Agenda item

Lake Terrace, Melton Mowbray

The Chair asked Members and Officers if they would continue with the meeting at 8.44pm. All were in favour of continuing.

 

Applicant: G S Property Holdings Limited - Mandeep Singh

Location: Field 4100, Lake Terrace, Melton Mowbray

Proposal: Residential development (up to 90 dwellings) including public open space, removal of material from existing disused railway, landscaping and alterations to existing vehicular access (outline - all matters reserved except access)

 

(a)  The Planning Officer (GBA) presented the report and stated that:

5 Updates to report on this item:-

1.    A late representation from a resident concerned about impacts on the highway network specifically relating to how this would add to school traffic at the nearby roundabout. Also wanted to stress concern about impact on wildlife, destruction of our railway heritage and removal of green amenity land. Final concern about the development potentially overlooking the resident’s house and the noise and disturbance during construction.

2.    The LCC Ecology team have advised of further conditions to bolster the enhancements proposed which will be applied to the application

3.    Further comments from the MBC environmental health team have also been obtained which again confirm the position that the mitigation proposed will be sufficient to mitigate against the noise issues of the site. They confirm that no complaints have been received from those nearby. Further details will be supplied through a subsequent reserved matters scheme for review.

4.    The site meeting on Monday raised some questions including planting of trees. The agent has confirmed that new trees are proposed and hawthorn planting is proposed.

5.    Also just to make clear that public access to the site is proposed to be increased and there would be interpretation boards etc. provided as part of the enhancement scheme. 

 

The following proposal is an outline application including access for up to 90 houses on land to the north of Lake Terrace, Melton Mowbray

 

The scheme proposes a mix of housing that will be confirmed through a subsequent reserved matters application.

The site is not an allocated site for the purposes of the new Melton Local Plan and therefore this engages policy SS1 of our new local plan considering the overall sustainability of the site.

A balance has been struck where the proposal is deemed to be well connected to Melton town therefore affording excellent access to facilities by foot, bike and public transport.

It also proposes quite substantial ecological improvements and accessibility to this with information boards where appropriate.

There is some substantial work proposed to reduce the impact of flooding which has been deemed acceptable by the Environment Agency.

All other technical matters are satisfied through positive consultation responses.

Finally, the scheme proposes contributions in excess of £1m to cover substantial highway improvements, education, surgery, refuse site enhancements and towards library services and facilities.

With all these factors is deemed to contribute squarely to the ambitions of creating sustainable development against the significant need to provide more homes.

This application is therefore recommended for approval as per the report with added conditions on ecology.

 

(b)  Lance Wiggins, the agent, was invited to speak and stated that:

·         Site is within town envelope

·         Smaller homes from 1 bed flats to 3 bed houses

·         36 affordable housing

·         Will not exceed 2 storeys

·         Open space addition

·         Brentingby dam will protect from flooding

·         Grassland has declined

·         No longer meets requirement for wildlife

·         No objection from Environment Agency

·         No technical objections

·         Contribution towards distributor road

 

A Cllr asked when the grassland was last grazed.

 

Mr Wiggins did not have the answer but stated that ecology agree that the quality of the grassland no longer applies.

 

A Cllr asked how high the individual plots will be raised.

 

Mr Wiggins stated that the land levels will be raised where the majority of houses are built, and they will rise above the level flood water would reach.

 

A Cllr asked if the developers were open to 2 and 3 bed homes as a prescription.

 

Mr Wiggins stated that there would be specifically smaller properties, and a mix of 1 bed flats and 2/3 bed properties. 4 one bed flats, 4 two bed flats, 49 two bed houses and 33 three bed houses.

 

A Cllr stated that the plot floods every year, there is bad access, insurance companies will not insure the houses, the site is not allocated or part of the Local Plan, and there is a need to look after open spaces in the town.

 

A Cllr asked how the ecological enhancement could be guaranteed. The current plan does not comply with CDM regulations.

 

The Planning Officer (GBA) stated that within the red line, substantial works will be conducted.

 

The Assistant Director of Strategic Planning and Regulatory Services stated that the power to condition extends to land also owned by the applicant as well as the application site. The land used to be an allocated Protected Open Area in the old Local Plan and there is judgement needed on how important the land is.

