Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director (Planning).

Report of the Assistant Director (Planning).

 

This application is presented to the Development Management Committee (DMC) because it would represent a departure from the Welwyn Hatfield District Plan 2005 and is recommended for approval.

 

The application site lies wholly within the Metropolitan Green Belt. Notwithstanding, the Draft Local Plan includes the removal of this site from the Green Belt and is allocated in Policy SADM33 for residential development.

 

The application is in reserved matters form, following the approval of outline planning permission under reference S6/2015/1342/PP. Within the outline permission, the principle of residential development of up to 121 dwellings on this site has already been established, along with access and surface water discharge points. Members therefore do not need to reconsider these elements. The aspects to consider within the reserved matters application are layout, scale, appearance, and landscaping.

 

Planning obligations, including affordable housing, have been secured through a S106 under the outline permission. This S106 continues to apply and continues to run with the future owners (Bellway).

 

The site layout follows the principles and parameters of the Indicative Master Plan approved at outline stage.

 

The proposal submitted by Bellway comprises the residential development of the site for 121 dwellings, providing a range of units, predominately 2 storeys in height with a small amount of 2½ storey development. Vehicle access into the development would be taken from Northaw Road East as a simple T-junction. A pedestrian/cycle link between South Drive and the Hertfordshire Way and King George V Playing Fields is proposed. Landscaping and areas of open space are proposed throughout the site.

 

The proposed layout consists of a mix of housing that is arranged within two distinct character areas, the South Boulevard and Rural Fringe.

 

The Southern Boulevard area creates a sense of arrival for the residents and visitors accessing the site from Northaw Road East. This primary route features a formal street typology having a dedicated verge with street trees and parking laybys along its route. A range of building types are proposed from apartments, terraces, semi-detached and detached, maintaining a consistent building line to emphasise the formality of this street.

 

In comparison, the Rural Fringe Character Area is set further within the site and benefits from views over landscaped open space, King George V Playing fields and distant views over open farmland to the south. The dwellings are accessed from a looped street pattern following site contours. The buildings in this area are traditional in appearance, consisting predominantly of detached and semi-detached dwellings.

 

Landscaping and areas of open space are proposed throughout the site, with the primary street benefitting from an ‘avenue’ planting style with trees lining both sides of the street. The proposal also includes the provision of amenity space in the south-eastern corner of the site and at the centre of the development, serving as multi-functional spaces. The green infrastructure also comprises areas of surface water attenuation.

 

All houses are proposed to have private rear gardens, with many of the units also being sited in very close proximity to public areas of open space. Flats will be provided with a communal garden space. The proposals include the provision of sufficient parking spaces spread across garages, driveways, allocated and unallocated bay parking for flats/houses and unallocated on-street parking spaces. Overall, it is considered that the proposal is a good standard of development which respects the visual amenities and the character of the area.

 

Only three representations have been received, comprising two objections together with one comment. Four consultee comments remain as outstanding objections:

 

•      Northaw and Cuffley Parish- the concerns raised within the objection have        been addressed within the report at part 6 (x) paras 11.141-11.144.

 

•      Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust- the concerns raised have been overcome by the submission of updated details within the LEMP.

 

•      Lead Local Flood Authority- the outstanding matters are reserved via condition on the OUTLINE permission so do not form part of the assessment of the reserved matters application. The matter is being dealt with separately through a discharge of condition application.

 

•      WHBC Client Services- the concerns raised with regards to the proposed bin collection points have been acknowledged. On balance, it is considered that the best possible refuse strategy has been presented after working with the applicant on compromises. Further detail can be read within the report at paras 11.67-11.78.

 

Officers noted condition 8 which requires the approval of an Arboricultural Method Statement.  Within the committee report it is recommended that this condition is discharged, however, since the publication of the report, some inaccuracies have been identified in relation to the submitted information.  For this reason, Members are advised that the approval of details reserved by condition 8 does not form part of this application. Officers are working with the applicant to update the necessary detail, and this will be considered under a separate application.

 

Members were also made aware that since the report was published, a late representation was received from Cadent Gas stating no objection.

 

The development of the site would result in inappropriate development in the Green Belt. However, at outline stage, the identified Green Belt harm was weighed in the balance, and it was concluded that the factors in support of the proposal clearly outweighed the harm, accepting the principle of development. Moreover, significant weight is attributed to the emerging Local Plan with the allocated site of HS28 being found sound.

