Planning App 12/01194/PPP Stirling Road, Luggiebank, Cumbernauld
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AGENDA ITEM NO.-............. CO Application No: Proposed Development: 12/01194/PPP Construction of 12 Dwellinghouses (In Principle) Site Address: Stirling Road Luggiebank Cum bernauld North Lanarkshire G67 4AA Date Registered: 16th November 2012 Applicant: Agent: Luggiebank LLP N/A Keepers Longfords Minchinhampton Stroud GL6 9AN Application Level: Contrary to Development Plan: Local Application Yes Ward: Representations: 004 Abronhill, Kildrum and The Village 5 letters of representation received. Stephen Grant, Elizabeth Irvine, Tom Johnston, Recommendation: Refuse Reasoned Justification: The proposal is contrary to policies DSP 1, DSP 2 and NBE 3A in the North Lanarkshire Local Plan in that the proposed development will lead to the loss of an important area of open space/Green Belt with no justification in terms of the required criteria. If granted, the proposal would set an undesirable precedent for other similar inappropriate development. Recommendation: Refuse for the Following Reasons:- 1. The proposal is contrary to development strategy policies DSP 1 and 2 in the North Lanarkshire Local Plan as it would involve the provision of more than 10 units on Greenfield land without justification in terms of housing supply/demand and would not meet the criteria as set out in policy DSP 2B, namely, maintaining the clearly defined urban and rural boundaries in the context of the Green Belt. Insufficient justification has been provided to argue that the site would be suitable for housing taking into account the above assessment factors. 2. The proposal is contrary to policy NBE 3A (Green Belt) in the North Lanarkshire Local Plan and constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt which would significantly alter the character and amenity of the Green Belt and the existing settlement of Luggiebank, furthermore, no justification has been provided in terms of the required criteria for development within the Green Belt. Backaround PaDers: Proposed Site Plan drawing numbered 1816:Olt,E dated 27'h April 2012 Planning Statement from applicant received 14 December Site Investigation Report dated 15'h May 2012 Protected Species Survey and Phase 1 Habitat Survey prepared by Dunnock Environmental Services Flood Risk Assessment prepared by Kaya Consulting Ltd dated 4'h April 2012 Representation Letters Letter from Mr Stephen J Beales, 660 Stirling Road, Luggiebank, Cumbernauld received 6th December 2012 Letter from lrene Halliday, 658 Stirling Road, Luggiebank, Cumbernauld received 11th December 2012 Letter from Mr S G Sorooshian, Tower House, Luggiebank, Cumbernauld received 10th December 2012 Letter from Mr David Morrow, 656 Stirling Road, Luggiebank, Cumbernauld received 6th December 2012 Letter from Mr R A Gallacher, 654 Stirling Road, Luggiebank, Cumbernauld received 6th December 2012 Consultation Responses: Traffic & Transportation received 13'h December 201 2 Environmental Health (including Pollution Control) received 23'd November 2012 The Coal Authority received 22ndNovember 201 2 Scottish Water (Glasgow) received 23rdNovember 2012 NLC Greenspace received 7'h December 2012 Scottish Environment Protection Agency received 27'h November 201 2 Scottish Natural Heritage received 21 '' November 2012 Contact Information: Any person wishing to inspect these documents should contact Mr Paul Williams at 01236 632519 Report Date: 14th December 2012 Note to Committee : If granted, the Decision Notice should not be issued until legal agreements required in connection with nature conservation, affordable housing and developer contributions (Education) have been completed and further protected species and nature conservation studies have been completed. APPLICATION NO. 12/01194/PPP REPORT Site Description The site lies to the east of Luggiebank village on the site of a former clay quarry. It is bounded to the north and west by the rear gardens of bungalows and cottages on the eastern side of Stirling Road and to the east by an area which bounds a tributary of the Luggie water and some spoil heaps which date back to the previous uses of the site. The site is bounded to the south by Glenhove Road. The development site has an area of approximately 1.8 Hectares. The site is relatively flat, with the exception of the spoil heaps on its eastern side. Although having a former clay pit use, the site has a green leafy rural character. There are mature trees and shrubs within site as well as along boundaries. The existing vehicular access on Glenhove Road has a locked gate. The site is covered by grass in central area and is relatively flat with water course running (a tributary of the Luggie Water) running along eastern boundary. The site dips down into a gully on the eastern side which accommodates this burn. The site is covered by woodland to the north and also at its southern end. The eastern half of the site lies within a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). Proposed Develooment The