Allerdale Borough Council Planning Application 2/2016/0751
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Allerdale Borough Council Planning Application 2/2016/0751 Proposed Erection of up to 64 dwellings including landscaping, open space, Development: access, highways and drainage Location: Land North of Broughton Park Great Broughton Cockermouth Applicant: Mr Adam McNally Story Homes A full list of plans is attached at Annex 2. Recommendation: Approve, subject to the attached conditions and the signing of a s106 agreement to secure the following: Upgrade to Winder Lonning footpath link to an adoptable standard of surface, with lighting details to be secured by condition. A commuted sum towards existing off site play equipment at Kirklea of £17,454 to cover the SPD contribution of £12,454 and £5000 for future maintenance. An education commuted sum £223,791 for a new classroom at Broughton Academy (infant and juniors), and £71,250 for secondary school transport. 25% provision of affordable housing, 11 units for social rent and 5 units for discounted sale. Should the s106 agreement not be satisfactorily completed in a timely manner, then it is requested that the powers to refuse the proposal be delegated to the Head of Service, on the basis that those measures necessary to make the development acceptable in policy terms have not been secured through the necessary legal agreement.(This is to be applied to all future s106 agreement planning decisions) Summary/Key Issues Issue Conclusion Principle Notwithstanding the fact that the site lies outside of the saved settlement limit for Broughton officers consider the principle of residential development at this location to be acceptable. The site lies directly adjacent to the saved settlement limit and therefore, can be considered both well related and sustainable. The scale of development proposed is not considered to be disproportionate to the size of the settlement nor its role as a Local Service Centre. The council can demonstrate a 5-year supply of housing and therefore the policies for supply of housing contained within the adopted Local Plan are to be considered up-to-date. In accounting for the number of existing housing approvals in Broughton (Great and Little Broughton), the proposed development would result in the draft housing supply target for Broughton being exceeded by 9 units. This is not considered to be a significant overprovision, sufficient to compromise the overall strategy for growth within the settlement hierarchy in adopted ALPP1. Highways The concerns of local residents and the Parish are noted and Implications understood in relation to impacts on the surrounding road network which is often substandard. However, the advice of the Highways Authority is that with the inclusion of the Winder Lonning footpath link (providing an alternative to Craggs Road/Harris Brow) and with the junction improvements at Little Brow, the impacts of the proposal on the highway network would not be severe, which is the test outlined at paragraph 32 of the NPPF. Based on this advice from the Highways Authority and Highways England, the impacts of the proposal on the local highway network are not considered to be so severe to warrant refusal of the application. With regards to additional traffic movements along Main Street, the accident record has been considered and the Highways Authority has advised that the narrowness on the streets helps traffic calming and whilst there is congestion at peak times, the statistics suggest it remains safe. As such, any additional impacts on existing congestion through Main Street of Great Broughton are not considered to be so severe as to warrant refusal of the application. Parking The Highways Authority is satisfied that the level of parking provision proposed meets current standards. Sustainability/ A pedestrian link is proposed to be provided from the site to Permeability Winder Lonning on the northern boundary (to the western end) which would provide a pedestrian access to Little Broughton at the top of Meeting House Lane. This link would be approx 260m in length from the edge of the site. From this point, a bus stop is in close proximity and it is understood that the bus service provides for Service 68B Workington to Cockermouth (4 services Mon – Fri, 3 services on Sat, no service on Sunday). The bus stop is also served by school bus 47. Also within close proximity is the village hall, public house and Kirklea play area. From this footpath, Broughton Academy would be an additional 600m along the existing footpath running to the rear of Kirklea play area. The facilities and services available in Great Broughton (bakery post office public houses etc.) would be a further 420m minimum from the end of Winder Lonning. Those facilities in Little Broughton would be closer. National Route 71 of the National Cycle Network passes along Papcastle Road, Harris Brow and Main Street and within 400m of the proposed site access. National Route 71 makes up the western third of the Coast to Coast route. Given the proximity to the local bus stop, the proximity to national cycle routes and the proposed footpath upgrade