Agenda item

(Director of Governance) To consider the attached report for the demolition of 54 existing garages and the erection of 12 affordable homes with 28 parking spaces (DEV-015-2015/16).

The Assistant Director of Governance introduced a report for the demolition of 54 existing garages and the erection of 12 affordable homes with 34 parking spaces.

 

The Assistant Director advised the Committee that as the proposal was for more than 10 new properties, it was classed as a major application and had not been considered by Area Plans Sub-Committee East but submitted directly to this Committee.

 

The Assistant Director stated that the application site was currently occupied by 54 garages, an entrance court and a large grassed area to the south of the site. The garages were located on the western side of the site, behind existing dwellings on Queens Road, and there were allotments to the north and west of the site. The proposal was for the demolition of the existing garages, to be replaced with 12 two storey dwellings laid out as three terraces of four properties. There would be 2 two-bedroomed properties and 10 three-bedroomed properties provided, with 34 off-street parking spaces. In addition, the existing access to the site would be widened by 2.5m through the reduction in the garden of 17 Queens Road (owned by the Council).

 

The Assistant Director reported that Planning Officers had concluded the development would provide much needed affordable housing, and was predominantly the redevelopment of a brownfield site within an existing urban location. Whilst the proposed private amenity space for each dwelling was below the recommended standard, this was considered acceptable in this instance as all of the properties would be affordable housing for applicants on the Council’s Housing Waiting List. It was acknowledged that the development would result in the loss of occupied garages, but it was felt that the displaced parking would be adequately mitigated. The insufficiencies of the submitted Drainage Strategy could also be addressed by way of a condition. The benefits of the development through the provision of affordable housing was considered to outweigh any harm and the application had been recommended for approval.

 

The Committee noted the summary of representations received in relation to the application. There had been 13 letters of objection received, including from North Weald Bassett Parish Council, and the North Weald & District Preservation Society. The Committee heard from the Parish Council and the Applicant’s Agent before proceeding to debate the application.

 

In response to a number of questions from the Members present, the Assistant Director stated that conditions could be added for the provision of lighting and also ‘No Parking’ signage along the access road. Any requirement for a fire hydrant would be dealt with by building regulations, and the access road would be regarded as a private road for the Council to maintain as owners of the land. All of the off-street parking provision would be unallocated and available for users of the nearby allotments. It was reiterated that the proposed width of the access road, internal roadway and turning head would be sufficient to allow for the manoeuvring of refuse freighters, although some of the trees would require trimming to provide height clearance for the freighters. A number of Members felt that there should be a specified footpath provided alongside the access road, but this was not currently part of the proposals before the Committee.

 

The Committee agreed that two additional conditions should be added to those listed in the report: the first concerned lighting for the access road, in the interest of pedestrian safety; and the second concerned the addition of no parking signage for the access road, to ensure the free movement of vehicles. The application was granted permission, subject to the conditions listed in the report and the two additional conditions requested by the Committee.

 

Resolved:

 

(1)        That planning application EPF/1771/15 at the Garages behind 17 Queens Road in North Weald Bassett be granted permission, subject to the following conditions:

 

1.            The development hereby permitted must be begun not later than the expiration of three years beginning with the date of this notice.

 

2.            The development hereby permitted will be completed strictly in accordance with the approved drawings nos: 612040 PL01, 612040 PL02E, 612040 PL03, 612040 PL04, 612040 PL05B, 612040 PL06, 612040 PL07.

 

3.            No construction works above ground level shall take place until documentary and photographic details of the types and colours of theexternal finishes have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority, in writing. The development shall be implemented in accordance with such approved details.

 

4.            No development shall take place until details of foul and surface water disposal have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be implemented in accordance with such agreed details.

 

5.            No development shall take place until a Drainage Strategy has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be implemented in accordance with the agreed Strategy.

 

6.            No development shall take place until wheel washing or other cleaning facilities for vehicles leaving the site during construction works have been installed in accordance with details which shall be submitted to and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved installed cleaning facilities shall be used to clean vehicles immediately before leaving the site.

 

7.            No development shall take place, including any works of demolition, until a Construction Method Statement has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority. The approved Statement shall be adhered to throughout the construction period. The Statement shall provide for:

 

1.            The parking of vehicles of site operatives and visitors;

2.            Loading and unloading of plant and materials;

3.            Storage of plant and materials used in constructing the development;

4.            The erection and maintenance of security hoarding including decorative displays and facilities for public viewing, where appropriate;

5.            Measures to control the emission of dust and dirt during construction, including wheel washing; and

6.            A scheme for recycling/disposing of waste resulting from demolition and construction works.

 

8.            All construction/demolition works and ancillary operations, including vehicle movement on site which are audible at the boundary of noise sensitive premises, shall only take place between the hours of 07.30 to 18.30 Monday to Friday and 08.00 to 13.00 hours on Saturday, and at no time during Sundays and Public/Bank Holidays unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 

9.            No development shall take place, including site clearance or other preparatory work, until full details of both hard and soft landscape works (including tree planting) and implementation programme (linked to the development schedule) have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. These works shall be carried out as approved. The hard landscaping details shall include, as appropriate, and in addition to details of existing features to be retained: proposed finished levels or contours; means of enclosure; car parking layouts; other minor artefacts and structures, including signs and lighting and functional services above and below ground. The details of soft landscape works shall include plans for planting or establishment by any means and full written specifications and schedules of plants, including species, plant sizes and proposed numbers/densities where appropriate. If within a period of five years from the date of the planting or establishment of any tree, or shrub or plant, that tree, shrub, or plant or any replacement is removed, uprooted or destroyed or dies or becomes seriously damaged or defective, another tree or shrub, or plant of the same species and size as that originally planted shall be planted at the same place, unless the Local Planning Authority gives its written consent to any variation.

