Agenda item

To consider the above planning application.

Note: Mr C Bowen attended the meeting and addressed the Committee on behalf of the applicant.

Note: The Principal Planning Officer read a representation from a representative of Bulkeley and Ridley Parish Council, who was unable to attend the meeting.

The Committee considered a report regarding the above planning application.

RESOLVED

(a)   That, for the reasons set out in the report, the application be REFUSED for the following reason:

Whilst it is acknowledged that there is a presumption in favour of sustainable development in the planning balance, it is considered that the development is unsustainable because:

1.     The unacceptable environmental impact of the scheme on the open countryside and character and appearance of the landscape, its unsustainable location, and the economic impact of loss of best and most versatile agricultural land significantly demonstrably outweighs the economic and social benefits in terms of its contribution to boosting housing land supply, including the contribution to affordable housing. As such, the proposal is contrary to Policy NE2, NE.3, and NE12, of the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011 and Policy SE4 of the Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy Submission Version as well as the provisions of the National Planning Policy Framework.

2.     Insufficient information has been submitted with the application in order to assess adequately the impact of the proposed development on nature conservation interests. In particular, adequate/up to date surveys of the site for the existence of Badgers were not submitted. In the absence of this information, it has not been possible to demonstrate that the proposal would comply with the provisions of the National planning Policy Framework and Development Plan policies relating to nature conservation and would therefore be contrary to Policy NE.9 of the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich Replacement Local Plan 2011.

(b)   That, in order to give proper effect to the Committee’s intentions and without changing the substance of the decision, authority be delegated to the Head of Planning (Regulation), in consultation with the Chairman (or in her absence the Vice Chairman) of Southern Planning Committee, to correct any technical slip or omission in the wording of the resolution, between approval of the minutes and issue of the decision notice.

(c)    That, should the application be subject to an appeal, the following Heads of Terms should be secured as part of any S106 Agreement:

1.    A scheme for the provision of affordable housing – 3 units to be provided as social rent/affordable rent with 1 unit as intermediate tenure. The scheme shall include:

·           The numbers, type, tenure and location on the site of the affordable housing provision

·           The timing of the construction of the affordable housing and its phasing in relation to the occupancy of the market housing

·           The arrangements for the transfer of the affordable housing to an affordable housing provider or the management of the affordable housing if no Registered Social Landlord is involved

·           The arrangements to ensure that such provision is affordable for both first and subsequent occupiers of the affordable housing; and

·           The occupancy criteria to be used for determining the identity of occupiers of the affordable housing and the means by which such occupancy criteria shall be enforced