Agenda item

The erection of 360 houses (including Lawford Enterprise Trust Housing), with associated garages on 22.76ha with two vehicular access points, site roads, pedestrian and cycle routes, a new primary school access with off-road pickup and drop-off parking, a community building with public access toilets, a junior camping field, village green, public open space, structural landscaping and playground.

Councillor Baker had earlier declared a prejudicial interest in relation to Planning Application 15/00876/OUT by virtue of the fact he was a local Ward Member and that he was also pre-determined. Councillor Baker therefore remained in the meeting but did not take part in the discussion thereof or the voting thereon..

Members recalled that this application had been previously referred to the Committee  on 14 June 2016. The Committee had resolved to grant outline planning permission subject to the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement within six months of the date of the Committee’s resolution to approve (the latest date was 14 December 2016) and subject to conditions; otherwise the Head of Planning had authority to refuse if necessary. Any reserved matters application was to be referred back to the Committee.

Members were informed that, since the date of the previous resolutions, discussions regarding the completion of the Section 106 legal agreement had been ongoing. The agreement was now very close to completion. The Head of Planning now sought the Committee’s agreement to an extension of time until 28April 2017 in order to complete the legal agreement. The agreement should be completed before that date but an extension until 28April 2017 was sought to ensure that the deadline could be met on this occasion.

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 Manager (GG) in respect of the application.

Following discussion by the Committee, it was moved by Councillor Hones, seconded by Councillor McWilliams and RESOLVED that the Head of Planning (or equivalent authorised officer) be authorised to grant planning permission for the development, subject to:

a)     By no later than 28 April 2017 to approve, the completion of a legal agreement under the provisions of Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 dealing with the following matters (where relevant):

·        On-site Council Housing/Affordable Housing;

·        Education contribution and/or land for school expansion;

·        Health contribution;

·        Community facilities;

·        Completion and transfer of public open space;

·        Contribution towards off-site traffic management measures at the A137 railway crossing; and

·        Contribution towards monitoring impacts on the Stour Estuary.

b)     Planning conditions in accordance with those set out in (i) below (but with such amendments and additions, if any, to the detailed wording thereof as the Head of Planning (or the equivalent authorised officer) in their discretion considers appropriate).

(i)               Conditions:

1) Standard 3 year time limit for submission of reserved matters application;

2) Standard 2 year limit for commencement of development following approval of reserved matters;

3) Details of appearance, access, layout, scale and landscaping (the reserved matters);

4) Layout and phasing plan/programme;

5) Development in accordance with submitted land use audit;

6) Development to contain up to (but no more than) 360 dwellings;

7) Highways conditions (as recommended by the Highway Authority);

8) Surface water drainage scheme;

9) Foul water drainage scheme;

10) Hard and soft landscaping plan/implementation;

11) Ecological mitigation/tree protection measures (including bat protection measures);

12) Archaeological assessment/trial trenching;

13) Details of lighting, materials and refuse storage/collection points;

14) Construction methods statement;

15) Broadband connection;

16) Local employment arrangements; and

17) Details of water, energy and resource efficiency measures.

c)     That the Head of Planning (or the equivalent authorised officer) be authorised to refuse planning permission in the event that such legal agreement has not been completed by 28 April 2017, as the requirements necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms had not been secured through a Section 106 planning obligation.