Agenda item

            That planning permission be refused due to the unknown implications of the changes on the approved scheme and on existing properties in the vicinity and due to the reduction of the public open space. 

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning in respect of this application.  The usual consultations had been undertaken and the responses received detailed in the report. 

                        The officer detailed the background to the report explaining that the proposal was for the re-alignment of part of the internal estate road within the Field Farm Lane development to allow for amendments to the location and siting of the on-site public open space.  The change to the road would impact on the approved site layout and the officer explained that any changes to this would require the submission of a further application. 

                        Ms. L. Hawley spoke in support of the application.  She said that work on the wider development was well under way and that the road realignment was necessary to allow for the resiting of the public open space.  Discussions had taken place with the Public Open Space Manager who had indicated that the resiting would offer improvement.  The applicants had considered the realignment at great length and were aware that further applications would need to be submitted if any changes to the outline permission were proposed.  

            Councillor Carol Ellis proposed refusal of the application against officer recommendation which was duly seconded.  She said that the officer was recommending approval but that the report suggested refusal of the application.  She highlighted paragraph 7.04 where the impacts of the realignment were reported which included the loss of some previously approved dwellings and an indication that some plots could not be developed in accordance with the previously approved layout.  The residents of the existing properties at Silverdale and Hafod Las did not know what impact the proposed changes would have on their properties as the road realignment would result in amendments to some of the dwellings granted in the outline and subsequent applications but an application detailing these changes had not been submitted.  Councillor Ellis said that other applications which had not been reported had also been withdrawn.  She asked that this application be refused and that it be submitted with an application to identify what impact the proposed road layout would have on the site layout. 

            Councillor Richard Jones raised concern about the reduction in the size of the open space provision and sought assurance that the number of dwellings on the development would not increase as a result of any future requests for substitution of house types due to the changes to the road layout.  Councillor Mike Peers said that the numbers of affordable housing on a site was determined on the original application.  He felt that if house types were changed which resulted in a net gain for the developer then the number of affordable dwellings would be below the guidelines set by the Council. 

            In response, the officer said that he had raised the issues about the remainder of the development with the developer.  A safeguard was in place that if at stage 2 of the process a layout was suggested that would reduce the amenity of the properties at Hafod Las and Silverdale then that application would be refused. 

            In summing up, Councillor Ellis said that there was a lack of information about the impact of the application on the existing properties and on the remainder of the development.  She reiterated her earlier comment that this application should be refused and submitted with an application to identify what impact the proposed road layout would have on the site layout. 

            On being put to the vote, the proposal to refuse the application against officer recommendation was CARRIED.             

            RESOLVED:

            That planning permission be refused due to the unknown implications of the changes on the approved scheme and on existing properties in the vicinity and due to the reduction of the public open space.