Agenda item

Melton Spinney Road, Melton Mowbray

Applicant:  Taylor Wimpey

Location:   Land off Field OS 3968, Melton Spinney Road, Thorpe Arnold

Proposal:  Approval of reserved matters related to appearance, landscaping, layout and scale attached to outline approval 14/00808/OUT for the erection of 200 dwellings and provision swales/drainage infrastructure/public open space and associated works

 

The Planning Officer (RN) addressed the Committee and provided a brief summary of the application.  Mr Nallamilli also confirmed the following:

• Developers had provided a Sustainability Assessment and a Building for Life Assessment to comply with climate change and energy efficiency measures;
• Any reference to Japanese Knot Weed in the report was in fact reference to Mare’s Tail;
• An amendment to Condition No. 5, first point “following first occupation of the development” to be replaced with “following commencement of the development”;
• Three additional conditions were proposed for addition as detailed below;
• Additional information on the housing delivery programme had been provided; and

• There had been discussions with the developer in relation to street naming and the developer had suggested that if it was considered appropriate the main avenue could be named after Bill Forbes, who had been a leading volunteer for the Friends of Melton Country Park.

 

Pursuant to Chapter 2, Part 9, Para 2.8-2.28 of the Council’s Constitution in relation to public speaking at Planning Committee, the Chairman allowed the following to give a four minute presentation:

 

1. Jane Wilson – Chair of Melton Country Park

 

Following questions from Members, Mrs Wilson confirmed:

• The three proposed access points would be for pedestrians and not vehicles
• The proposed access from the Distributor Road was closer to the Newt Pond than the ecology report had indicated.

 

2. Caroline Chave (Chave Planning) – Agent on behalf of the applicant

 

Following questions from Members, Ms Chave confirmed:

• The hydrobrake would allow for rainfall collected in the attenuation pond to be discharged at a low rate into the Thorpe Brook;
• Although the exact detail was not to hand, Taylor Wimpey did employ local workers from the East Midlands region;
• The developer would work in consultation with the Friends of the Country Park on the landscaping design.

 

3. Councillors Glancy and Lumley – Ward Councillors

 

During discussion the following points were noted:

 

1. The building schedule went up to 2034, Members felt this left time for further consideration of viability with regard to the use of solar tiles.  The Planning Officer clarified that the developer had committed to looking into the provision of solar panels on future developments, but that this would not be possible for this site.  There were no policies within the Local Plan which covered the installation of solar panels and therefore this could not be added as a condition.  As lead member for Climate Change, Councillor Illingworth requested that he be involved in any ongoing dialogue regarding this matter;
2. Street names would be considered in consultation with Ward Councillors;
3. The reference to informal surveillance in relation to the play area was clarified, as the area was overlooked by surrounding houses and as such was not isolated; and
4. Members had received a copy of the design statement and images library provided by the developer.

 

Councillor Illingworth proposed the recommendations in the report subject to the addition of the supplementary conditions detailed below.  This was seconded by Councillor Holmes.

 

RESOLVED

 

That application 19/00208/REM be APPROVED in accordance with the recommendations set out in the report, subject to the :

 

(i)            Safeguarding Conditions recommended  in Appendix B;

(ii)          The amendment of Condition 5 as detailed above; and

(iii)         The addition of three conditions as follows:

a)    The construction of the dwellings hereby permitted shall not commence until the approved surface water drainage pond and its flow control system has been implemented and any debris has been cleared from the southern ditch and its outfall.

b)    Development shall not be commenced until a Landscape Implementation Plan (LIP) for the landscaped areas of the site has been submitted to and approved by the local planning authority. The LIP shall prescribe that the southern and western buffers are laid out prior to the construction of any dwelling being commenced and protected during construction by temporary fencing.

c)    No dwelling shall be occupied until a Landscape Management Plan (LMP) for the landscaped areas of the site, including management of boundary hedgerows and surface water drainage features, has been submitted to and approved by the local planning authority. The LMP shall provide for the management of landscaped areas of the site in perpetuity by a Residents Management Company'.

 

(Unanimous)

 

REASONS

 

• The application site is allocated for housing and outline planning permission for the development has been granted. The principle of the access and the number of units proposed were debated, considered and approved by Members at the outline stage.

 

• The proposal as revised would result in a form of development that would be sympathetic to the character of the locality by virtue of its appearance, landscaping, layout and scale and would not unduly compromise residential amenity or be prejudicial to highway safety.  For these reasons, the proposal is considered to comply with Policy D1 of the Melton Local Plan which requires all new development to be sympathetic to the character of the area in which the site is located.

 

--o0o--

Councillor Glancy returned to the Chair

--o0o--