Approve with Conditions Subject to the Completion of a Section 106
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Report to: PLANNING COMMITTEE Date of Meeting: 6 June 2018 Subject: DC/2017/02359 Land East Of Waddicar Lane North Of Footpath Melling No 3, North Of Rainbow Park Waddicar Lane, Melling Proposal: Erection of 149 dwellings, construction of new vehicular access, flood attenuation basin, landscaping and associated works Applicant: Ms Jane Aspinall Agent: Mrs Rhian Davitt-Jones Bellway Homes Limited and Cushman & Wakefield Audrey O'Donnell Ward: Molyneux Ward Summary This is an application for the approval for 149 homes on an allocated housing in the Sefton Local Plan (site reference MN2.31). The main issues to consider are the principle of development, density, affordable housing and housing mix, living conditions of residents, access and highway safety, flood risk and drainage, design and character, impacts on local services, open space and public rights of way, crime and anti-social behaviour, contamination, air quality, landscaping and ecology. It is considered that the proposals satisfy all relevant policies and it is recommended that the application is approved subject to conditions and a section 106 legal agreement. The application is subject to three petitions, each endorsed by Councillor Carr. Recommendation: Approve with conditions subject to the completion of a Section 106 Agreement securing the following: Affordable Housing; Accessible and Adaptable Homes; Education Contributions; contribution to the improvement of Rainbow Park; and payment for new bus stop on Waddicar Lane Case Officer Mr Ian Loughlin Email [email protected] Telephone 0345 140 0845 (option 4) Application documents and plans are available at: http://pa.sefton.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=P19OI8NWKTZ00 Site Location Plan The Site A 5.82ha site to the east of Waddicar Lane, Melling to the north of Melling Path number 3 and Rainbow Park History None relevant to this application, except: Ref: DC/2017/00201, Proposal: Erection of a sub-station with associated landscaping, Decision, Approved with Conditions, Decision Date: 04-APRIL-2018 Consultations Highways Development Design – No objections subject to conditions related to highways improvement works Local Plan Team – No objections Flooding and Drainage – No objections following amendments to the drainage layout and subject to securing the long term management of the drainage scheme through a section 106 agreement. Environmental Health – No objections subject to a condition in relation to acoustic glazing Contaminated Land Team – No objections subjection to a condition related to the testing, treatment and disposal of topsoil. United Utilities – No objections to the proposed development subject that conditions related to foul and surface water are included. Natural England – No comments MerseyTravel – No objections. A number of public transport improvements were suggested. Merseyside Environmental Advisory Service – No objections subject to securing a Construction and Environmental Management Plan and improvements within the site to mitigate and improve habitats Merseyside Police Architectural Liaison Officer – No objections subject to measures put in place to prevent motorbikes accessing public footways. Melling Parish Council – Object to the proposals on the grounds of the risk of flooding, security concerns in relation to the improvements to the footpath and access to the park, access to site and the loss of land in the Green Belt. Neighbour Representations Letters were sent to surrounding residents, including those in Knowsley. Site notices were placed in a number of locations around the site and a notice was published in the local paper. Additional letters were sent to residents following amendments to the layout of the proposed scheme. Following the notification periods, neighbour representations have been received from residents living in the local area, including from those living on Archers Fold, Beldale Park (Knowsley), Chestnut Walk, Hayes Drive, Hazel Mews, Keble Drive, Marc Avenue, Martine Close, Mount Crescent (Knowsley), Olive Close, Prescot Road, Rainbow Drive, Satinwood Crescent, Southney Close (Knowsley), Swinderby Drive (Knowsley), Waddicar Lane, Wheeler Drive and Willsford Avenue. A petition signed by 110 local residents has been submitted and endorsed by Cllr Carr. This petition calls for the review of the proposed drainage plans to consider the flood risks for new and proposed properties, review whether the existing sewerage drainage is suitable and review the new access to Rainbow Park. A petition signed by 27 local residents has been submitted and endorsed by Cllr Carr. This petition is against the proposed plans for the flood attenuation basin and connection to the existing watercourse due to the increased flood risk posed to existing properties. A petition signed by 31 local residents has been submitted and endorsed by Cllr Carr. This petition is against the planned amendments to footpath Melling number 3. All the public comments have been summarised by topic and wider issues have been noted