Demolition of existing buildings, structures and hardstanding and erection of 45 dwellings (including affordable housing) and drainage attenuation, open space and associated landscaping and infrastructure works (amended layout).

The application was approved in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation with additions set out in the committee update.

(Demolition of existing buildings, structures and hardstanding and erection of 45 dwellings (including affordable housing) and drainage attenuation, open space and associated landscaping and infrastructure works (amended layout).

The Development Manager gave a presentation on the application, and updates/additional representations received following the publication of the agenda were provided in the update sheet, as appended to these Minutes.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mr R Page, of Bromyard and Winslow Town Council spoke in opposition to the Scheme.  Mrs I Sinclair, a local resident, spoke in objection.  The Chairman read out a statement from Mr A Jones, Chairman of Governors of Queen Elizabeth High School Bromyard in support of the application.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, the local ward member, Councillor A Seldon, spoke on the application.

He made the following principal comments:

·        The site should be viewed as a windfall site because it was not identified for housing in the Core Strategy, although it had been identified as such in the former Unitary Development Plan.

Benefits

·        The development would provide additional pupils for Queen Elizabeth High School.

·        It would contribute to the housing shortfall arising from problems in developing the strategic housing sites identified for Bromyard.

Disbenefits

·        The proposal was contrary to core strategy policy BY1 which provided for around 5 hectares of employment land to come forward during the plan period.  The site would be suitable for development for employment purposes and would provide one third of that land area.  It was questionable whether the land should be disposed of for housing prior to the preparation of the Bromyard Development Plan.

·        He questioned the sustainability of the site in the absence of employment land provision given that occupiers would have to commute to find employment and would be reliant on private transport.  This would also have an effect on the demographic of people who would seek to live there, with a majority potentially being of retirement age placing additional pressure on the primary care service.

·        He referred to the submission from Nunwell GPs surgery included in the committee update quoting paragraph 2 which stated that the surgery was at capacity and that, “any increase in patient numbers will put our service under considerable strain and possibly affect the quality of care we are able to provide.”

·        He considered overall that the adverse effects would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.  Without the provision of employment land he considered there was a risk to the health and wellbeing of some Bromyard residents.

In the Committee’s discussion of the application the following principal points were made:

·        In response to comments about the need for employment land in Bromyard the Development Manager referred to the comments of the Economic Development Manager as set out in the report that the Council had received very few enquiries for employment land and/or units in Bromyard within the last 2 years.  He added that the law required local planning authorities to keep a register of previously developed land that was suitable  ...  view the full minutes text for item 83