Issue - meetings

That planning permission be granted subject to the conditions detailed in the report of the Head of Planning and subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement requiring the following:-

a)         affordable housing – the provision of 6 units to be sold on a shared equity basis

b)         education provision - £21,000 financial contribution for improvements to local education facilities at Broughton Primary School

c)         public open space - £1,100 per dwelling to enhance existing recreation facilities in the community in lieu of on site provision

d)         public footpath link – the provision of a footpath link between roundabouts R2 and R3 linking the existing footway along the Shopping Park Link Road with the pedestrian link to Church Road to the north west of R3. 

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Planning in respect of this application which had been the subject of a site visit on 18 June 2012.  The usual consultations had been undertaken and the responses received detailed in the report.  Additional comments received since the preparation of the report were circulated at the meeting. 

            The officer detailed the background to the report and drew Members’ attention to the late observation sheet which detailed the requested highway conditions.  Condition 16 in the report was to be amended to require the submission of a biodiversity protection and conservation scheme instead of a Reasonable Avoidance Measures scheme; this had been agreed with the applicant and the Countryside Council for Wales.  All matters except access were reserved for later approval.  A development brief for housing at the Compound Site, West of Broughton Retail Park, Broughton had been adopted in March 2012. 

            Mr. M. Krassowski, the agent for the applicant, spoke in support of the application.  The site was allocated for housing in the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) and a development brief had been adopted for the site, with which, following minor amendments, the development fully accorded.  He explained that consultation had been undertaken with the owners of the properties which would be affected by the proposed removal of the bund adjoining their properties, and they agreed with the proposals.  There were no noise implications as a result of the removal of the bund.  The continuation of the green corridor adjacent to the link road would enhance the biodiversity of the site and the area.  Included in the proposal were six affordable homes which the applicant had agreed to even though the size of this site itself did not technically require the provision of affordable units.

            Councillor W. Mullin, the local Member, thanked Members for attending the site visit and thanked the Planning Strategy Manager for the development brief for the site which he felt was vitally important.  He indicated that because he was a school governor for Broughton Primary School, which and it was proposed would receive a financial contribution if the application was permitted, both he and Councillor D. Butler had been advised that they were able to speak for three minutes and then should leave the chamber during the debate.  He said that he was minded to support the recommendation but still had some concerns about the bund, even though he said that most residents were happy about its removal .  He said that the development brief indicated that some of the properties would be 2.5 storeys requiring the provision of dormer windows and roof lights.  He disagreed with three storey units but felt that roof lights and dormer windows might be acceptable. 

            Councillor D. Butler said that he had been opposed to the site being in the UDP but now recognised that that the Inspector had designated the whole  site for residential use.  He concurred that one of the issues which needed addressing was the 2.5 storey buildings and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23