Proposed residential development of 6 flats.

Proposed residential development of 6 flats.

 

The following updates were reported:

·       Two further letters of objection had been received from Mr. & Mrs. Mouncher, 52 Barrs Court Road and Mrs. M. Nobbs, 3 Penn Grove Road, Hereford.  It was reported that the letters reiterated previous objections which were based upon the absence of parking within the scheme.  Comment was also made on the time given to respond to notification of the receipt of amended plans.

 

In response to the additional representations, the Senior Planning Officer advised that:

·       Car parking had been removed owing to inadequacies with the proposed vehicular access.  He added that the Traffic Manager felt that car free would be an acceptable option for the development proposed.

·       He also reported that the Head of Terms, as appended to the report, should read a total of £8,790 and not this amount per unit.  All unspent money to be paid back after 10 years.  The requested contribution remained to be agreed by the applicant.

 

In accordance with the criteria for public speaking, Mrs. Mouncher spoke in objection to the application.

 

Councillor DB Wilcox, a Local Ward Member, commented on the particular access difficulties associated with this site and noted the arguments for and against the proposal.  He noted that a vehicular access could not be provided without compromising highway safety or having a detrimental impact on traffic congestion.  He said that, without having the power to prevent residents from owning vehicles, the Section 106 Agreement to restrict future occupants from applying for residents’ parking permits was a reasonable control to ensure that the development remained car free.  As a further means of managing the situation, he proposed an additional condition to prevent parking by any vehicles on site, with the exception of motorised mobility buggies.  He emphasised the need for facilities for the less mobile and proposed that a secure, covered parking area for mobility scooters should be required as part of the scheme; he felt that similar provision should be considered in all future city centre developments of this kind.

 

Councillor ACR Chappell felt that the parking area should accommodate at least two mobility scooters and, furthermore, should incorporate recharging facilities.

 

The Development Control Manager outlined the principles relating to car free development and advised that recommended condition 16 (Details of boundary treatments) would incorporate measures to prevent car access to the site.

 

The Team Leader - Central re-iterated that the applicant had not yet agreed the requested contribution towards sustainable transport initiatives.  A number of members felt that the requested contribution was important having regard to the car free nature of the proposal.  Councillor Wilcox proposed that delegated authority be given to the officers, in consultation with the Chairman of the Sub-Committee and the Local Ward Members, to resolve this issue before any planning permission was granted.

 

Councillor MAF Hubbard said that, to respond to environmental challenges and to address transport issues in the city, the authority had to take a progressive attitude towards car free development.  He added that some 44% of people in the adjoining Central Ward did not have access to a private car.

 

Councillor PJ Edwards was disappointed that only £8,790 in total, rather than per unit, was being sought towards infrastructure improvements.  He supported the comments made about the need for an integrated approach to sustainable transport issues in the city.

 

A number of members concurred with the views of the Local Ward Member.  In response to questions, the Senior Planning Officer advised that:

§             pedestrian access would be provided off Barrs Court Road only and an impermeable boundary treatment would ensure that there was no through access to Pengrove Road;

§             the contribution being sought towards sustainable transport initiatives was in line with the Supplementary Planning Document on Planning Obligations; and

§             the existing buildings on the site would be demolished.

 

RESOLVED:

 

Subject to agreement between the Council, in consultation with the Chairman of the Sub-Committee and the Local Ward Members, and the applicants regarding the planning contribution towards sustainable transport initiatives:

 

1)         That the Head of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to complete a planning obligation under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in accordance with the Heads of Terms appended to this report and any additional matters and terms that he considers appropriate.

 

2)         Upon completion of the aforementioned planning obligation officers named in the Scheme of Delegation to Officers be authorised to issue planning permission subject to the following conditions and any further conditions considered necessary by officers:

 

1.      A01 (Time limit for commencement (full permission)).

 

         Reason: Required to be imposed by Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

 

2.      A09 (Amended plans).

 

         Reason: To ensure the development is carried out in accordance with the amended plans.

 

3.      B01 (Samples of external materials).

 

         Reason: To ensure that the materials harmonise with the surroundings.

 

4.      C11 (Specification of guttering and downpipes).

 

         Reason: To safeguard the character and appearance of this building of [special] architectural or historical interest.

 

5.      C04 (Details of window sections, eaves, verges and barge boards).

 

         Reason: To safeguard the character and appearance of this building of [special] architectural or historical interest.

 

6.      C05 (Details of external joinery finishes).

 

         Reason: To safeguard the character and appearance of this building of [special] architectural or historical interest.

 

7.      E18 (No new windows in specified elevation).

 

         Reason: In order to protect the residential amenity of adjacent properties.

 

8.      F48 (Details of slab levels).

 

         Reason: In order to define the permission and ensure that the development is of a scale and height appropriate to the site.

 

9.      F39 (Scheme of refuse storage).

 

         Reason: In the interests of amenity.

 

10.    H29 (Secure covered cycle and mobility buggy parking provision).

 

         Reason: To ensure that there is adequate provision for secure covered cycle and mobility buggy accommodation within the application site, encouraging alternative modes of transport in accordance with both local and national planning policy and the needs of the less mobile.

 

11.    F16 (Restriction of hours during construction).

 

         Reason: To protect the amenity of local residents.

 

12.    W01 (Foul/surface water drainage).

 

         Reason: To protect the integrity of the public sewerage system.

 

13.    W02 (No surface water to connect to public system).

 

         Reason: To prevent hydraulic overloading of the public sewerage system, to protect the health and safety of existing residents and ensure no detriment to the environment.

 

14.    W03 (No drainage run-off to public system).

 

         Reason: To prevent hydraulic overload of the public sewerage system and pollution of the environment.

 

15.    H32 (Sustainable Home).

 

         Reason: To promote the sustainability of the development hereby approved in accordance with Policies S1 and H13 of the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan 2007 and PPS1 Supplement ‘Planning and Climate Change’.

 

16.    G01 (Details of boundary treatments including a permanent boundary to close off the Penn Grove Road vehicular access).

 

         Reason: In the interests of visual amenity and highway safety and to ensure dwellings have satisfactory privacy.

 

17.    G04 (Landscaping scheme (general)).

 

         Reason: In order to protect the visual amenities of the area.

 

18.    G05 (Implementation of landscaping scheme (general)).

 

         Reason:  In order to protect the visual amenities of the area.

 

Informative(s):

 

1.      N19 - Avoidance of doubt.

 

2.      N15 - Reason(s) for the Grant of Planning Permission.