Agenda item

To consider the above planning application.

Note: Parish Councillor D Cox (on behalf of Spurstow Parish Council) and Mr S Harris (on behalf of the applicant) attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on this matter.

Note: Parish Councillor B Bell had registered his intention to address the Committee on behalf of Spurstow Parish Council but did not speak.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application.

(a)  That the application be REFUSED for the following reasons:

1.    The Local Planning Authority can demonstrate a 5 year supply of housing land supply in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework, and as such the housing supply policies of the Local Plan can be considered to be up to date  Consequently, there are no material circumstances to indicate that permission should be granted contrary to the development plan. The proposed development is therefore contrary to Policy NE.2 (Open Countryside) of the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011 and guidance contained within the NPPF.

2.    Due to the location of the site, the development is likely to be a car dependant  and thereby comprises unsustainable development  contrary to the NPPF and  comprises the loss of agricultural land within the open countryside.  It is therefore contrary to Policy NE.2 (Open Countryside) NE 12 (Agricultural Land Quality) and Policy RES.5 (Housing in the Open Countryside) of the Borough Crewe and Nantwich Local Plan 2011,  Policy PG5 of the emerging Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy - Submission Version and the principles of the National Planning Policy Framework, which seek to ensure development is directed to the right location and open countryside is protected from inappropriate development and maintained for future generations enjoyment and use. As such it and creates harm to interests of acknowledged importance.

3.    Insufficient information has been submitted in relation to speed surveys to justify the visibility splays for the access driveways and sustainable transport provision. It is therefore considered that insufficient information has been submitted in relation to highway matters therefore the application does not accord with Policy BE.3 (Access and Parking) of the Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011.

(b) That, in the event of any changes being needed to the wording of the Committee’s decision (such as to delete, vary or add conditions/informatives/planning obligations or reasons for approval/refusal) prior to the decision being issued, the Planning and Place Shaping Manager be granted delegated authority to do so in consultation with the Chairman of the Southern Planning Committee, provided that the changes do not exceed the substantive nature of the Committee’s decision.

(c) That, for the purposes of the current appeal on this site and should this application also be the subject of an appeal, authority be delegated to the Principal Planning Manager in consultation with the Chairman of the Southern Planning Committee to enter into a planning agreement in accordance with the S106 Town and Country Planning Act to secure the Heads of Terms for

·                     Affordable housing:

o        30% of all dwellings to be affordable (65% social or affordable rented and 35% intermediate tenure)

o        A mix of 1, 2 , 3 bedroom and other sized  properties to be determined at reserved matters

o        units to be tenure blind and pepper potted within the development, the external design, comprising elevation, detail and materials should be compatible with the open market homes on the development thus achieving full visual integration.

o        constructed in accordance with the Homes and Communities Agency Design and Quality Standards (2007) and should achieve at least Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes (2007).

o        no more than 50% of the open market dwellings are to be occupied unless all the affordable housing has been provided, with the exception that the percentage of open market dwellings that can be occupied can be increased to 80% if the affordable housing has a high degree of pepper-potting and the development is phased.

o        developer undertakes to provide the social or affordable rented units through a Registered Provider who are registered with the Homes and Communities Agency to provide social housing.