09-01753-FUL Norton Lindsey Urgent
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APPLICATION REFERENCE NO 09/01753/FUL Site Address Land at Curlieu Lane, Norton Lindsey, Warwickshire Development of 12 new affordable dwellings with associated Proposals highway and landscape works Presenting Case Officer Tamasine Swan Liz Nicholson Officer Type of Full planning Committee Date 24 February 2010 Application Warwickshire Rural Applicant Housing Association Parish Ward Member(s) Councillor Horner Claverdon Council Referral to Planning and No Previous 25 November 2009 Regulation Committee Committee Erection of 12 affordable dwellings on an exception site on the edge of Norton Lindsey village - Norton Lindsey is within Warwick District Council’s area though the site is within Claverdon Parish Development to consist of the following; 4 x 2 bed semi-detached bungalows 4 x 2 bed semi-detached houses Description of 4 x 3 bed semi-detached houses Proposals Dwellings to be of principally brick construction with the use of render on some of the units. All units would have plain clay tiles on the roof. Chimneys form part of the design of the 2 storey units and all properties have timber casement windows. Two parking spaces for each dwelling Warwickshire Rural Housing Association to manage the development Density equivalent to approx 37 dwellings per hectare Reason for Referral Scale of Development to Committee Green Belt Edge of village location Planning Public footpath skirts the northern edge of the site Constraints Mature trees along the eastern roadside boundary Change in levels Principle of development Green Belt Layout & Design Highway safety & parking Key Issues Impact on neighbours’ amenities Landscaping & ecology Occupancy Controls and property tenure Planning Obligations Other issues Recommendation GRANT subject to legal agreement SUMMARY OF POLICY AND BACKGROUND PAPERS POLICY The Development Plan The West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy CF2 Housing Beyond the Major Urban Areas CF3 Levels and Distribution of Housing Development CF5 Affordable Housing and Mixed Communities CF6 Managing Housing Land Provision RR2 The Rural Regeneration Zone QE1 Conserving and enhancing the environment QE3 Creating a high quality built environment for all Warwickshire Structure Plan 1996 - 2011 (Saved Policies) None relevant to this application. Stratford-on-Avon District Local Plan Review 1996-2011 (Saved Policies) STR.1 Settlement Hierarchy STR.2 New Housing Provision STR.2B Density STR.4 Previously developed land COM.1 Local Choice COM.4 Open Space COM.5 Open Space COM.13 Affordable Housing COM.14 Mix of Dwelling Types COM.15 Accessible Housing PR.1 Landscape and Settlement Character PR.2 Green Belt EF.6 Nature Conservation and Geology EF.7A Protected Species DEV.1 Layout and Design DEV.2 Landscaping DEV.3 Amenity Space DEV.4 Access DEV.5 Car Parking DEV.7 Drainage DEV.8 Energy Conservation DEV.9 Access for People with Disabilities DEV.10 Crime Prevention CTY.1 Control over Development CTY.5 Housing Exception Schemes IMP.1 Supporting Information IMP.2 Supplementary Planning Guidance IMP.4 Infrastructure Provision Other Material Considerations Central Government Guidance PPS1 Creating Sustainable Communities PPG2 Green Belts PPS3 Housing PPS7 Sustainable Development in Rural Areas PPS9 Nature Conservation PPG13 Transport Circular 11/95 Conditions Circular 5/05 Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Guidance and Supplementary Planning Documents Stratford on Avon District Design Guide Car and Cycle Parking Standards for Stratford on Avon District (April 2007) Provision of Open Space (March 2005) & Open Space Audit (March 2005) Sustainable Low Carbon Buildings (October 2007) Meeting Housing Needs (July 2008) Managing Housing Supply (November 2006) Other Documents A Detailed Investigation into the Housing Need of Claverdon (December 2002 Wolverton Housing Needs Survey (July 2005) A Detailed Investigation into the Housing Needs of Norton Lindsey (April 2005) Claverdon Village Design Statement (September 1998) Local Choice ‘Meeting Housing Needs of Rural Communities’ (April 2007) Stratford on Avon District Council - Planning Obligations (September 2005) Stratford on Avon District Council – Corporate Strategy 2009-2012 Stratford on Avon District Council – Sustainable Community Strategy Other Legislation Human Rights Act 1998 Disability Discrimination Act 1995 REPRESENTATIONS Claverdon Parish Council Support for the following planning reasons: • It is sited adjacent to an earlier 10 house affordable housing development, is something of a natural extension of that facility and blends well with the surroundings. • Surveys have shown a need for further affordable housing in Claverdon, Wolverton and Norton Lindsey. • Some concerns have been expressed