Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director (Planning)

The Committee received a report from the Assistant Director (Planning) on the Land West of Brookmans Park Railway Station.

Site HS22 (Land West of Brookmans Park Railway Station) is allocated for development in the Welwyn Hatfield Local Plan (adopted October 2023) with an indicated site capacity of 428 dwellings plus a 2FE (Form Entry) primary school.

Policy SP9 sets out a number of criteria where masterplans are required.  In this case, HS22 meet the criteria for a mixed-use site where consideration needed to be given to the integration of the site into the surrounding area.  The masterplan was to be informed by an appropriate evidence base together with consultation and be endorsed by the Council prior to the determination of any planning application.

A strategic framework had been prepared by the developer and landowner, in conjunction with a consultant team and in collaboration with officers from Welwyn Hatfield BC, to ensure the site is planned comprehensively and integrates well with the surrounding area. The document has been prepared in line with the Council’s Approach to Masterplanning Guidance note which was endorsed by the Council in March 2024. 

The following points were raised during the discussion:

·        It was noted that the process between developers and the Council was collaborative.

·        It was queried what the mitigation was in place to ensure more dwellings are not included in proposed plans. Officers clarified that the aim was to ensure the Council was working with land owners and developers in land development. The next stage for this process would be to look at where the dwellings would be, and what the sites could support.

·        It was highlighted that the proposed school on site would be larger than what was needed for the area.

·        A member asked whether all Master Plans could in future set out what types of dwellings, such as flats and houses, would be included on the proposed sites. Officers clarified that this masterplan set out that there would be 35% affordable housing, but the types of housing and additional details would be included as part of the detailed planning application stage. In terms of dwelling types, the report provided a snapshot of how things were. It was intended that the cross-party steering group would continue to work with the developer as they prepared the detailed scheme which would be considered through the Development Management process.

·        It was asked whether there could be more detail included in the primary and secondary roads, and it was felt it would have been beneficial for the Panel to consider this when more details were able to be included. Officers were of the view that the strategic framework as proposed provided high level principles, that had been tested and the detail for the Plan was now more appropriate for a Development Management process.

·        It was queried how much of the Master Plan would be considered a “material consideration” and how strong the document was. Officers stated that a planning application should reflect the principles set out in the Masterplan.

·        It was noted that a policy requirement of the Local Plan was that a bridge was included.

Resolved:

(unanimous)

1.     That the Cabinet Planning and Parking Panel (CPPP) recommends to Cabinet that the strategic framework for HS22, as detailed in Appendix A, be endorsed as a material consideration for Development Management purposes.

2.      If unanimously agreed by the Panel, for the decision to be taken by the Executive Member using their delegated powers under paragraph 18.1(b) of the Cabinet procedure rules.