 

10.          No development, including works of demolition or site clearance, shall take place until a Tree Protection Plan, Arboricultural Method Statement and site monitoring schedule in accordance with BS:5837:2012 (Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction - recommendations) has been submitted to the Local Planning Authority and approved in writing. The development shall be carried out only in accordance with the approved documents unless the Local Planning Authority gives its written consent to any variation.

 

11.          Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 as amended (or any other Order revoking, further amending or re-enacting that Order) no extensions generally permitted by virtue of Class A and B of Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Order shall be undertaken without the prior written permission of the Local Planning Authority.

 

12.          No development shall take place until a Phase 1 Land Contamination investigation has been carried out. A protocol for the investigation shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority before commencement of the Phase 1 investigation. The completed Phase 1 report shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to the commencement of any necessary Phase 2 investigation. The report shall assess potential risks to present and proposed humans, property including buildings, crops, livestock, pets, woodland and service lines and pipes, adjoining land, groundwaters and surface waters, ecological systems, archaeological sites and ancient monuments and the investigation must be conducted in accordance with DEFRA and the Environment Agency's "Model Procedures for the Management of Land Contamination, CLR 11", or any subsequent version or additional regulatory guidance.

 

[Note: This condition must be formally discharged by the Local Planning Authority before the submission of details pursuant to the Phase 2 site investigation condition that follows]

 

13.          Should the Phase 1 Land Contamination preliminary risk assessment carried out under the above condition identify the presence of potentially unacceptable risks, no development shall take place until a Phase 2 site investigation has been carried out. A protocol for the investigation shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority before commencement of the Phase 2 investigation. The completed Phase 2 investigation report, together with any necessary outline remediation options, shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority prior to any redevelopment or remediation works being carried out. The report shall assess potential risks to present and proposed humans, property including buildings, crops, livestock, pets, woodland and service lines and pipes, adjoining land, groundwaters and surface waters, ecological systems, archaeological sites and ancient monuments and the investigation must be conducted in accordance with DEFRA and the Environment Agency's "Model Procedures for the Management of Land Contamination, CLR 11", or any subsequent version or additional regulatory guidance.

 

[Note: This condition must be formally discharged by the Local Planning Authority before the submission of details pursuant to the remediation scheme condition that follows]

 

14.          Should Land Contamination Remediation Works be identified as necessary under the above condition, no development shall take place until a detailed remediation scheme to bring the site to a condition suitable for the intended use has been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved remediation scheme unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The remediation scheme must include all works to be undertaken, proposed remediation objectives and remediation criteria, timetable of works and site management procedures and any necessary long term maintenance and monitoring programme. The scheme must ensure that the site will not qualify as contaminated land under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 or any subsequent version, in relation to the intended use of the land after remediation.

 

[Note: This condition must be formally discharged by the Local Planning Authority before the submission of details pursuant to the verification report condition that follows]

 

15.          Following completion of measures identified in the approved remediation scheme and prior to the first use or occupation of the development, a verification report that demonstrates the effectiveness of the remediation carried out must be produced together with any necessary monitoring and maintenance programme and copies of any waste transfer notes relating to exported and imported soils shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for approval. The approved monitoring and maintenance programme shall be implemented.

 

16.          In the event that any evidence of potential contamination is found at any time when carrying out the approved development that was not previously identified in the approved Phase 2 report, it must be reported in writing immediately to the Local Planning Authority. An investigation and risk assessment must be undertaken in accordance with a methodology previously approved by the Local Planning Authority. Following completion of measures identified in the approved remediation scheme, a verification report must be prepared, which is subject to the approval in writing of the Local Planning Authority in accordance with the immediately above condition.

 

17.          Prior to the first occupation of the development the access arrangements, vehicle parking and turning areas as indicated on the approved plans shall be provided, hard surfaced, sealed and marked out. The access and parking areas shall be retained in perpetuity for their intended purpose.

 

18.          Prior to first occupation of the proposed development, the Developer shall be responsible for the provision and implementation of a Residential Travel Information Pack for sustainable transport, approved by Essex County Council.

 

19.          There shall be no discharge of surface water onto the Highway.

 

20.          No unbound material shall be used in the surface treatment of the vehicular access within 6 metres of the highway boundary.

 

21.          All recommendations as set out in Section 5 of the Phase 1 Habitat Survey (undertaken by LaDellWood – June 2015) shall be followed, including the submission of and approval in writing by the Local Planning Authority of details regarding a bat sensitive lighting scheme (if necessary), position and design or bat boxes and bird boxes, and a planting scheme to improve the habitat for foraging bats. The development shall be implemented in accordance with such agreed details.

 

            22.       Prior to commencement of the proposed development, details of                            lighting of the access road from Queens Road shown to be widened                     on drawing no 612/038/PL02E, shall be submitted to and agreed in                 writing by the Local Planning Authority. The details as agreed shall be                     implemented in accordance with the approved details before first                            occupation of the development.

 

                        [Reason: To allow safe and secure access and in the interest of                  pedestrian safety.]

 

            23.       Prior to first occupation of the development, details and location of                         signage stating no parking in the site access road off Queens Road,                 shall be submitted to and agreed in writing by the Local Planning                      Authority. The details as agreed shall be implemented on site prior to                      first occupation of the development.

 

                        [Reason: In the interest of ensuring the free movement of vehicles.]