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Agenda item

24/02171/FUL Land North of Woodstock Road, Charlbury

Minutes:

Mike Cassidy, Principal Planner, presented the application for the erection of twenty six dwellings (including 46% affordable housing), the provision of public open space and landscaping, demolition of the existing garages and provision of new vehicular access via Woodstock Road and pedestrian access to Hughes Close and associated works.

 

The Principal Planner’s presentation addressed the following points:

  • The application was for 26 new dwellings of which 46% would be affordable housing. Garages on the site would be demolished and new vehicular and pedestrian/cycle accesses created.
  • The site was on the South East side of Charlbury in the Charlbury Conservation Area and Cotswolds National Landscape (AONB). The site adjoins existing residential development on Hughes Close, Little Leas and Woodstock Road.
  • The site is bounded on all sides by trees and hedgerows, some of which are protected by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) some 50 years old.
  • A previous refused application had been dismissed on appeal with the Inspector raising concerns in relation to adverse landscape impacts upon the Cotswolds National Landscape (CNL); poor quality design and layout with areas dominated by hard landscaping; a lack of surveillance to some plots resulting in a ‘fear of crime’ and lack of favourable living conditions for future occupiers; adverse impact on the Charlbury Conservation Area; and adverse impact on the neighbouring property, No.36 Little Leas,  by reason of being visually overbearing only 2 metres from boundary, with a loss of outlook and daylight.
  • The application had been reduced by 2 houses to 26 dwellings and a wider tree/hedge planted boundary included with a buffer zone and managed landscaping. The building/plots closest to Little Leas had been pulled further back from the northern boundary and reorientated to address the concerns regarding loss out  outlook and daylight raised by the appeal Inspector.
  • The proposal includes a mixture of 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom dwellings with 12 affordable housing units (46% of the total) proposed.
  • In the appeal decision, the Inspector noted there was no substantive evidence the trees originally protected by the TPO (some 50 years old) remained on site. Moreover, nearly three quarters of trees on the site were of low quality showing signs of disease and decay with limited life expectancy. The proposal would remove these trees and replace them with new tree planting of much better quality. 

 

Councillor Kenrick, Charlbury Town Council addressed the Sub-Committee and raised the following points;

  • The Town Council had engaged with the application in detail and information could be found online.

·         Concerns regarding surface water drainage had been raised by Thames Water, which highlighted the need for the provision of rainwater capture and greywater recycling within e the development.

  • The need for provision of defibrillators which the Council could not see this in the application.

 

Grant Bayliss, agent for the applicant, addressed the Sub-Committee and raised the following points;

  • The site offered 26 new homes of which 46% were affordable – 12 houses.
  • The applicant was a family run business who worked closely with Cottsway Housing Association.
  • Local materials would be used for construction of the site with landscaping and buffer zone.
  • There would also be a play space as part of the S106 agreement with provision of a defibrillator.

 

The Principal Planner’s presentation addressed the following points:

  • Points raised by Councillor Kenrick concerning rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling could be covered by an amendment to condition 17 (surface water drainage) with reference being added to include details of rainwater harvesting and Greywater recycling to be agreed.
  • Whilst there was no planning policy which covered the provision of a defibrillator, given this had been agreed between the town council and applicant  it could be secured as part of the enhancement of the existing off-site play space facility in Charlbury as part of the S106 agreement. An additional informative was suggested relating to the provision of a Defibrillator, as part of the enhancement of existing off-site play space facilities in Charlbury contribution, to be secured by s106 legal agreement.
  • Parking provision was based on being accessible and close to dwellings, however a parking allocation plan could be provided and secured by condition. This was not considered to be necessary by officers.

 

The Chair then invited the Sub-Committee to discuss the application, which raised the following points:

  • The use of solar panels on the housing and use of renewable energy were not included in the application. The Principal Planner confirmed that whilst no solar panels are proposed, EV chargers would be included and the use of air source heat pumps for the heating and domestic hot water system.
  • Previous comments by Thames Valley Police regarding the design and layout of the site. It was confirmed that the applicant had amended the layout which made it more secure to the satisfaction of the Police.
  • Concerns about the trees and preservation. It was confirmed that many of the trees had self-seeded due to the site not being managed extensively. The trees to be removed were dying and of low quality. There was a complete biodiversity plan provided to be secured by condition.
  • The building/plots closest to the boundary with Little Lees had been pulled back almost the width of 2 gardens to prevent it appearing visually overbearing and resulting in a loss of outlook and daylight into the houses on Little Leas.
  • Provision  of garages, carports and sheds to lock away cycles had been included.

 

The Chair proposed that the Sub-Committee approve the application in line with the officer recommendation and subject to an amendment to condition 17 (surface water drainage) to include reference to rainwater drainage and greywater harvesting and an additional informative relating to the provision of a Defibrillator, as part of the enhancement of existing off-site play space facilities in Charlbury contribution, to be secured by s106 legal agreement. This was seconded by Councillor Geoff Saul, put to the vote and agreed by the Sub-Committee.

 

Voting Record – Unanimous

 

 

The Sub-Committee resolved to:

 

  1. Approve the application in line with the officer recommendationand subject to an amendment to condition 17 (Surface water drainage scheme) to also include reference to provision for rainwater drainage and greywater harvesting and an additional informative relating to the provision of a Defibrillator, as part of the enhancement of existing off-site play space facilities in Charlbury contribution, to be secured by s106 legal agreement..

 

 

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