Agenda item

Outline planning application for the erection of up to 34 new residential units as a Social Housing Rural Exception Site in the Greenbelt with all matters reserved except for access from Histon Road.

The Committee agreed, by affirmation, to the removal of condition 26. The Committee requested, and approved by affirmation, an additional condition stating “notwithstanding the details set out in drawing number 22938_08_020_01, details of the access road and pedestrian crossing shall be submitted to and agreed in writing with the local planning authority. The details shall then be implemented in accordance with the agreed details. Reason: In the interest of pedestrian and highway safety in accordance with policies HQ/1 and TI/2 of the Local Plan”. The Committee delegated authority to officers to draft the final wording and approve it in conjunction with the Chair and Vice-Chair.

By 5 votes to 4, with one abstention, the Committee approved the application subject to the conditions laid out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development and the changes to conditions made by the Committee.

The Committee agreed, by affirmation, to the removal of condition 26. The Committee requested, and approved by affirmation, an additional condition stating The Principal Planner, Steve Fraser-Lim, presented the report and informed the Committee that officers proposed to remove condition 26 as they felt that condition 25 and the compliance to Building Regulations M4(2) were satisfactory. In response to a question, officers clarified the amount of the development that was in the green belt and outside of the Village Development Framework and offered explanation on how this impacted policy compliance. The Committee raised the Parish Council’s statement on affordable housing provision in Cottenham and the Housing Development Officer provided an explanation of the assessed need and how the conclusions had been drawn.

The Committee was addressed by Councillor Tim Jones of Cottenham Parish Council who presented the views of the Parish Council and raised concerns over surface water, the proposed three storey building not being compliant with the Village Design Statement and access to the site. Members asked a number of questions of Councillor Jones regarding the concerns he raised. The Committee noted a written submission for Councillor John Loveluck as local Member.

In the debate, Members debated the balance between the need for affordable housing and the harm to the green belt that the proposed development would bring as required by policy S/8 of the Local Plan. The Committee accepted that the need for affordable housing had been proved, but some Members were concerned that the proposed site was not the most appropriate site in the village and thus the application was not compliant with policy H/11 of the Local Plan. Opinion was divided as to if the balance required to meet the criteria for a Social Housing Rural Exception Site was met. Concerns were also raised by some Members over the proposed housing density and whether the proposal was compliant with policy H/8 of the Local Plan, although it was noted that this consideration, like others, would be dealt with at the Reserved Matters stage. Water drainage, both surface and foul, was a point of concern for the Committee but Members stated that the comments of the Internal Drainage Board on surface water drainage meant that surface water concerns were not a viable reason for refusal and the comments of Anglian Water prevented foul water drainage concerns from being a reason for refusal.

The Committee raised concerns over the proposed access road not being up to the adoptable standards required by the Highways authority and felt that, as an unadopted road would lead to management costs being the responsibility of residents, this was unacceptable in a Social Housing Rural Exception site. The Committee requested, and approved by affirmation, an additional condition stating “notwithstanding the details set out in drawing number 22938_08_020_01, details of the access road and pedestrian crossing shall be submitted to and agreed in writing with the local planning authority. The details shall then be implemented in accordance with the agreed details. Reason: In the interest of pedestrian and highway safety in accordance with policies HQ/1 and TI/2 of the Local Plan”. The Committee delegated authority to officers to draft the final wording and approve it in conjunction with the Chair and Vice-Chair. The Committee also agreed to the removal of condition 26, as recommended by officers, by affirmation.

Councillor Geoff Harvey was not present for the full duration of the discussion and subsequently abstained from the vote

By 5 votes to 4 (Councillors Ariel Cahn, Peter Sandford, Heather Williams and Dr Richard Williams), with one abstention, the Committee approved the application subject to the conditions laid out in the report from the Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development and the changes to conditions made by the Committee.