Agenda item

The Old Clay Pit, Grantham Road, Bottesford

Applicant: Davidson Homes And Mr McNulty

Location: The Old Clay Pit, Grantham Road, Bottesford

Proposal: Outline application (access included) for residential development of up to 40 dwellings

 

(a)  The Assistant Director of Strategic Planning and Regulatory Services presented the report and provided an update as follows:

 

•           It had been deferred to undertake a site visit which took place Monday, noting the extent of vegetation, the point of access, presence of knotweed and the proximity and slope towards the river

•           The applicant has provided further detail of the site investigation work they carried out and this has been added to the report on its second page

•           Regarding enquiries about compaction owing to the former use of the site, a Geo Technical report has identified that there is such a risk and therefore measures need to be included in the foundation design to reach the underlying strata. This would take the form of more detailed surveys leading to identification where piled foundations and a backfill is needed, and suspended floors to allow for escape of ground gases.

•           Affordable Housing is proposed at 32% rather than 37% as stated, in order to be in accurate compliance with the Local Plan Policy requirement.

 

(b)  Bob Bayman, on behalf of the Parish Council, was invited to speak and stated that:

 

·         The PC has changed its position on the application since it submitted its written comments

·         Development has changed from 1 combined site between 2 developers to 2 separate sites

·         Compaction problem

·         Contamination issues

·         Knotweed issue has not been addressed

·         Affordable homes decreased from 37% to 32%

 

A Cllr asked how the site is separated and stated that the Committee is not judging the entrance and all other factors, however suggested that it could be conditioned for the full application.

Cllr Bayman explained that 2 sites had been put in separately but the Local Plan had brought them together, which is better. There is no link between the two. There should be one entrance into one site.

 

(c)  Joyce Farnese, on behalf of Mrs Woollard (objector), was invited to speak and stated that:

·         The site was formally a landfill tip

·         There are contaminants on site

·         Knotweed present and impossible to eradicate

·         Vehicles on site pass through and deposit throughout village

·         Instability of tip contents requires piling

·         Soil needs to be removed for building disturbing toxins

·         Corby case – toxins and contamination caused limb deficiencies in unborn children

 

(d)  Jamie Pyper, the agent, was invited to speak and stated that:

·         Client sought to engage with landowner of adjacent land however they are not willing to engage

·         Collaboration could be made in the future

·         With appropriate mitigation the site can be built upon with no issues with contamination

·         Environment Agency satisfied

·         Conditions can be added

·         Knotweed treatment is in hand and can be conditioned

·         32% affordable housing is in accordance with policy

 

A Cllr asked if the 32% affordable housing will be dependant on site cleaning and if there would be an impact.

 

Mr Pyper stated that the figure had been decided on an informed basis and is viable, and the client is prepared to deliver 32%.

 

The developer was asked if they were committed to delivering 32% affordable housing. They confirmed that they were.

 

A Cllr asked for confirmation that remedial works have been started on the knotweed.

 

Mr Pyper stated that works are due to start this month.

 

A Cllr asked for confirmation that the treatment would be complete before building work.

 

Mr Pyper stated that it would have to be as there is a condition that the site must be cleared of all knotweed.

 

A Cllr asked how deep the pit is and how deep piling would be.

 

Mr Pyper stated that the application is outline and those details would be submitted at the reserved matters stage. Until the layout is confirmed location of piling cannot be confirmed.

 

The Assistant Director of Strategic Planning and Regulatory Services stated that although the Local Plan addresses the site as a single site it is not yet adopted. The application is in outline and the indicative plan may not look the same at a later stage. The knotweed can be resolved as on other sites and does not have to be eradicated completely before works commence. In terms of the Corby case, they were guilty of negligence because they did not consider impact of contamination – we believe we are providing the necessary diligence in this case. The depth of piling is referred to on page 2 of the report with 5.4m being the deepest.

 

Cllr Higgins proposed to permit the application provided that 32% affordable housing is insisted on, and there is a mix of 2 and 3 bed homes. The contaminants can be chemically cleaned up and conditions need to be enforced and monitored.

 

Cllr Cumbers seconded the proposal and asked for the inclusion of a play area.

 

Cllr Higgins accepted this.

 

The Chair asked to include the conditioning of working and delivery hours.

 

Cllr Higgins accepted this.

 

A Cllr asked if there would be an education contribution.

 

The Assistant Director of Strategic Planning and Regulatory Services stated that a full contribution will be made via s106 as per the report.

 

Cllr Higgins stated that linking the two sites would be better and added that a condition be included requiring a link between the sites depending upon the coordination between the parties concerned (wording delegated to the Assistant Director of Planning and Regulatory Services, depending on the circumstances).

 

A vote was taken and it was unanimously decided that the application should be approved.

 

DECISION: PERMIT, subject to:

(a)   The completion of an agreement under s 106 for the quantities set out in the above report to secure:

• Contribution for the improvement to library facilities.
• Contribution to facilitate the increased capacity of Bottesford Belvoir High School
• Contribution to sustainable transport options
• Contribution to maintenance of open space
• The provision of affordable housing at 32%, including the quantity, tenure, house type/size and occupation criteria to ensure they are provided to meet identified local needs

(all as set out in the report)

 

(b)  the conditions se out in the report;

(c)  additional conditions requiring:

·         a housing mix with significant proportion of 2 and 3 bedroom dwellings

·         Limitations on working and delivery hours;

·         The inclusion of a play area;

·         a link between the sites depending upon the coordination between the parties concerned (wording delegated to the Assistant Director of Planning and Regulatory Services, depending on the circumstances

 

REASONS: This application presents some affordable housing that helps to meet identified local needs. Accordingly, the application presents a vehicle for the delivery of affordable housing of the appropriate quantity, in proportion with the development and of a type to support the local market housing needs. Bottesford is considered to be a highly sustainable location having access to employment, health care facilities, primary and secondary education, local shops, and regular bus and train services.  It is considered that these are material considerations that weigh in favour of the application.

 

There are a number of other positive benefits of the scheme which include surface water management in the form of a sustainable drainage system. 

 

Balanced against the positive elements are the specific concerns raised in representations, particularly the development of the site from its green field state and the impact on the character of the rural village.

 

On the balance of the issues, there are significant benefits accruing from the proposal when assessed as required under the guidance in the NPPF in terms of housing supply and affordable housing in particular.  The balancing issues – development of a green field site and impact upon character are considered to be of limited harm. 

 

This is because, in this location, the character of the site provides potential for sympathetic deign, careful landscaping, biodiversity and sustainable drainage opportunities, the site is also allocated for development in the submitted Melton Local Plan.