within the relevant section of the assessment. The following issues have been raised: Principle of development Loss of Green Belt Other more suitable sites available for homes Loss of agricultural land Traffic and Highways Waddicar Lane/village cannot cope with additional traffic Current traffic management doesn’t work Access to the site would not be safe People won’t use garages and will park on street Drainage and Flood Risk Flood prevention measures not appropriate Concern that flood measures will not be maintained Increased hard standing areas will increase flooding The pond would be a safety risk to children Why was sequential test and exception test not required? Inadequate services and facilities Melling Primary is full GP is only open few days in week Insufficient public transport Sewer system can’t cope Not ATM or Bank No jobs in the village No leisure facilities for children and young people Anti-social issues The footpath should be diverted Object to wall removed at end of Marc Avenue Concern that access to park will be open in the evening Impact on existing residents Light from traffic will shine into existing properties Noise/Air quality from traffic Disruption caused by construction Privacy issues Loss of light Other issues Decision has already been made without consulting residents Why weren’t all residents in Melling notified? Ignored previous objections to the development of this site Melling will lose its character Density of the proposal too high Impact on nature Risk of building below electric cables Impact on local house prices Inaccurate information in studies/assessments Have Councillors or officers received incentives from the developer or agent? No mention of bungalows or homes for older people Policy Context The application site lies within an area allocated for housing in the Sefton Local Plan which was adopted by the Council in April 2017 (listed in the Plan as site MN2.31). A Neighbourhood Plan for Melling is currently being prepared. Consultation under Regulation 14 has yet to be commenced. It therefore carries no weight. Assessment of the Proposal The main issues to consider are the principle of development, density, affordable housing and housing mix, living conditions of residents, access and highway safety, flood risk and drainage, design and character, impacts on local services, open space and public rights of way, crime and anti-social behaviour, contamination, air quality, landscaping and ecology. Principle of development The application site was released from the Green Belt for residential development (site MN.2.31) through the adoption of the Sefton Local Plan in April 2017. This established the principle of residential development on this site. Housing Supply The Council currently have a 4.5 year housing land supply. This application would support Sefton’s housing land supply and make an important contribution to meeting its identified housing needs. The Local Plan Inspector, in his findings into the Local Plan, concluded, ‘Waddicar Lane … would make a substantial contribution to meeting those [housing] needs in a sustainable location and with relatively few adverse impacts’. Density The proposal is for 149 homes. The indicative capacity in the Local Plan for this site is 178 homes. As the site is 5.82 hectares in size the proposed density is 25.6 dwellings per hectare. Whilst Policy HC3 Part 4 of the Local Plan (‘Residential Development and Development in Residential Areas’) states that new residential development should achieve a minimum density of 30 dwellings per hectare, it does allow for lower density if the provision of infrastructure within the site makes this impractical. As the proposal requires an onsite sustainable drainage pond (see below) a large area of the site cannot be developed. Allowing for the area for the drainage pond, the resultant density for the remainder of the site is 34 dwellings per hectare, which is acceptable. Affordable Housing There are proposed to be 44 affordable homes provided as part of the scheme. In accordance with Policy HC1 of the Sefton Local Plan, 30% of the scheme (measured by bedspaces) must be provided as affordable housing. 80% of the affordable housing should be in social/affordable rented with the remaining 20% as intermediate housing. The proposal includes a total of 729 bedspaces. 220 (30.18%) of these are within affordable housing. Of these 175 (79.5%) bedspaces are in social rented properties and 45 (20.5%) bedspaces are in intermediate properties. The 44 affordable homes are distributed across different parts of the site. Whilst there are two groups of eight affordable homes within the scheme, there are affordable homes in different parts of the proposal. This includes affordable homes in the south of the site (overlooking the open space), within the centre of the site, and in the north east of the site, towards the open countryside. Whilst Policy HC1 of the Local Plan states that groups of no more than six affordable homes should be grouped, it is considered the affordable homes are well integrated into the scheme and accords with the aims of the Local Plan in promoting mixed communities.