Agenda item

The Committee considered the Chief Planner’s report on the following planning application:

Oral representations in objection to and in support of the application were received at the meeting.

Members' attention was drawn to an error on page 12 of the report.  The site mentioned in the penultimate line of the paragraph headed 'Location' should read 'Kent House Road' not 'Kings Hall Road' as stated.

Several questions were raised concerning the number of car parking spaces available.  Members were informed that the car parking facilities were based on a survey conducted by the applicant involving similar extra care housing schemes.

The Chief Planner commented that public transport accessibility levels around the site were at the higher end of the spectrum with seven bus routes within a 600 metre radius of Anne Sutherland House and four or five train stations which were easily accessible.

In relation to the needs of residents with disabilities, Members were informed that all flats would be built to a standard design which would need little adaptation should the need arise.

Concerns were raised over the loss of some trees at the site and it was suggested that a condition be added to resolve this issue.

It was also suggested that a slab level condition be added to resolve the problem of overlooking.

The Chief Planner drew Members' attention to condition 8 on page 16 of the report.  He confirmed that a palette of materials had been received and accepted.

Members having considered the report, objections and representations RESOLVED that PERMISSION BE GRANTED as recommended, subject to the conditions and informative set out in the report of the Chief Planner with condition 8 amended to read:-

‘8 The materials to be used for the external surfaces of the building shall be as set out in the planning application forms and/or drawings unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

REASON: In order to comply with Policy BE1 of the Unitary Development Plan and in the interest of the appearance of the building and the visual amenities of the area.’

A further two conditions were added to read:-

'18 Details of the proposed slab levels of the building(s) and the existing site levels shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority before work commences and the development shall be completed strictly in accordance with the approved levels.

REASON: In order to comply with Policy BE1 of the Unitary Development Plan and in the interest of the visual and residential amenities of the area.

19 If any of the trees on the Parish Lane frontage shown on the approved plans to be retained die or become seriously damaged within five years of the completion of the development hereby permitted, they shall be replaced with a similar number of heavy standard nursery stock of a species to be approved by the local planning authority.

REASON: In order to comply with Policy NE8 of the Unitary Development Plan and to secure a visually satisfactory setting for the development.’