Recommendation – Approve Members' Notes Summary This
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Recommendation – Approve Members’ Notes Summary This detailed report considers an application for the Sustainable Urban Extension on land to the West of Northampton. The report considers the proposed key elements of the development, along with supporting documentation. It sets out the range of consultation undertaken and reports on the representations received. It reviews the national and local planning policy context, within which this major growth proposal has been put forward. It reviews the key infrastructure elements such as transport and highways, drainage and landscaping. The report highlights the key community facilities that will be provided to support the Sustainable Urban Extension, including, a local centre, provision of school and educational facilities and sports and community facilities. A view has to be taken as to whether or not there are any adverse impacts that would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of granting consent when assessed against the policies in the Framework as a whole. The Council accepts that it cannot currently demonstrate that it has a five year housing land supply (insofar as it relates to the Northampton Related Development Area - NRDA) and recognises the contribution towards affordable housing provision and substantial contribution towards meeting the housing needs associated with the NRDA as a material consideration in favour of the proposal. In terms of viability, it is considered that the development of the site can make appropriate contributions to community infrastructure and affordable housing whilst still returning a reasonable return. Negotiations are still in the final stages, and an appropriate S106 package will be achieved in order to mitigate the impacts of the development and create a sustainable, inclusive, high quality development. In the context of the presumption in favour of sustainable development set out within the NPPF, it is considered that on balance, the proposal would result in sustainable development. The application accords with the development plan for Daventry District Council. It will deliver a balanced and sustainable development of up to 1750 new homes and community infrastructure in an attractive well design, landscaped and pleasant environment. The proposed arrangements for accessing the development will enable it to be safely and conveniently accessed by car and public transport without significant adverse impacts on the existing highway network. The scheme will promote sustainable transport within and beyond this site. The application will protect and enhance the site’s biodiversity and historic heritage. The scheme will not cause flooding. Nor will it have any other significant adverse environmental impact that would warrant the refusal of planning permission. The scheme will, of course, extend into open countryside, taking up agricultural land and will change the appearance of the existing countryside. On balance, however, that change is justified by the positive contribution that the scheme will make. It is therefore recommended that planning permission be granted for the development, subject to the imposition of the conditions listed in the attached schedule and the completion of a Section 106 Agreement. The report sets out suggested conditions and proposed Heads of Terms requirements to secure the effective delivery of the development, along with the community infrastructure. Consultations for both applications – First consultation exercise October 2017 Please note that the consultation responses received below relate to both Application A and Application B unless otherwise stated. Application A relates to 83ha of land. The description of development for Application A is; ‘Demolition of existing barns and the erection of up to 1,750 dwellings, a primary school, a mixed use local centre (uses A1-A5, D1); together with associated public open space, landscaping, highways, sustainable drainage system and all ancillary infrastructure works, including a new primary sub-station’ Application B relates to 30ha of land at New Sandy Lane which comprises an initial phase of development. The description of development for Application B is; ‘Erection of up to 600dwellings, a primary school, a mixed use local centre (uses A1-A5, D1); together with associated public open space, landscaping, highways, sustainable drainage system and all ancillary infrastructure works, including a new primary sub-station’ Highways England – No objection subject to a condition to secure an appropriate agreement to facilitate improvements to the A45 and its junctions referred to in the A45/M1 J15 NGMS Memorandum of Understanding January 2017. In April 2016 Highways England was invited to provide comments on an EIA Screening and Scoping Report submitted in support of the Northampton West SUE, and advised the applicant that a contribution would be required towards the Northampton Growth Management Scheme (NGMS). This would equate to a contribution per dwelling of £426.63. This position was incorporated in to Highways England’s response which advised that Highways England would recommend a condition to be attached to the planning permission for the applicant to enter into a S278 Agreement with Highways England to provide a contribution towards the NGMS. Northampton County Council (NCC) - Local Highway Authority – Following an initial review of the information submitted the following points have been raised for further clarification from the applicant. 1. The initial scoping for the updated Transport Assessment was carried out a year ago, since which time the Northampton Strategic Transport Model has been updated. We would advise that a comparison between the 2031 reference cases would provide an appropriate comparator. 2. In terms of additional detailed information requests please can you provide the following; Turning counts for a number of junctions Queue Survey data for all junction in the study area It is noted that Junction 7 (New Sandy Lane/Roman Road) and Junction 8 (Berrywood Road/Sandy Lane) junctions are modelled as a network model. However the approaches are not defined in the model outputs for 2016 base year. It is requested the model outputs should be provided with approach area. It is requested that signal specification should be provided for all signalised junctions in the study area. In 2031 future year, from NSTM model outputs, the flows from the New Sandy Lane approach are missing at Junction 1 (A428 Harlestone Road/New Sandy Lane junction). This should be clarified. 2031 future year model outputs were also missing for a number of junctions. In addition at Junction 11 (Sandy Lane/A4500) it is unclear whether the mitigation scheme model outputs are provided. Northampton County Council (NCC) – Application A Education – A development of this size is expected to generate approximately 180 Early Years, 180 Primary School pupils and 120 secondary and Sixth-form pupils based on an average dwelling mix and pupil generator multipliers. The County Council will provide an update on the Early Years provision once the refreshed evidence base is available. In terms of Primary Education provision, this development has accounted for the need for a new primary school on site (in Phase 1) to accommodation the 2.5 forms of entry expected to be generated form the total housing numbers. The Planning Statement outlines a land contribution of 3.11ha for Primary provision. This development is expected to generate 2.5 forms of entry. As a new, fully fitted out 2fe Primary School to accommodate 2.5 forms of entry expected to be generated from the total housing scheme of 1750. As a new, fully fitted out 2fe Primary School cost 6.5m and 3 fe Primary school cost £8.5 million, the proportional contribution should be £7.5m. 600 dwellings equates to 34% of the total development, therefore 34% of the £7.5m is required from this stage of the development towards the 3fe school that will be constructed on site. A Primary Education contribution of £2,250,000 is required plus 3.11 ha of land will be required. The site for the Primary School should be flat, for both use of playing fields and disabled access, and well drained. The site also needs to be completely cleared (including any archaeology that may been identified) and fully serviced prior to being transferred to the County Council (at no cost). The land for the school should be transferred to the County Council at the developer’s earliest opportunity, so that construction work can start according to the County Council’s requirements, following a need assessment. With any Primary School being delivered as part of a larger housing development, the County Council seeks for the first school to be open by no later than the occupation of the 300th dwelling to ensure that pupils coming forward from the development can be accommodated (preferably earlier if feasible). The County Council would welcome clarification on when the Primary School sites offered will be made available in order to ensure this policy can be adhered to. It is also worth noting that there is currently very limited capacity in primary schools in the west of Northampton, so the developer may find it advantageous to consider having the primary school available before the 300th trigger, should this be feasible. With regards to the construction of the school, the County Council wishes to maintain control of the build, in order to ensure that the school is ready at the appropriate time. The school will likely have a phased opening, to ensure that the pupils coming forward in the development can be accommodated, and that the places are not filled by people travelling from outside of the development site. In terms of Secondary Education, the closest current provision to this development is at The Duston School. However, due to the significant level of planned for new housing in the area surrounding the proposed development, the county council will be seeking to secure construction of a new Secondary School to serve the area to the west of Northampton. It is therefore anticipated that a contribution towards providing local Secondary Education capacity for the children from this development will be secured through the Community Infrastructure Levy.