Issue - meetings

Demolition of existing building except for the administration building that fronts Coppetts Road; the conversation of the administration building fronting Coppetts Road, and the erection of four two storey houses plus dormers, and four blocks of flats between 2 and 4 stories in height: to provide a total of 55 units with car parking (48 spaces), access roads and landscaping (Revised Scheme).

RECOMMENDATION: Grant permission subject to conditions and to section 106 Legal Agreement.

The considered a report, previously circulated, which gave details of the application, the applicant’s case, the site and its environment, planning history and all of the relevant planning factors and policies.

Councillor John Bevan, Cabinet Member for Housing, spoke in objection to the application. He noted that the Affordable Housing provided within the scheme was situated in separate blocks and contended that there should be no division of tenures within the scheme. He also raised concern that the goal of 50% Affordable Housing had not been achieved on the site. 

The Committee was reminded that target of 50% Affordable Housing related to the whole of the Borough and was not applied to every site. It was noted that the site had been subject to a financial appraisal that had concluded that 38% was appropriate in this instance.

In terms of the divisions of tenure by block the Committee was advised that this was the preferred approach of Registered Social Landlords (RSL’s) who requested this approach was employed as they found it easier to manage in one area. The Committee was assured that the quality of the scheme and the materials used would be consistent throughout the scheme.

It was contended that materials used internally within the Affordable Housing element of some schemes in the Borough had not been of the same quality used within the private homes. It was argued that this was unacceptable and that tenures should be mixed to avoid any segregation. 

At the invitation of the Chair, Mr Ian John, the applicant’s agent spoke in support of the application.

The Committee viewed the plans and then discussed the application.

There was a general consensus that whilst it would be preferable to add a condition requiring the materials used internally to be consistent across all of the tenures within the scheme, as this was unlikely to be sustained on appeal, a formal condition was not appropriate in this instance.

It was agreed that the applicant should be asked to cooperate with this request and that an Informative to this respect should be added.

RESOLVED:

That, subject to the conditions set out below, planning application reference HGY/2008/2196 be approved.

Conditions:

1. The development hereby authorised must be begun not later than the expiration of 3 years from the date of this permission, failing which the permission shall be of no effect.

Reason: This condition is imposed by virtue of the provisions of the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and to prevent the accumulation of unimplemented planning permissions.

2. The development hereby authorised shall be carried out in complete accordance with the plans and specifications submitted to, and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: In order to ensure the development is carried out in accordance with the approved details and in the interests of amenity.

3. Samples of all materials to be used for the external surfaces of the development shall be submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority before any  ...  view the full minutes text for item 111