Agenda item

Reserved Matters application for the erection of a community centre and associated landscaping and cycle parking. The Reserved Matters include access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale and related partial discharge of conditions 11, 18, 28, 36, 39, 40 and 42 pursuant to outline planning permission S/0388/12/OL.

By unanimous vote, the Committee approved the application in accordance with the officer’s recommendation, and subject to the conditions, as laid out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development.

Councillor Bill Handley withdrew from the Committee, in line with his Declaration of Interest

The Principal Planner (Strategic Sites), Luke Mills, presented the report. In response to Member questions, officers gave the following details:

·         A café was to be included as part of the proposal.

·         The main hall could be used in a variety of ways, with a maximum building capacity of 300 people, and that an Event Management Plan condition was in place.

·         Cycle parking provision exceeded standard requirements.

·         The comments of the Access Officer, laid out in the report, had been addressed, although some of the comments regarded issues that were not planning considerations.

·         The comments of the Landscape Officer had been considered and the majority of the comments had been addressed, although the desire to see further soft landscaping on the northern edge of the building was not possible without compromising cycle parking.

·         The building was in close to a guided busway stop and that there was a temporary footpath in place between the site and the guided busway stop, and that a Travel Plan condition was in place to promote sustainable transport.

Questions were raised with regard to car parking and officers, including the Principal Transport Officer (Cambridgeshire County Council), gave details of the proposed parking, explaining that the highways authority was satisfied with the proposed level of parking. The Committee was advised that a scheme with less parking provision than initially proposed was acceptable, with ample parking in the vicinity being available, and that parking around the community centre would be monitored once the use had commenced.

The Committee was addressed by a representative of the applicant, Kirstin Donaldson, who responded to questions regarding:

·         The long-term viability of the community centre- the Committee was advised that work on the future governance and management was being undertaken by the Communities Team of the Council, with the solution likely to be subject to a future decision by the Council’s Cabinet.

·         Accessibility- Members were assured that accessibility considerations had been taken into account, with refinement to accessibility measures to be made during the technical design stage, and that the applicant was taking into account all comments made with regard to accessibility.

Councillor Richard Owen of Northstowe Town Council addressed the Committee on behalf of the Town Council and in support of the application.

In the debate, the Committee expressed support for the application. Members felt that conditions and proposed monitoring alleviated concerns around the proposal but requested that officers ensured that the conditions were strong and enforceable. Members described car parking provision as the main point of concern, but agreed that the details provided by officers in the meeting resolved these concerns and noted the support for the proposed parking from both the Town Council and the highways authority.

By unanimous vote, the Committee approved the application in accordance with the officer’s recommendation, and subject to the conditions, as laid out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development.

Councillor Bill Handley rejoined the Committee