Agenda item

This application sought outline planning consent for the erection of up to 350 no. dwellings; extra care housing; 4.5ha of employment land; public open space and landscaping provision including sports pitch and landscaped park; demolition of existing industrial buildings; highway works and associated infrastructure development.  The application had previously been before Committee in 2013 and 2015 and has a resolution to grant planning permission subject to a S106 Agreement.  The application remains materially unchanged and Members are asked to ratify the previous resolution to grant.

Councillor A Eade, Ward/Parish Councillor, spoke against the application and expressed sadness at the loss of green land and the overdevelopment taking place in Newport.  He raised concerns regarding the proposed demolition of existing industrial buildings and requested that a condition be imposed to ensure that prior to any demolition of the industrial estate, tenants were offered like for like leases.  With regard to the primary education funding element, he requested that the condition be reworded to include reference to Church Aston Primary School as per the 2015 application as well as additional funds being sought for the building of changing facilities for the playing pitches.  He also mentioned that the footpath and cycleway on the north side of A518 from sheep island to Aldi needed completion prior to the housing development being completed in order for a safe and efficient route for residents to access local facilities.

Councillor Griffin spoke against the application on behalf of Chetwynd Aston Parish Council and raised concerns regarding the loss of green belt land and the use of a policy change within the new Local Plan to determine the detail and design and development. He mentioned that Chetwynd Aston has 62% of the development east and west of Station Road and that capital projects should benefit from s106 monies such as pavement widening in Pave Lane between Norwood House and the entrance to Lilleshall Sports Grounds and a contribution towards the refurbishment of the joint community hall.  The employment land linked by the NI Park currently had no footpath or cycle path from Station Road to the Audley Avenue roundabout and this is a major disconnect for sustainable transport policies.  The development should include policies from the new Local Plan and incorporate the new environment policies and design detail to prevent retrofitting and to meet the climate change and the 2030 carbon neutral policy as well as urban greening and green spaces as the Parish has lost the only open space it currently enjoys. 

Mr Collins, Applicant’s Agent, addressed Members regarding the application which had previously come before the committee in 2015.  The application sought further ratification due to changes and the progress of various schemes although no material amendments were made to the application.  The application was now in the adopted boundary of Newport and the housing was relied upon as part of the Council’s wider housing land supply.  The education contribution had increased by £670k to £1.5m in total and all other contributions were to be increased in line with the Retail Prices Index and would be substantially more than those in the report and were compliant with policy and necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms.  The required football pitch has already been delivered and the development would provide a direct pedestrian link through the site on Station Road.   Whilst there has been a delay in delivery of the site, all land owners were now in a position to bring the site to immediate delivery. 

The Planning Officer updated Members on the recent changes and new material considerations in order they could reconsider the 2015 resolution to grant bearing in mind the time that had since elapsed.  The site now sat within Newport development boundary following adoption of the Local Plan in 2018 and the principle of development in this area was now stronger than at the time of the last resolution.  Since 2015 the Council had changed the way education contributions were calculated and the increased amount needed approval by the Committee. The Education Team’s preferred option is to direct the primary education contribution towards Church Aston Primary School, however this is reliant on a number of other factors coming together at the same time. Consequently the Education Team now advocate a flexible approach to allocating S106 monies as unspent contributions may have to be paid back to the developer after five years.. The Planning Officer addressed the points raised by the speakers:  The provision of public art features was no longer secured by planning obligations and would now be sought through planning condition.  The 2015 resolution regarding the four arm roundabout and the sports pitch needed to be removed as these had been delivered by other developments which have already come forward and need to be removed from the 2015 resolution.  Newport Neighbourhood Development Plan had been adopted since 2015 and policies in Neighbourhood Development Plan would be met by the outline application with any other matters being dealt with at the reserved matters stage.   The 2015 application referred to 6-8 phases.  This had now been amended to Phase 1 west of Station Road, Phase 2 to the east and Phase 3 the most easterly phase to Audley Avenue.  This application did not relate to green belt land under the new Local Plan.  The demolition of buildings would be considered at the reserved matters stage and was not a material consideration to this application.  An additional sports pitch and footpath and cycleway along A518 were not part of the original application and there was no sound planning justification to ask for them and the design details would again be dealt with at the reserved matters stage.