regarding speed and volume of traffic along Curlieu Lane but the County Highway Authority has not raised objection. • The Parish Council considers the development to be of a style well suited to the area which matches well with the existing development. • Some concern has been expressed that since the time of the previous withdrawn Planning Application there has been a change introduced, in that all of the houses are now nominated for rental occupation only, with none on the basis of shared ownership. This limits the ability of a growing family, in an existing shared ownership house, to move up to a larger unit, if there are to be none of a similar arrangement available. Whilst it is felt that this should not be used as a reason to prevent approval of the application, it is an issue which ought to be addressed, with a view to including a proportion of shared ownership units in the scheme. (11.10.2009) Norton Lindsey Parish Council (adjoining Parish) Norton Lindsey Parish Council object to the current application because: • The proposals now do not make provision for any shared ownership properties, in spite of there being a requirement. The numbers of shared ownership properties has successively been reduced during the consultation phase from 50% to four, then two and finally none at all. Opportunities should be capable of being made available if people can obtain the necessary mortgage. This Council is aware of one case that desperately needs a three bedroom property for shared ownership. The Council has been given to understand that when houses are designated as rented properties, they cannot be subsequently upgraded to Shared Ownership. Can you please confirm what the policy is? • The Council are concerned that the Section 106 agreement has not yet been signed in the format as agreed with the WRHA. This leaves the Council concerned that the final agreement will not restrict the proposed development to meet local needs as was the declared intention. This Council has bitter experience where so called affordable housing for local needs was not eventually used for that purpose. • During the planning of this site, the houses have been moved nearest to Curlieu Lane. If the bungalows were located adjacent to the hedge, this would reduce the impact and scale of the development on the overall landscape of the village. (21.10.2009) Further comments received from Norton Lindsey Parish Council as follows: • The Parish Council have established that five Building Societies have confirmed that they are prepared to provide funding for shared ownership - typically deposits of 10-15% of the mortgage element are required. (13.11.2009). Wolverton Parish Council (adjoining Parish) Comment as follows: • Accept the layout presented in this application • Support the Deed of Agreement (106 notice) with respect to the Stratford Local Connection and Stratford Order of Preference • Note in the S106 the Warwick Connection and Order of Preference for Warwick remain unresolved as of 07.10.09 – these should be resolved before permission is granted. • A mix of rented and shared ownership should be provided – agree that any move to full equity would remove properties from this scheme, however we believe that over the past four years the developers have incrementally moved the goal posts to a point where this development has no likelihood of any shared ownership properties. We have been led to believe this is due to the current funding arrangements and the lack of mortgages for this kind or tenure. • Request that the Committee Members question the applicants on short and long term tenure flexibility. In particular why some properties could not be shared ownership if a demand presented itself. • Support a flexible mix of tenure as a condition of granting planning approval. (14.10.2009) Ward Members Councillor Horner No response received. Third Party Representations 16 letters have been received from third parties raising the following points of concern regarding the development: • Concern about loss of historic brick kiln within the field. • Not a sustainable location – village has no shop or employment opportunities and a very poor bus service and occupants will be reliant on cars. • Tenure split should include primarily shared ownership units with fewer rented units. • Scale of development inappropriate in a small village. • Further traffic from 12 dwellings inappropriate on a small country lane outside speed limit where vehicles already speed. • Design and layout will create detached community. • Development should not be accessed via a new road from Curlieu Lane. • Greenfield land should not be used for building. • Parish Council survey showed no interest in having housing on this site. • Development will harm character and appearance of the countryside and this rural village. • Concern