 

A Cllr stated that there needed to be a guarantee that ecological enhancement would be carried out, and asked if this could be conditioned.

 

The Assistant Director of Strategic Planning and Regulatory Services advised that an s106 will be in place, but it could also be conditioned.

 

A Cllr had concerns on flooding and stated that trees would add more protection.

 

Cllr Higgins proposed to permit the application as it goes towards meeting the allocation in Melton. 36 affordable homes and 2/3 bed properties must be secure. The ecological enhancement should be conditioned. The contribution towards the distributor road should be invested into Lake Terrace and not just the bypass. Clarification of condition for the decision, regarding £813,382 towards strategic road improvements. Conditions should read: 36 affordable homes and 2/3 bed properties must be secure. The ecological enhancement should be conditioned. The contribution towards the distributor road should be invested in to Lake Terrace and not just the bypass.

 

Cllr Greenow seconded the proposal to permit.

 

A Cllr had concerns on flooding as the dwellings on Nevada Park next to the site are raised to 6m. The Brentingby dam needs work. It will add to traffic problems.

 

A Cllr asked how deep the land floods and what difference the dam has made.

 

The Assistant Director of Strategic Planning and Regulatory Services stated that a Flood Risk Assessment accompanies the application and the 1m raise is higher than the flooding depth.

 

A Cllr stated that there is other land available to meet the allocation and the Local Plan dismissed this site for good reason. The land is in flood zone 3. Open spaces need to be protected and it will cause a problem for traffic.

 

The Chair stated that the LLFA are satisfied.

 

A Cllr asked if raising the site would change the flood zone.

 

The Assistant Director of Strategic Planning and Regulatory Services confirmed it would. When the site is reassessed it will not be as vulnerable in future.

 

A vote was taken. 8 Members voted in favour of approval. 3 Members voted against. Cllr Holmes wished for her vote against approval to be recorded.

 

DETERMINATION: PERMIT, subject to:

(a)       the following section 106 contributions:-

 

•           £813,382 towards Strategic Road improvements

 

•           £246,691.15 for The Long Field School and John Ferneley College  secondary schools

 

•           £28,263.17 for Latham House Medical Practice, Sage Cross Street, Melton Mowbray.

 

•           £7,770 Melton Mowbray Civic Amenity Site on Lake Terrace, Melton Mowbray

 

•           £2,720.00 for Melton Library on Wilton Road, Melton Mowbray

 

•           A Construction Traffic Routing Agreement to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Highway Authority. During the period of construction, all traffic to and from the site shall use the agreed route at all times.

 

•           Travel Packs; to inform new residents from first occupation what sustainable travel choices are in the surrounding area which can be supplied by LCC at £52.85 per pack).

 

•           6 month bus passes, two per dwelling (2 application forms to be included in Travel Packs and funded by the developer); to encourage new residents to use bus services, to establish changes in travel behaviour from first occupation and promote usage of sustainable travel modes other than the car which can be supplied through LCC at (average) £360.00 per pass (cost to be confirmed at implementation)

 

•           £6,000.00 for the monitoring of the travel plan 

 

(c)  Conditions as set out in the report

 

REASON: The proposed development of up to 90 dwellings in a sustainable location accords with the spatial strategy to development set out in the emerging Local Plan and which meets the sustainable aims of the NPPF.

 

 

The proposal could be accommodated within the site without having a detrimental impact on the character of the area or neighbouring properties subject to detailed design, layout and scale.  The proposal would be served by a satisfactory access and the site is capable of providing adequate parking and turning within the site.

 

The development is not an allocated site for the purposes of the new Melton Local Plan however owing to the ecological improvements it will bring, the substantial contribution highway improvements, education, waste, libraries and surgery and lack of significant impacts in all other respects the proposal is seen to comply with the Local Plan policies referred to above and principles of the NPPF.

 

Ward Cllr – Cllr Higgins, Clarification of condition for the decision, regarding £813,382 towards strategic road improvements. Conditions should read: 36 affordable homes and 2/3 bed properties must be secure. The ecological enhancement should be conditioned. The contribution towards the distributor road should be invested in to Lake Terrace and not just the bypass.