Agenda and minutes

Any information received after the agenda has been published, relevant to the applications on the agenda to be considered by the Committee will be published here.

          Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Lowndes (Vice Chair).

          Councillor Winslade attended as substitute.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no declarations from Member of the Committee to make representation as Ward Councillor on any item within the agenda.

The minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2010 were approved as a true and accurate record.

The application sought permission for the construction of five three bedroom properties and three two bedroom properties. The application had arisen out of extensive pre-application discussions with the Local Planning Authority regarding the redevelopment of the site and broadly reflected the advice given. All eight units were proposed as affordable housing.

The layout provided for the construction of one two storey terrace of three two bedroom properties and one two storey pair of three bedroom properties fronting onto North Street. A two and a half storey terrace of three, three bedroom properties, with small single storey rear wing was proposed to the rear of the frontage development. The block was orientated so that frontage faced east and overlooked the communal car parking court.

The proposed vehicular access and shared driveway was situated between the frontage blocks and provided access through to the rear houses and shared car parking court. It was proposed that a pair of manually operated access gates be provided to the access in order to create a defensible space.

The application site comprised 0.214 hectare of unallocated brownfield land. To the north the site abutted the ‘Back River’, with the Nene Washes located beyond. The Washes, including the Back River, were designated as the Nene Washes Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar site. The character of the area was predominantly residential with dwellings located to the east, south and west of the site, although it was noted that there was an active boat yard to the north west of the site. 

The site contained a copse of trees which were proposed for removal. However, a sycamore tree on the site was to be retained. 

The area was characterised by frontage developments situated within long thin plots. Many of the properties had outbuildings/boat storage located within the rear curtilage. The street scene comprised a varied design, scale and age of properties.

Historically, the site had been used as a boat builder’s yard, but had been vacant for a significant period of time and primarily comprised overgrown scrub land. There were a number of mature trees located within the site, however their individual form was poor and it was proposed that the majority of these were removed and replacement planting secured. The site levels sloped significantly (approximately 1.6m) from the highway down to the northern boundary with the Back River. 

Approximately 70% of the application site was located within Flood Zone 1. The northern part of the site was located within Flood Zones 2 and 3. 

An ecological assessment had been undertaken and submitted by the applicant. No features or species of value had been identified.

The Planning Officer addressed the Committee and gave an overview of the proposal. Members were advised that although the City Council was in ownership of the site, it was not the applicant. The applicant was Cross Keys Homes.

The main issues for consideration in relation to the application were highlighted as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The purpose of the development would be to provide continuing and critical care for persons with a range of neurological health care needs.  This care would be provided to the 18 – 65 age groups.  It would be 24 hour care and would require specialised personnel and would help to free up intensive care space in the hospitals.  In addition, there were 37 proposed “assisted living units” which were self contained one or two bed units set over 3 floors. These would be occupied by elderly people who could maintain a degree of independent living whilst being part of the larger complex. 

The applicant had estimated that the development would create approximately 180 full time equivalent posts, 90 – 95% of which would be sourced within a 3 kilometre radius of the site. These assumptions were based on the applicant’s existing care facilities at Milton Keynes and Bletchley.

The proposal comprised a complex type development of mainly two and three storey buildings.  The buildings were arranged in three large “elements” each comprising a varied configuration and form and were arranged around a central courtyard area which housed the main reception to the development.  The buildings were arranged so as to provide a built frontage to Bretton Way and turn to provide a continuous frontage to the Bretton Way roundabout from which the site would be accessed.  There was a landscaped area including garden areas and balancing pond between the buildings and the public highway and footpath. 

The proposals provided 10,495 square metres of gross internal floor space. The buildings varied in height but the proposed three storey buildings were up to approximately 12.8 metres in height.

There was a single point of access for both vehicles and cyclists/pedestrians which was off the western spur of the Bretton Way/Flaxland roundabout.  All the parking and servicing was located to the rear of the site, adjacent to the western boundary of the site and the open countryside to the west.  There were 60 proposed parking spaces including 4 disabled spaces, a minibus space, 6 motorcycle spaces and 20 cycle spaces (10 stands).

The proposal provided for landscaped gardens and edges to the development.

The site comprised 1.32 hectares of vacant land, presently covered in scrub and grass.  To the south of the site was a two storey office building, to the south and east (on the opposite side of Bretton Way) was residential development off Flaxland and the Bretton Centre.  Immediately to the north of the site was Grimeshaw Wood, an area of ancient woodland that was designated as a County Wildlife Site.  To the west was open countryside and approximately 800 metres further west was the edge of Milton Park, designated as an historic park and garden.  A public footpath ran along, but outside, the western boundary of the site and continued through Grimeshaw Wood to the residential development further north.  The site appeared to be very self-contained and well screened and separated from neighbouring development and residential areas.  The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

The proposed development was a three bedroom house with a detached double garage. The house proposed was two storeys consisting of a main block with projecting gable-end features to front and rear.  The proposed dwelling would be about 10.5m wide, set 6m from the boundary with the neighbouring plot (Thomas House) and 1m from the indicative boundary with the plot on the other side.  Height to eaves would be about 5.2m and height to ridge about 9.4m.  Access was proposed via a new entrance from Second Drift.

The application had initially been for a 5 bed dwelling. This had been changed to a 3 bed property on Planning Officers’ advice.

The application site was part of a plot known as The Haven.  The site had already been divided, with the rear part of the garden to be developed as a single dwelling.  The front part of the site was shown as two plots known as plot A (subject of the current application) and plot B (to the north-west).  The application site comprised an area of about 40m deep and 18m wide at the front, narrowing to about 14.5m wide at the rear.  The front section of the plot comprised an existing verge and hedge line, behind this would be the garage, then the house and garden.  The site sloped in two directions.

The Planning Officer addressed the Committee and gave an overview of the proposal. The main issues were also highlighted and included the principle of development, the impact the development would have on the character of the area and the impact on the amenity of neighbouring dwellings.

The size of the proposal was considered to be more in keeping with the character and nature of the area in Wothorpe, which was characterised by large dwellings situated within spacious plots. Officers felt that the proposal could be accommodated on the plot without detrimental impact to the neighbouring dwellings and the design of the property was also in keeping with neighbouring dwellings.

Councillor David Over, Ward Councillor, addressed the Committee on behalf of local residents. In summary the concerns highlighted to the Committee included:

·        The Haven had been subjected to a wide variety of speculative applications with a range of changes, withdrawals, approvals and appeals. This had led to a lot of confusion amongst local residents

·        There had been a number of points raised by Councillor Over in objection to the application and these were listed in full in the committee report

·        Speculative developers had been garden grabbing in Wothorpe over the past couple of years. First Drift currently had numerous building works being undertaken on it and Second Drift had changed beyond recognition. The Parish Council had never been consulted on these plans

·        There was no great demand for new properties in the area. There were a number of houses up for sale

·        The site was not currently an undeveloped plot as there was currently a property situated on it

·        The previous level of ‘established levels of distance between houses’  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

The Committee was advised that the item had been withdrawn from the agenda and would be considered at the next meeting.