Agenda item

To consider report PES/291 (c)of the Head of Economy and Planning.

RECOMMENDATION to PERMIT.

The Committee considered report PES/291 (c) of the Head of Economy and Planning which proposed as follows:

Creation of a new access road between numbers 5 and 7 Southgate Road and construction of three detached dwellings on land to the rear of 5 - 9 Southgate Road (amended description and amended plans submitted).

Councillors A Belben, Jaggard, Stone and Tarrant declared they had visited the site.

The Principal Planning Officer provided a verbal summation of the application.

Mr David Eaton, Mr Paul Aabryn and Councillor Pickett (Ward Councillor for Southgate) addressed the Committee in objection to the application.  Those objections, relating to such issues as increased traffic, parking, pollution and impact on a neighbouring property and street scene, reflected many of the concerns raised on both the consultation regarding the original application and on the re-consultation regarding the revised scheme, as detailed in the report. 

The Committee then considered the application.  The Committee discussed the issues arising, including the comments raised by the speakers.  In response to issues raised the Principal Planning Officer:

·      Considered it unlikely that there would be additional street lighting for only three dwellings as proposed.

·      Indicated that in terms of any impact on air quality, the number of cars using the proposed access road was likely to be very limited and intermittent.

·      Confirmed that he was not aware whether the proposed access road would be named.  This was not a planning matter.

·      Indicated that WSCC Highways Authority would not be adopting the proposed access road.

·      Confirmed that in terms of the width of the road (where it narrowed slightly from 4.2 metres to 3.0 metres between the side elevations of 5 and 7 Southgate Road), and with regard to highway / access matters generally, no objections had been raised by the Highways Authority.

·      Confirmed that there were no windows proposed in any side elevations of the dwellings proposed.

·      Explained that in terms of No. 16C Stonefield Close, although the proposal would have some impact on the side windows of 16C, the typical urban nature of the proposed relationship, the existing obscure glazing and alternative windows to most habitable rooms for light and outlook and, at ground floor level, the existing timber boundary fence, all serve to mitigate the impact.  It was not considered that refusal was justified on the grounds of impact upon No. 16C.

·      Clarified that the required 2 metre distance between any two dwellings was the minimum distance to avoid a terracing impact, rather than address neighbouring amenity.

·      Confirmed that the proposed house at the rear of No. 9 Southgate Road would be 4.5 metres (single storey garage side wall) from No. 16C Stonefield Close at ground floor level.  The main two storey side elevation would be 7.5 metres away from No. 16C.

·      Confirmed that the gardens were of sufficient size for new tree planting to take place within the site.  The Arboricultural Implications Report submitted by the Applicant suggested some beech hedging, which Officers could pursue further on receipt of the respective Landscaping Scheme.  

The Committee continued to consider carefully the concerns raised and the application information.

RESOLVED

Permit, subject to:

1.            The completion of a Section 106 agreement to secure a £76,440 contribution towards the off-site provision of affordable housing.

2.            The conditions set out in report PES/291 (c).