Reserved matters application with details of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale for the development of 277 dwellings, 1,910m² commercial floorspace (B1 Uses), railway footbridge, attenuation basins, open space, play equipment and associated infrastructure pursuant to outline permission 19/00524/OUT (Outline planning application with all matters reserved, except for access, for 280 dwellings, a 2 Form of Entry primary school, 56 place early years nursery, up to 3000 sqm of office (B1) buildings on 1 hectare and associated ancillary buildings, drainage systems, boundary treatments and hard surfacing as well as public open space, vehicular access from Thorpe Road a pedestrian footbridge and the closure of existing level crossing and formal diversion of public footpath No 5 - Weeley, over the new railway bridge) including minor alterations to public footpaths No.3 and No. 4 to allow for the proposed layout.

The application stands referred to the Planning Committee, as when the outline planning permission was granted originally, Members decided that the Reserved Matters application(s) would be referred to the Planning Committee for its determination. In addition, Councillor Peter Harris, the Ward Member, has requested that the application be ‘called in’ to the Planning Committee, due to his concerns about the provision of Open Space within the development; concerns about the surface water drainage scheme; the design of the railway footbridge; and concerns over traffic management and the proposed vehicular access for the site.

Members were told that the application had been referred to the Planning Committee as when Outline planning permission had been granted Members of the Committee had agreed that the Reserved Matters application(s) would be referred to the Planning Committee for its determination. In addition, Councillor Peter Harris, the Ward Member, acting on behalf of Weeley Parish Council had requested that the application be ‘called in’ to the Planning Committee,  as the Parish Council had raised its concerns about the provision of Open Space within the development; concerns about the surface water drainage scheme; the design of the railway footbridge; and concerns over traffic management and the proposed vehicular access for the site.

The Committee heard that the current application sought approval of the reserved matters related to outline planning permission 19/00524/OUT, which had granted outline permission for the erection of up to 280 dwellings, a potential new primary school and children’s nursery, up to 3,000sqm of office (B1) floorspace and associated infrastructure and development including the provision of Public Open Space. The development had also approved through the outline planning permission a pedestrian footbridge over the railway line to the south of the application site.

Members were further informed that when the outline planning permission had been approved it had included approval of the vehicular access to the site – a single road leading from a modified priority junction on Thorpe Road. Whilst the access details had been approved all other matters had been Reserved. The application now in front of Members included details of the appearance, landscaping, layout and scale, of the whole application site, excluding the education land and a relatively small parcel of land immediately to the south of Verity Gardens, as those details had not been included as part of the outline permission and were included for consideration in a current, separate application 22/01332/FUL.

Officers informed Members that, as established through the granting of outline application 19/00524/OUT, the principle of a mixed use, residential led development for up to 280 dwellings, with new education facilities, commercial office space, and pedestrian footbridge had all been found to be acceptable by the Council.

Members also heard that the detailed design, layout, landscaping, and scale were considered acceptable by Officers. The proposal would result in no material harm to residential amenity or highway safety and the application was therefore recommended by Officers for approval subject to the planning conditions listed in the Officer report.

The Committee had before it the published Officer report containing the key planning issues, relevant planning policies, planning history, any response from consultees, written representations received and a recommendation of approval.

At the meeting, an oral presentation was made by the Council’s Planning Team Leader (AN) in respect of the application.

An update sheet had been circulated to the Committee prior to the meeting with details of additional representations, change of wording for conditions and additional conditions:

“Additional Representations

Weeley Parish Council: Weeley Parish Council (WPC) considered this application at its meeting on 18  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38