Planning Statement Outline planning application for a residential development comprising six dwellings with associated works – Land at Manchester Road, Tunstead Milton, SK23 7ES for Mr & Mrs Bevan Emery Planning 2-4 South Park Court, Hobson Street Macclesfield, SK11 8BS Tel: 01625 433 881 www.emeryplanning.com Project : 14-148 Site address : Land at Manchester Road, Tunstead Milton Client : Mr & Mrs Bevan Date : June 2015 Author : Gareth Salthouse Approved by : Rawdon Gascoigne This report has been prepared for the client by Emery Planning with all reasonable skill, care and diligence. No part of this document may be reproduced without the prior written approval of Emery Planning. Emery Planning Partnership Limited trading as Emery Planning. Contents: 1. Introduction 1 2. The application 1 3. Context 3 4. Policy context 5 5. Planning considerations 11 6. Summary and conclusions 21 7. Appendices 23 Planning Statement Land at Manchester Road, Tunstead Milton June 2015 1. Introduction 1.1 This statement supports our client’s outline planning application for a residential development comprising up to 6 dwellings on land at Manchester Road, Tunstead Milton (access to be considered and all other matters reserved). 1.2 There is a significant shortfall across the Borough of new housing and there is an identified need for the Council to release sustainable greenfield sites for new residential development. Our client’s site is available, suitable and deliverable within the short-term and would help to address the Borough’s substantial housing needs. Furthermore, the relevant saved policies of the adopted High Peak Local Plan relating to housing land supply are considered to be out-of- date. 1.3 The proposed development should therefore be determined in accordance with paragraph 14 of the NPPF and the presumption in favour of sustainable development. 1.4 We have not identified any adverse impacts that would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the significant benefits associated with the proposal. The development would relate well to the character, appearance and linear built form of this established settlement and the site is locationally sustainable for new residential development. It would also contribute to social sustainability in terms of providing more choice of housing within Tunstead Milton and adding support to local services. 1.5 This statement demonstrates that the proposed development represents sustainable development for the purposes of the NPPF and that there is a presumption in favour of granting planning permission accordingly. 2. The application 2.1 Outline planning permission is sought for a residential development comprising the erection of up to six family-sized houses on land at Manchester Road, Tunstead Milton (access to be considered with all other matters reserved). 2.2 Indicative plans have been submitted showing that the application site could comfortably accommodate six dwellings with generously sized gardens and parking for at least two cars to be parked clear of the highway within each plot. The indicative plans show that the proposed 1 Planning Statement Land at Manchester Road, Tunstead Milton June 2015 new houses would front onto Manchester Road and would integrate well with the existing built form along this established linear settlement. 2.3 The proposed new houses would be built to a Code Level 5 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, exceeding mandatory requirements, and it is proposed that two of the proposed new houses would comprise live/work units. 2.4 The existing frontage of the application site, together with the land leading to the bus stop beyond Tom Lane to the east, comprises a narrow grass verge with no pedestrian access for local residents to safely and conveniently access public rights of way and public transport provision. The proposed development would provide a new dedicated footway along the entire frontage up to the existing bus stop. 2.5 The new footway would not only secure the sustainability credentials of the proposed development in terms of access for future residents, it would also significantly benefit local residents and would facilitate tourism with visitors able to safely and conveniently alight a bus and access Combs Reservoir and the wider public right of way network. 2.6 The development also incorporates a substantially sized area of open space to the rear of the development. This area would be accessible to all and would comprise a shared community space to the significant benefit of local residents. 2.7 The proposed development would result in the removal of four trees along the A6 frontage, although this has been agreed with officers through our pre-application submission. The removal of these trees is necessary in order to facilitate the provision of a new dedicated footway. There would also be the removal of one tree within the centre of the site on the basis of its poor health and condition. 2.8 More detailed information on the overall design concept and the Code for Sustainable Homes is provided within the Design and Access Statement prepared by High Peak Architects. 2 Planning Statement Land at Manchester Road, Tunstead Milton June 2015 3. Context Site location and description 3.1 The application site is located to the edge of Tunstead Milton, which is an established settlement located between the principal market towns of Chapel-en-le-Frith and Whaley Bridge. The built-up area of Tunstead Milton, which is predominantly residential in character, fronts the A6 Manchester Road in a linear fashion. 3.2 The site is gently sloping and comprises grazing land. It is bound immediately by Tom Lane to the east with the reservoir embankment beyond, Higher Birches and the manufacturing plant known as Morten’s Yard to the west, Manchester Road and residential properties to the north and open land to the south. It is bound by built development on three sides and could reasonably be described as an infill plot. 3.3 There are public rights of way either side of the application site and these footpaths provide attractive linkages to Combs Reservoir and the public rights of way network beyond, providing access to Combs village and Chapel-en-le-Frith train station. 3.4 Tunstead Milton benefits from excellent public transport provision with regular and direct bus services along the A6 providing access to key destinations such as Buxton, Manchester Airport, New Mills, Stockport, Whaley Bridge and Chapel-en-le-Frith. The first bus service is at 03:45 and the last bus service is at 21:50. 3.5 There are a number of services within easy and convenient walking distance such as the Hanging Gate public house, Combs Reservoir with its range of outdoor recreational opportunities and the employment premises known as Morten’s Yard. The village of Combs and Chapel-en-le-Frith rail station can be reached via the public right of way network and regular and direct bus services along the A6 provide access to the range of services within Chapel-en- le-Frith and Whaley Bridge (e.g. schools, shops, train stations) and key destinations beyond. A footway also extends all the way from the site along the A6 to Chapel-en-le-Frith. Pre-application submission 3.6 We submitted a pre-application enquiry to the local planning authority on behalf of our client in July last year and received a written response the following December. 3 Planning Statement Land at Manchester Road, Tunstead Milton June 2015 3.7 In terms of the principle of development, the response advises that any planning application needs to demonstrate the sustainability credentials of the development with reference to the emerging Chapel-en-le-Frith Neighbourhood Plan. 3.8 With regard to site-specific issues, the officer’s response raises no objection to the removal of trees along the development frontage and draws attention to the need for a flood risk assessment, detailed highways plans and advises that consideration should be paid to the character and appearance of the area. 3.9 We have sought to address all of the officer’s comments through this planning application submission. A copy of the pre-application response is provided at EP1. 3.10 Ongoing discussions have been held with the highways officers of Derbyshire County Council and their comments have been fully incorporated into the final access design of the proposed scheme. 4 Planning Statement Land at Manchester Road, Tunstead Milton June 2015 4. Policy context National planning policy and guidance National Planning Policy Framework 4.1 At the heart of the NPPF, there is a presumption in favour of sustainable development, which should be seen as a golden thread running through both plan-making and decision-taking. 4.2 Paragraph 6 of the NPPF states that “The purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. The policies in paragraphs 18 to 219, taken as a whole, constitute the Government’s view of what sustainable development in England means in practice for the planning system”. 4.3 Paragraph 7 states that “There are three dimensions to sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. These dimensions give rise to the need for the planning system to perform a number of roles: An economic role – contributing to building a strong, responsive and competitive economy, by ensuring that sufficient land of the right type is available in the right places and at the right time to support growth and innovation; and by identifying and coordinating development requirements, including the provision of infrastructure; A social role