Agenda item

The application was for erection of five detached dwellings (2 x 3-bed, 2 x 5-bed, 1 x 6-bed) with detached garages, parking, access and landscaping, following demolition of existing horticultural buildings.(Additional and Amended Plans - Rec'd 02/02/2016.) (Amended Plan - Rec'd 19/02/2016.)

This application would normally be determined under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation, however, at the request of Cllr E Hawkins and Cllr Tedder it has been called in for determination by the Planning Applications Committee.

Members were advised of the following update:

1.     ‘A satisfactory legal agreement has been signed and received in respect of SAMM and Affordable Housing - the Recommendation is therefore changed to GRANT. 

2.     An amended Site Plan has been received which now shows the correct visibility splays and has taken into account the requirements of the County Highway Authority and as such Condition 2 should be updated so that the second plan in the list reads: Site Layout Plan 13-P908-20B received 29.02.16

3.     A response to the application has been received by the Local Lead Flood Authority, who have not objected subject to the following additional conditions:

19.    Prior to commencement of development, a Drainage Strategy shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  The Drainage Strategy shall:

·         Provide results from infiltration testing in accordance with BRE Digest 365. The Sustainable Drainage System shall then be designed in accordance with these results.

·        Provide evidence showing that the site is not discharging via infiltration into a Ground Water Source Protection or into contaminated lane.

·        Show evidence that there are no risks from contamination on or offsite and that the proposal shall not infiltrate into a source protection zone

·        Provide details of how the Sustainable Drainage System will cater for system failure or exceedance events, both on and offsite

·        Provide details of how the Sustainable Drainage System will be protected and maintained during the construction of the development

·        Provide long and cross sections of each proposed SuD element and a finalised drainage layout plan

The development shall be carried out fully in accordance with the approved details.

Reason:   To ensure the Sustainable Drainage System is appropriately designed, in accordance with Policy DM10 of the Surrey Heath Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Document 2012 and the National Planning Policy Framework.  

20. Prior to construction of the development hereby approved, details of the proposed maintenance regimes for each of the SuDS elements must be submitted to and approved by the local planning authority

Reason: To ensure the drainage system is maintained throughout its life time to an acceptable standard, in accordance with Policy DM10 of the Surrey Heath Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Document 2012 and the National Planning Policy Framework.  

21. Prior to occupation of the development hereby approved, a verification report carried out by a qualified drainage engineer must be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority to demonstrate that the Sustainable Drainage System has been constructed as per the agreed scheme.

Reason:To ensure the Sustainable Drainage System is appropriately designed and implemented in accordance with Policy DM10 of the Surrey Heath Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Document 2012 and the National Planning Policy Framework.  

4.     A further objection has been received today from The Chobham Society which states that:

·        The development is inappropriate within the Green Belt with no very special circumstances [see section 7.3 of the report]

·        It will turn a peaceful rural lane into something like a housing estate road [see section 7.4 of the report]

·        It will represent further incursion into the diminishing green space that separates Chobham from West End [Officer comment: the site already is covered with glasshouses – see section 7.3 of the report]

·        If approved the houses should have a maximum of three bedrooms to replenish existing stock that is being lost by way of extensions [Officer comment: Housing mix has to be balanced with character concerns and the area is characterised by larger, detached dwellings.  Two of the five houses proposed are 3-bed houses.  See section 7.4 and 7.7 of the report].’

There were concerns about the access and the size of the dwellings on the site.  Members were reminded that County Highways Authority had raised no objection.  Landscaping was also a concern but the Committee was advised that condition 5 covered that issue.

Resolved that application 15/1069 be approved as amended subject to the conditions as set out in the report of the Executive Head – Regulatory. 

Note 1

As the application triggered the Council’s public speaking scheme, Mrs Gill Head spoke against the application. Mr Jim Bailey, the agent spoke in support.

Note 2

The recommendation to approve the application was proposed by Councillor David Mansfield and seconded by Councillor David Allen.

Note 3

In accordance with Part 4 Section D paragraph 18 of the Constitution, the voting in relation to this application was as follows:

Voting in favour of the recommendation to approve the application:

Councillors, David Allen, Richard Brooks, Nick Chambers, Vivienne Chapman, Surinder Gandhum, Edward Hawkins, Rebecca Jennings-Evans,  David Mansfield, Adrian Page, Robin Perry, Ian Sams, Conrad Sturt, and Valerie White.

Voting against the recommendation to approve the application:

Councillors Pat Tedder and Victoria Wheeler.