Agenda item

The consultation procedure undertaken was outlined in the report together with background information in respect of the site.

 

Since the publication of the agenda updates were provided in the published AB list relating to amendments requested by MEAS from the applicant, which had been submitted but further comments on these from MEAS were still awaited.  Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) comments had been received with no objections made.  The list of proposed conditions had also been amended following the LLFA comments, to those listed on the update.  It was noted that one further representation had been received from a member of the public.  The Officer also outlined the approach to Green Belt Compensation and that Open Space payments were to be made and that these would be spent on Council owned sites within the remaining Green Belt.  The Highways Officer provided the Committee with a highways update.

 

The Committee was addressed by Mr Harper, who opposed the application.  He argued the following, inter alia:

 

·         The loss of Green Belt land;

·         No compensatory improvements had been made on the application and questioned why it was submitted without these;

·         Quoted figures relating to compensation made for other Developments  such as Bellway Homes;

·         Quoted areas of developable land and numbers of housing developed per hectare;

·         Made reference to the design and access document;

·         HBC Committee should consider the residents of Farnworth when making the decision;

·         There was a shortage of local services and facilities in the area;

·         The Council’s job was to manage a balance of homes; and

·         This application did not meet the Council’s objective and should be rejected.

 

The Committee was then addressed by Ms Burns, who represented the applicant.  She stated the following inter alia:

 

·         Public’s concerns were incorporated into the scheme following a public consultation in early 2021;

·         This was a widely scrutinised application;

·         Although the site could accommodate 381 dwellings, only 328 were planned;

·         A mix of dwellings will be available, from one to 5 bedrooms with varying tenure options;

·         The layout and scale of the site was well considered, as was the open space areas which included cycle and footpath lanes;

·         S106 contribution had been agreed;

·         New residents would receive free 12 month bus passes; and

·         This was a high quality, sustainable development that would provide environmental and social gains to North Widnes.

After consideration of the application, updates and comments made by speakers, the proposal was moved and seconded and the Committee voted to approve the application.

 

RESOLVED:  That authority be delegated to the Operational Director – Planning, Policy and Transportation, to determine the application in consultation with the Chair or Vice Chair of the Committee, following the satisfactory resolution of the outstanding issues relating to highways amendments, updated in line with comments from MEAS and updated comments from the LLFA.

 

Upon satisfactory resolution the application is to be approved subject to the following:

 

a)    S106 Agreement;

 

b)    schedule of conditions set out below; and

 

c)    that if the S106 Agreement is not signed within a reasonable period of time, authority is given to refuse this planning application.

 

Recommended conditions as follows, with any additional conditions recommended through the resolution of the Highways amendments, updates in line with comments from MEAS and updated LLFA comments to be added to the list below:

 

1.    Standard 3 year permission;

2.    Condition specifying plans;

3.    Levels;

4.    External materials;

5.    Hard and soft landscaping;

6.    Tree protection measures;

7.    Bird breeding protection;

8.    Soft tree felling measures;

9.    Japanese knotweed scheme;

10. Japanese knotweed validation report;

11. Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP);

12. Natural England Licence;

13. Bird and bat boxes scheme;

14. Site wide waste management plan;

15. Noise mitigation measures;

16. Energy and sustainability measures;

17. Air quality mitigation measures;

18. Landscape Ecological Management Plan (LEMP);

19. Construction hours;

20. Tactile crossings;

21. Remediation strategy;

22. Verification report for contaminated land;

23. Unidentified contamination;

24. Lighting scheme;

25. Cycle parking details;

26. Vehicle access, service areas and parking;

27. Permitted development removed;

28. Archaeology methodologies and mitigation;

29. New watercourse crossing details; and

30. SUDs verification report.