Agenda item

Erection of 25 dwellings including 40% affordable along with access, car and cycle parking and associated landscaping

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application subject to

1.     The prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing the provision of onsite affordable housing, the provision and management of public open space, community facilities, education contributions and healthcare contributions, detailed in Appendix 1 to the report from the Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development; and

2.     Conditions and Informatives based on the draft Conditions and Informatives referred to in the said report.

The case officer highlighted the fact that the site was outside the village framework. It was within policy in terms of house numbers permitted in a single development in this category of village. The impact on the landscape was a major concern. There had been a policy shift since submission of the application.

Councillor Ray Manning (a local Member) addressed the meeting. He referred to the proposal’s adverse impact on the Fen edge. The exception site to the east of the proposal had not set a precedent but was now seemingly being cited as justifying the current application. Councillor Manning urged the Committee to refuse the application, or at least defer it for further information, including about drainage. He said that Willingham Parish Council was of a similar opinion. In response, the case officer said that drainage would form part of a Reserved Matters application, but reminded Members that capacity was not a material planning consideration.

Councillor Brian Burling (speaking as another local Member) said that his main worry related to discharge from Over Water Recycling Centre.

The Chairman (speaking as the third local Member) expressed sympathy with Willingham Parish Council, and shared concern about drainage. However, she could not identify a good reason to refuse the application.

Opening the Committee debate, Councillor Deborah Roberts said that encouraging progress on housing trajectory and the draft Local Plan could render this application unsupportable “within months”. She argued that any appeal against refusal could well be heard after South Cambridgeshire District Council could once again demonstrate a five-year supply of housing development land.

The Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development urged caution. He summarised the process to be followed, and likely timescales, following publication of the Local Plan Inspector’s report. He could not speculate as to the degree of modification that might be required, or the complexity of the ensuing public consultation. The Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development Informed Members that it would be deemed unreasonable were the Committee to refuse the application on the basis of what might happen.

Councillor Anna Bradnam suggested that, in effect, the exception site to the east of the proposal had established a new village framework. However, the Chairman countered by saying that, in view of South Cambridgeshire District Council’s current inability to demonstrate a five-year land supply, the concept of the village framework did not exist at all.

Councillor Sebastian Kindersley said that, in accordance with Policy H/10 of the draft Local Plan, all of the proposed dwellings should be affordable. The case officer pointed out that the application was for 40% of the dwellings to be affordable.

The Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development referred to paragraph 50 of the report, and told Members that their reference point in the current circumstances was paragraph 14 of the National Planning Policy Framework, and not local exception site policy.

During the remainder of the debate, Councillors discussed:

·       The impact on landscape

·       Possible undermining of the Council’s exception site policy

·       Environmental implications, including flood risk

·       protection of the Fen edge

The Development Management Project Implementation Officer said that the site was well enough screened to address the issue of Fen edge protection: the Council’s Landscape Officer had not raised any objection. The site did not benefit from any special designation.

The Committee gave officers delegated powers to approve the application subject to

1.     The prior completion of a Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 securing the provision of onsite affordable housing, the provision and management of public open space, community facilities, education contributions and healthcare contributions, detailed in Appendix 1 to the report from the Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development; and

2.     Conditions and Informatives based on the draft Conditions and Informatives referred to in the said report.