Land North of Ladysmith Terrace, Ushaw Moor, Co. Durham PDF 542
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+ Planning Services COMMITTEE REPORT APPLICATION DETAILS APPLICATION NO: DM/14/00845/FPA Erection of 167 dwellings, associated infrastructure FULL APPLICATION and landscaping. DESCRIPTION : Taylor Wimpey North East. NAME OF APPLICANT : Land North of Ladysmith Terrace, Ushaw Moor, Co. ADDRESS : Durham Deerness ELECTORAL DIVISION : Colin Harding, Senior Planning Officer CASE OFFICER : 03000 263945 [email protected] DESCRIPTION OF THE SITE AND PROPOSALS The Site 1. The application site comprises approximately 5.5 hectares of agricultural land and semi derelict former allotments bordered by hedgerows to the northern edge of Ushaw Moor. Immediately to the south of the site lies Ladysmith Terrace which hosts detached garages of varying condition on its northern side and residential terraced properties to on its southern side. To the south east lies a relatively modern development of detached properties at Welby Drive. To the west of the site is agricultural land and to the north, a willow plantation. The eastern side of the site is bordered by Whitehouse Lane which runs on a north – south axis between Bearpark and Ushaw Moor. Beyond this road lie residential properties at Whitehouse Court, some of which face westwards, towards the site. 2. With Ushaw Moor lying on the northern side of the Deerness Valley, the site naturally slopes downwards from north to south to significant extent, with south eastern corner lying some 20m below the north western corner. 3. Ushaw Moor is located approximately 3 miles to the west of Durham City Centre and approximately 1 mile to the south west of Bearpark. The surrounding area is predominantly agricultural and residential, with supporting community facilities scattered throughout the village. As set out in the City of Durham Local Plan, the site is beyond the identified settlement boundary, which is defined by Ladysmith Terrace and Whitehouse Lane, and is situated beyond the western extent of the Durham Green Belt. The site lies approximately 0.6km to the north of Deerness Valley Local Wildlife Site. There are 2 designated heritage assets located within 1km of the site, namely the Grade II* and II listed Ushaw College complex and Grade II listed Long Barn at Red House Farm. The site itself contains no heritage assets, landscape or ecological designations. The Proposal 4. The application is for full planning permission for 167 no. dwellings, of which 33 no. would be affordable, equating to a 20% provision. The market housing would comprise 3 and 4 bedroom dwellings, and the affordable element of 2 and 3 bedroom dwellings. 5. Vehicular access to the site would be taken from Whitehouse Lane to the east of the site. Pedestrian access would be via accesses in the south eastern corner of the site onto Whitehouse Lane and at the southern boundary of the site onto Welby Drive. A further pedestrian access from the development onto Ladysmith Terrace was originally proposed, but has since been removed following objections from local residents. 6. The site exhibits a regular layout taking account of the topography, with a main east/west artery within the site, serving three north/south links. Pedestrian links run through the site on an east/west axis and include an area of public amenity space towards the centre of the site. Several different housetypes are evident within the site, including terraced, semi-detached and detached dwellings and exhibiting a range of car parking arrangements such as driveways, shared driveways and parking courts. Various surfacing materials are proposed. 7. The proposal includes comprehensive landscaping, including trees and hedges both within and at the edge of the site. Furthermore, in a field to the north of the site which currently hosts a willow plantation, a significant landscape buffer is proposed in order to screen the site from the north and prevent the appearance of coalescence between Ushaw Moor and Bearpark. 8. The application is being reported to the County Planning Committee as it represents major development with a site area of more than 4 hectares. PLANNING HISTORY 9. There is no relevant planning history at this site. PLANNING POLICY NATIONAL POLICY 10. The Government has consolidated all planning policy statements, guidance notes and many circulars into a single policy statement, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The overriding message is that new development that is sustainable should proceed without delay. It defines the role of planning in achieving sustainable development under three topic headings – economic, social and environmental, each mutually dependant. The presumption in favour of sustainable development set out in the NPPF requires local planning authorities to approach development management decisions positively, utilising twelve ‘core planning principles’. 11. In accordance with paragraph 215 of the National Planning Policy Framework, the weight to be attached to relevant saved local plan policy will depend upon the degree of consistency with the NPPF. The greater the consistency, the greater the weight. The relevance of this issue is discussed, where appropriate, in the assessment section of the report. The following elements of the NPPF are considered relevant to this proposal: 12. NPPF Part 1 – Building a strong, competitive economy . The Government is committed to securing economic growth in order to create jobs and prosperity, building on the country’s inherent strengths, and to meeting the twin challenges of global competition and a low carbon future. 13. NPPF Part 4 – Promoting sustainable transport. Transport policies have an important role to play in facilitating sustainable development but also in contributing to wider sustainability and health objectives. Smarter use of technologies can reduce the need to travel. The transport system should be balanced in favour of sustainable transport modes. Encouragement should be given to solutions which support reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and reduce congestion. 14. NPPF Part 2 – Ensuring the vitality of town centres. Town centres are recognised as being at the heart of communities, with the pursuit of their viability and vitality as being paramount. Planning applications for main town centre uses should be located in town centres firstly, then in edge of centre locations. Only when these are not available should out of centre locations be considered. 15. NPPF Part 6 – Delivering a wide choice of high quality homes . To boost significantly the supply of housing, applications should be considered in the context of the presumption in favour of sustainable development. Local Planning Authorities should seek to deliver a wide choice of high quality homes, widen opportunities for home ownership and create inclusive and mixed communities. 16. NPPF Part 7 – Requiring Good Design . The Government attaches great importance to the design of the built environment, with good design a key aspect of sustainable development, indivisible from good planning. Planning policies and decisions must aim to ensure developments; function well and add to the overall quality of an area over the lifetime of the development, establish a strong sense of place, create and sustain an appropriate mix of uses, respond to local character and history, create safe and accessible environments and be visually attractive. 17. NPPF Part 8 – Promoting Healthy Communities . The planning system can play an important role in facilitating social interaction and creating healthy, inclusive communities. Developments should be safe and accessible; Local Planning Authorities should plan positively for the provision and use of shared space, local services and community facilities to enhance the sustainability of community and residential environments. An integrated approach to consider the location of housing, economic uses and services should be adopted. 18. NPPF Part 10 – Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change. Planning plays a key role in helping shape places to secure radical reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, minimising vulnerability and providing resilience to the impacts of climate change, and supporting the delivery of renewable and low carbon energy and associated infrastructure. 19. NPPF Part 11 – Conserving and enhancing the natural environment . The planning system should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by protecting and enhancing valued landscapes, minimising impacts on biodiversity and providing net gains where possible. Preventing both new and existing development from contributing to or being put at unacceptable risk from, or being adversely affected by unacceptable levels of soil, air, water or noise pollution or land instability; and remediating and mitigating despoiled, degraded, derelict, contaminated/unstable land. 20. NPPF Part 12 – Conserving and enhancing the historic environment. Local planning authorities should set out in their Local Plan a positive strategy for the conservation and enjoyment of the historic environment. In doing so, they should recognise that heritage assets are an irreplaceable resource and conserve them in a manner appropriate to their significance. http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/2116950.pdf (NPPF) 21. The Government has consolidated a number of planning practice guidance notes, circulars and other guidance documents into a single Planning Practice Guidance Suite. This document provides planning guidance on a wide range of matters. http://planningguidance.planningportal.gov.uk/