During the debate some Members raised concerns regarding the sports pitch currently being landlocked and access was needed as part of this development, the need for a pedestrian crossing and where would it be situated, drainage, car parking and the demolition of the industrial units.  Other Members raised concerns regarding whether the original s106 agreement had been signed, the site sitting outside of the boundary within the Newport Neighbourhood Development Plan, overdevelopment, the financial contributions, footpaths and sustainable travel.

The Planning Officer confirmed that the sport pitch could be accessed from the Phase 2 and this could be dealt with at the reserved matters stage or by way of condition.  A puffin crossing was planned for Station Road.  With regard to flooding, conditions have been reviewed specifically around drainage and this could be managed appropriately through reserved matters.   The application had not yet received planning permission as it was resolved to grant subject to s106 agreement and due to issues regarding the number of landowners there had been a delay in completing the S106. For these reasons this is not a new application but the same one submitted in 2011, which has not materially changed since 2015.  With regard to the Newport Neighbourhood Development Plan, it would be regarded as a material consideration at reserved matters stage.  The site met the density requirements on the current illustrative plan and this would be considered further at the reserved matters stage.  S106 Agreement financial payments will increase in line with indexation.  Demolition of buildings needs planning permission and has been included within the application description. Alternative employment land has been approved as outlined and there was still employment provision within the Newport area in addition to that which is already available in the Phase 3 area.

The Legal Advisor confirmed that the amounts stated as financial planning obligations would be enhanced in accordance with the indexation and that, besides the newly calculated education contributions, the indexation period ran from 11^th December 2013.  If Members were minded to approve the recommendation, because part of the land is owned by the Council, there would need to be flexibility to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding in respect of the Council’s own land.

On being put to the vote it was, by a majority:

RESOLVED – that in respect of planning application TWC/2011/0871 that delegated authority be granted to the Development Management Service Delivery Manager to grant outline planning permission subject to the following:

a)    The following contributions to be agreed through s.106 Agreements and/or a Memorandum of Understanding where the relevant land is Council owned, (with authority to finalise the planning obligations to be delegated to Development Management Service Delivery Manager):

-       £820,596 towards Highway works to the A518/Station Road roundabout and its approaches and the links along the A518 up to Audley Avenue (but not contributing towards the cost of works the proposed new access for the Station Road site (ref: TWC/2011/0871));

-       £10,000 for public transport infrastructure for bus stops along  Station Road;

-       £7,500 for Public Rights of Way diversions and associated enhancements and footway improvements for on-site sections;

-       £360,000 for public transport service enhancements towards diverting local bus services into both parcels of the site;

-       £10,000 for Travel Plan monitoring (comprising £5,000 (C Class Uses) + £5,000 (B Class Uses));

-       Commuted maintenance sum for the Station Road PUFFIN crossing;

-       £1,042,685 towards the provision of Primary Education within Newport, or within 3 miles of the Development Land;

-       £488,897 towards the provision of Secondary Education within Newport, or within 3 miles of the Development Land;

-       Open space/landscape maintenance sums to be agreed, depending if land to be transferred to the Council.

-       35% Affordable Housing;

-       £20,000 towards planning & financial monitoring of planning conditions and section 106 (this is a maximum figure and may be changed if, in the opinion of the Service Delivery Manager of Development Management, such change is required).

(NB: All financial contributions referred to above, with the exception of the Primary and Secondary Education Contributions, shall be increased by an amount equivalent to the increase in the Retail Prices Index from 11 December 2013 until the date on which such sum is paid. The Primary and Secondary Education Contributions shall be shall be increased by an amount equivalent to the increase in the Retail Prices Index from the date of this Committee until the date on which such sum is paid)

b)   The conditions set out in the report (with authority to finalise conditions and reasons for approval to be delegated to Development Management Service Delivery Manager).