proposed, it is considered that the site is accessible by modes of transport other than the car. It is considered that the proposal is sufficiently well related and connected to the facilities and amenities of Broughton (Great and Little Broughton), in accordance with policy S22 of the ALPP1. Landscape and From wider range viewpoints to the south, north and east, it is not Visual Impacts considered that the proposal would have an unacceptable impact on the wider landscape or rural character and Officers concur with the findings of the LVIA in this regard. From closer range viewpoints however, particularly from the north and west when leaving the village by the network of footpaths within this locality, the proposal will be much more apparent and will result in a much greater change to the rural character and visual amenities of the locality. Overall, the relatively dense and suburban form of the estate will change the character of this area locally from a rural and open setting to an urban one, within an area where there is a general sense that the built up village form has already dissipated to a more rural setting with some low density development, when viewed from the immediate north and west. The proposal raises some concerns with Officers, when considering the village setting and rural character of the immediate locality, particularly when viewed from the network of footpaths to the north. However, it is acknowledged that the proposal will incorporate a significant level of tree planting along the northern and eastern boundaries of the site, along with additional hedge planting where gaps exist, and the retention of the band of mature trees to the western boundary. Whilst this planting cannot mitigate all adverse landscape and visual effects of the proposal, over time, this planting would soften the built form of the development within the landscape and as viewed by nearby receptors. Design/ Whilst the degree to which the proposal responds to the character, Appearance history and distinctiveness of the area has been questioned, given that it will largely be seen as an extension of the existing housing estate at Broughton Park, then it is considered that the proposal has had sufficient regard to its context and policies S4 and DM14. Further, it is noted that relatively large modern housing estates of uniform design are common to the villages of Great and Little Broughton, e.g. Church Meadows and Kirklea. Residential Subsequent to the change in levels and house types, and the Amenity removal of retaining walls along the southern boundary, whilst the the outlook for existing residents on Broughton Park will change, it is considered that the resulting impact would not be significantly harmful in terms of overlooking, overshadowing, over-dominance or loss of privacy. The proposal is considered to be acceptable in accordance with policies S32 of the ALPP1. Affordable Level of provision and type/tenure split acceptable in relation to Housing Policy S8. Officers consider that a greater level of dispersal could have been achieved with smaller clusters, but the proposed affordable housing units will share a similar design and materials to open market housing throughout the development. As such, this will assist in the affordable housing provision being less distinguishable from the open market housing and as such, this aspect of policy S8 is considered to be adequately addressed. Flood Risk and On the advice of the Local Lead Flood Authority, the drainage Drainage details for the proposal, which include attenuation, are considered acceptable. Archaeology On the advice of the County Archaeologist and Heritage England, the heritage implications of the proposal are considered to be acceptable. Ecology An appropriate level of survey work and corresponding mitigation measures have been put forward to conclude that the proposal is unlikely to result in significant effects on ecological interests. Education A commuted sum proposed for education of £223,791 for a new classroom at Broughton Academy (infant and juniors), and £71,250 for secondary school transport would meet the requirements specified by the County Council. Benefits of the The provision of 64 additional dwellings at Broughton (Great and Proposal Little Broughton villages) would provide for additional housing at a scale that the draft Allerdale local Plan part 2 (ALPP2) considers reasonable for this Local Service Centre and would contribute particularly to one of the key objectives of the NPPF to boost significantly the supply of housing in order to contribute to the economic and particularly the social dimension of sustainable development. Similarly, the proposal would contribute to strategic objective SO2c of the ALPP2, which seeks to ensure a deliverable supply of housing land that meets the needs of the community and local economy. The proposal would provide for 16 additional affordable houses for social rent and discounted sale, increasing access to affordable housing, in accordance with strategic objective SO2d of the ALPP1 and the Council Plans priority of tackling inequality through the provision of more affordable housing.