For:      Taylor Woodrow,  Drivers Jonas, Cornwall Court, 19 Cornwall Street, Birmingham, B3 2DY

Ward: Kington Town

The principal Planning Officer reported on the following matters:

ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATIONS

In response to the consultation in relation to the amended plans 4 additional letters have been received. These reiterate issues outlined in the report but also make the following comments:

The revised scheme is an improvement on the original design but remains a very ugly block with absolutely no architectural merit and unsuitable on the boundary of the Conservation Area.

The stonework has been omitted to the detriment of the design

Total absence of any outdoor amenity space for the occupants of the eight dwelling in this block.

The increase in car parking space will lead to more cars on site (from the development or surroundings

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

It is considered that the report does not make enough reference to the affordable housing.

The proposal provides for a mix of both rented (10 dwellings) and shared ownership (8 dwellings) and the section 106 will make provision for these to be allocated to persons which meet the local connection criteria.

It has also been possible to obtain some factual information form Strategic Housing with regards to the current For information purposes The 2001 census indicated that, in Kington, 19.7% of households were social renting (i.e. from an RSL or the Council). This figure is broadly similar in balance to the figures given for the other market towns at that time, i.e. Bromyard 23%, Leominster 18.8%, Ledbury 14.9% and Ross 16.6%. The figure for Hereford was given as 21.6% and the overall figure for Herefordshire was 15.2% (although, as you appreciate you would expect the Herefordshire % picture to be slightly less due to it's rurality)

A further 17.6% were renting privately in Kington.

A review of Council Tax records and our records of Housing Association-owned stock suggests the figure for social rented property may have risen slightly to 21% since 2001 (258 RSL properties out of 1205 total). We would expect that each Market town will have seen increases since the 2001 census.

It is worth noting of course that a Choice-Based lettings system operates in Herefordshire  whereby applicants for most social housing tenancies place a 'bid' of interest for properties which become vacant and are selected by the RSL's according to their priority on the housing register. Therefore applicants generally end up where they choose to move to (taking into account the overall shortage of affordable housing).

On rare occasions, e.g. where a homeless households are failing to place bids of interest and resolve their housing problems, a bid via HomePoint may be made for them by the homelessness team. There is no evidence to suggest this has been an issue in respect of Kington lettings/allocations with no direct lettings resulting in a forced bid out of the 13 properties advertised since 30th January 2007.

The applicant has submitted some revised plans for further discussion / negotiation and these will be sent out for consultation shortly.

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mr Lloyd of Kington Town Council and Mrs Bradbury and Mr Lewis spoke against the application, and Mr Jones acting on behalf of the applicant spoke in favour.

In view of the revised plans having recently been received, the Sub-Committee decided that consideration of the application should be deferred pending their consideration by Officers and to allow further consultation.

RESOLVED

That consideration of the application be deferred to give the Officers the opportunity to appraise the revised plans and to undertake appropriate consultation on them.