicle charging points should be supported and requested officers to urge OCC to decide upon the edge road route without further delay.

 

A motion moved and seconded, to grant outline planning permission was declared carried on being put to the vote.

 

RESOLVED: to grant outline planning permission for application P19/S1927/O subject to the following conditions:

 

Referral to the National Casework Unit;

 

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

 

iii)        The following conditions:

 

Reserved matters (inc. details to be submitted), time limit and approved plans

 

1.         Submission of reserved matters

2.         Reserved matters to be submitted within three years

3.         Commencement

4.         Approved plans

5.         No more than 60 dwellings

6.         Market mix

7.         Details to be submitted with condition 1:

-           energy statement

-           details of roads, accesses, footpaths and services

-           schedule of external materials

-           vehicle and cycle parking facilities

-           waste and recycling facilities

-           boundary treatments 

-           details of all street furniture

-           existing and proposed ground levels

-           maintenance schedule and long-term management plan for soft landscaping

 

Pre-commencement

 

8.         Phasing plan

9.         Details of off-site highway works

10.       Construction Traffic Management Plan

11.       Green Travel Plan

12.       Lighting plan

13.       Environmental Management Plan for Biodiversity

14.       Biodiversity Enhancement Plan

15.       Tree and hedge protection

16.       Surface water drainage scheme

17.       Foul water drainage scheme (including Thames Waters requirements)

18.       Noise from Edge Road and any necessary mitigation

 

Prior to Occupation

 

19.       Access provision

20.       Pedestrian, cycle and vehicular access

21.       Details of play areas and timetable for implementation

22.       Air quality mitigation measures

23.       Superfast broadband connectivity

 

Compliance conditions

 

24.       Hours of construction

25.       At least 15% of market housing to meet Part M (4) Category 2

26.       At least 5% of affordable housing to meet Part M (4) Category 3

27.       All affordable housing and 1 and 2 bed market housing to meet Nationally Described Space Standards

 

Additional condition 28 on electric vehicle charging points