applicant seeks Planning Permission in Principle for a residential development of 12 one and a half / two storey detached dwellings, and the applicant has provided a proposed illustrative layout drawing as well as typical house type drawing for information purposes. The applicant proposes to use the existing access albeit upgraded for access into the proposed development with a width of 5.5 metres and a visibility splay of 4.5 metres by 90 metres. The applicant has also agreed to provide a 2 metre pedestrian footway on the southern side of Glenhove Road as the land required to provide it is within the ownership of the applicant. The applicant proposes to develop approximately half of the overall site on the western half of the site closest to the village keeping the eastern half of the site which lies within the SlNC undeveloped. As the eastern half of the site forms part of a larger site designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC), the applicant has agreed in consultation with the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT), to gift SWT a pocket of land to the east of the site to form part of a managed ‘Green Corridor’ as well as a commuted sum of f28,000to go towards its management. This would in effect be an extension of the existing Luggiebank Wood Reserve, an area of 26.7 Hectares of grassland, scrub and riverside woodland along the Luggie Water currently managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. Applicant’s Suwortina Information The applicant has submitted a planning statement in which he argues that the site should be considered as an exception to Green Belt policy due to its unique and specific circumstances in terms of locational need in that it would be enabling development in relation to the proposed extension of Luggiebank Wood nature reserve and the proposed commuted sum of f28,000to go The Scottish Wildlife Trust for its future management. The applicant further argues that the proposal complies with the other criteria set out in Policy NBE 3 in that it would have a positive economic benefit, it minimises adverse environmental impact as the site is brownfield and the SlNC part would remain undeveloped. Furthermore that it is of a suitable scale in terms of the context of Luggiebank village and all infrastructure implication can be met with regard to sewage connections and site drainage in terms of SUDS. The applicant further argues that the landscape setting of the site and village will be further enhanced with the proposed buffer planting along the eastern boundary. The applicant has also agreed in principle to paying a commuted sum in lieu of provision of affordable housing within the site. The applicant concludes that the proposal constitutes a minor incursion into the Green Belt and the number of units proposed only marginally exceeds the threshold of 10 set out in Policy DSP 1 and that the proposals will rationalise the village boundary at this location and that no precedent would be set due to the unique enabling nature of the proposal with the SlNC to the east. 4. Site Historv 4.1 A similar previous application for a residential development in principle for 14 detached dwellings and six flatted dwellings was refused Planning Permission on the 281h June 201 2 as the proposal was contrary to Green Belt policy and had no justification in terms of housing demand and would be detrimental to nature conservation. This proposal involved constructing dwellings on the eastern SlNC part of the site as well as the western half nearest to Luggiebank village. 5. DeveloDment Plan 5.1 The application site lies within the Green Belt as designated by policy NBE 3A in the North Lanarkshire Local Plan. The eastern half of the site is within a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC), policy NBEI A4a and there is a Tree Preservation Order along the southern boundary of the site (Policy NBEI A3d). 6. Consultations 6.1 SEPA has no objection to the proposed development on flood risk grounds provided that the council undertakes its responsibility as Flood Prevention Authority. Based on the information provided the Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) has confirmed that the proposed development is outwith the 200 year flood outline, at relatively low potential flood risk and therefore compliant with the principles of Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) and Sustainable Flood Management (SFM). 6.2 Scottish Water has no objection to this planning application and has provided advice for the applicant in terms of connections to their network. 6.3 The Coal Authority has confirmed that the application site does not fall within the defined Coal Mining Development Referral Area. The site is located instead within the defined Standing Advice Area, meaning that there is no requirement to specifically consider coal mining issues as part of the planning application. If the application was successful, issues relating to coal mining can be dealt with as an informative note to the applicant in the interests of public health and safety.