 

Short term economic benefits would arise from the construction of the development, and further economic benefit to local business would arise from the future occupiers spending on goods and services, as well as the enhanced vitality and viability of the area. Social and environmental benefits arising from the development would include the delivery of 121 dwellings, including affordable housing, where a shortfall in housing has been identified. Further social benefit arises from the provision of high quality, adaptable and energy efficient homes within walking distance to facilities and services.

 

In conclusion the report demonstrates that the development has been assessed against local and national policy and no significant harm or policy conflict has been identified. As such, the proposed development is considered to accord with the Development Plan. Having regard to all the factors described in detail within the report, Officers recommend that the Committee resolves to grant planning permission, subject to the suggested conditions.

 

Laura Fletcher-Gray, Agent, spoke regarding the application:

“I am the planning agent for this reserved matters application. Outline planning permission was granted in March 2022 for 121 residential units, the reserved matters accord with a proposed illustrative master plan and parameters plans. We welcome the officers' recommendation as we have worked closely with them and consultees at both pre-application stage and post-submission stage. Feedback has been responded to, where possible. 121 new homes, comprising 30 flats and 91 houses, will be delivered in a range of typologies, with a mix of 1 to 5 beds in order to meet a variety of local needs. In line with policy, 42 units are affordable, equating to 35% of this. 21 units will be social rented, 13 affordable rented and 8 shared ownership.

 

Two distinct character areas are proposed which draw upon the character of the surrounding area, as well as being innovative to ensure a high-quality development. Traditional materials and detailing are proposed for buildings.

 

The southern boulevard fronts North Shore Road East. There will be 2 and 2½ storey buildings at the entrance, leading to a tree line spine road with perpendicular residential streets. The rural fringe has public open space, connecting into the public rights of way, and is made up of predominantly detached and semi-detached housing.

 

Vehicular access was approved as part of the outline application. Pedestrian and cycle links we provided between the school and the playing fields across the site.

311 car parking spaces are proposed, of these, 37 will be unallocated and each dwelling will have access to EV charging. The roads will not be adopted, and the parking will be managed by a private management company. Cycle parking will be provided for each home in line with policy, it will be provided in communal stores or lockable sheds for the houses.

 

Landscaping and open space is provided throughout the site. The local community will be able to use this for multi-use recreation. Existing vegetation surrounding the site will be retained and enhanced, where appropriate. 198 new trees are proposed, and the landscaping and ecology strategy results in an increase of 146.62% in habitat units on site.

 

All houses will have private rear gardens, and apartments will have balconies.

 

The energy strategy secures emissions reductions of 5.62% over Part L 2013.

 

Houses will have private bin stores and each apartment block will have a communal store. On collection day, some houses will move their bins to the designated kerbside collection points to comply with the operative direct licences. In a few instances the drag distances are above the suggested guidance, but full compliance would require significant design changes, so on balance the refuse strategy is considered acceptable.

 

In summary, the proposal would provide a high-quality development which accords with the outline planning permission. Bellway is excited to deliver housing in Cuffley. The contractor is unable to commence once relevant planning and section 106 conditions are discharged. We respectfully request that reserved matters be granted.”

 

Members discussed the application and a summary of the main points raised are shown below:

·             Members asked for a comment from the officer on which elements members are deciding on this evening.

 

-              Officers clarified that members are to assess layout, scale, appearance, and landscaping.

 

-              Officers advised that all objections have been resolved except the waste objection, but in the officer's opinion the waste plan proposal is acceptable on balance.

 

·             Members asked for clarification on the adoption of roads.

 

-              It is standard practice for HCC to adopt roads with bus routes, but for minor roads serving contained developments of this type, they would not be adopted under normal circumstances and instead would be maintained through a private maintenance company.

 

-              This is a charge that each resident will be paying, like leasehold houses. This is not a planning matter, but officers clarified that anyone moving into this scheme would know that before purchasing the property, and it was noted that this is quite common in any development.

 

-              Legal advice provided at the meeting noted that there is already a section 106 agreement as planning permission has already been granted. This agreement will contain a requirement for a management company to be set up and the terms of that already determined. It is not for the local planning authority to set out what the service charge might be on any specified development. This is not something that should be considered as part of what is a reserved matters application that deals with layout, landscaping scale and appearance of the development.

 

Following discussion, it was proposed by Councillor R. Trigg and seconded by Councillor J. Broach to approve the application.

            RESOLVED:

            (10 in favour, and 2 abstentions)

That planning permission be approved subject to the conditions set out within the report.