WEST OXFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL LOWLANDS AREA PLANNING SUB-COMMITTEE Date: 14th August 2017 REPORT OF THE HEAD OF PLANNING AND STRATEGIC HOUSING Purpose: To consider applications for development details of which are set out in the following pages. Recommendations: To determine the applications in accordance with the recommendations of the Strategic Director. The recommendations contained in the following pages are all subject to amendments in the light of observations received between the preparation of the reports etc and the date of the meeting. List of Background Papers All documents, including forms, plans, consultations and representations on each application, but excluding any document, which in the opinion of the ‘proper officer’ discloses exempt information as defined in Section 1001 of the Local Government Act 1972. Please note that observations received after the reports in this schedule were prepared will be summarised in a document which will be published late on the last working day before the meeting and available at the meeting or from www.westoxon.gov.uk/meetings 1 Application Address Page Number 16/03627/OUT Land at Butts Piece, Main Road, Stanton Harcourt 3 16/04234/OUT Land North and West and East of Belclose Cottage, Witney Road, North Leigh 27 17/01248/FUL 9 - 11 Burford Road, Carterton 41 17/01563/HHD 13 Elms Road, Cassington 48 17/01612/FUL Four Winds, Bushey Ground, Minster Lovell 53 17/01613/LBC Four Winds, Bushey Ground, Minster Lovell 65 17/01785/FUL Land at Patchfield Barn, Standlake Road, Northmoor 69 17/01844/FUL 30 Stoneleigh Drive, Carterton 77 17/01993/S73 Grange Farm, Burford Road, Brize Norton 82 2 Application Number 16/03627/OUT Site Address Land at Butts Piece Main Road Stanton Harcourt Oxfordshire Date 2nd August 2017 Officer Catherine Tetlow Officer Recommendations Approve subject to Legal Agreement Parish Stanton Harcourt Parish Council Grid Reference 441306 E 205597 N Committee Date 14th August 2017 Location Map © Crown copyright and database rights 2016 Ordnance Survey 100024316 Application Details: Development for up to 40 dwellings and a shop with associated infrastructure works, Alterations to existing and provision of new vehicular access and pedestrian accesses (amended description) Applicant Details: David Bury and Jo Wilson, c/o Agent 3 1 CONSULTATIONS 1.1 Parish Council Object on the following grounds: Need for bypass. S106 contribution of £100,000 should be required. Lack of adopted local plan leads to inappropriate applications being supported. Access should link Blackditch to opposite the cemetery to avoid traffic passing through the village. Increase in village of 30% in short space of time. Local area unable to sustain this development. Lack of infrastructure capacity Village is A listed Historic village and impact on heritage Traffic and highway safety Few job opportunities Insufficient school capacity Impact on water and sewerage capacity Only one shop in the village can survive. Questionable whether the proposed shop has adequate parking 1.2 Thames Water No objection. 1.3 Major Planning Highways - No objection in relation to access and traffic generation. Applications Team Object with regard to lack of bus service. Drainage - No objection subject to condition Education - No objection subject to primary school contribution of £192,366 Minerals and Waste - No objection Archaeology - No objection subject to conditions Cllr Charles Mathew has commented as follows: I certainly wish to comment on this application on grounds of no bus service and lack of facilities in the village- no pub or shop selling more than papers and bare essentials. The Post office is temporarily housed (three mornings a week) and it would be necessary to get PO permission to move the siting- not an easy task. In addition it is unlikely the Primary School can take the extra pupils and the access to the Primary from Butts Piece is across the road on a dangerous corner- as it stands highly unsatisfactory. In addition the site lies near the Landfill of Dix Pit and it is questionable whether this is a suitable site for residential housing in view of the existence of methane and other gases from the landfill, the subject over the years of much concern within the village. I have severe misgivings 1.4 WODC - Arts A S106 contribution of £6,540 is required towards public art. 1.5 Environment Agency No comments received. 1.6 WODC Architect As originally submitted objection was raised in terms of the importance of this open space in the settlement and effect of largely unbroken development across the site. It was considered that there would be a harmful effect on the historical character of the 4 settlement, giving a much more urban form. along with traffic and domestication. Advice was given in relation to potential revisions and in light of the amended plans, whilst there is some harm to the Conservation Area (including its other heritage assets), on balance the proposal is now not objected to in heritage terms. 1.7 Historic England No comments to make. 1.8 Biodiversity Officer No objection subject to conditions. 1.9 ERS Env Health - No objection subject to contaminated land condition. Lowlands 1.10 WODC Housing A policy compliant 40% affordable housing is proposed. Scheme mix Enabler to be 70% affordable rent and 30% shared ownership. 1.11 WODC Landscape And No comments received. Forestry Officer 1.12 WODC - Sports A contribution of £46,240.00 off site contribution towards community/sport/recreation facilities within the catchment is required. In addition, £32,720.00 is required for the enhancement and maintenance of existing play/recreation areas within the catchment. 1.13 Parish Council The Parish Council objects to this development even with the reduction of dwellings from 60 to 40. The local area is unable to sustain this development. The Application contravenes the Category A status of this village- no new buildings except in exceptional circumstances in infilling or agricultural building conversion. The site lies within the Conservation Area of Stanton Harcourt and Sutton and fills in between the Village and is next door to the large Industrial Estate. The site is within one field of the Landfill at Dix Pit and adjoins the Old Airfield, Stanton Harcourt (planning granted Jan.2017- 16/1054/OUT) (see report from Phil Crowcroft submitted to the Local Plan Inspector, which casts considerable doubt of the safety of building a residential development so near a landfill site). There is a significant lack of capacity within the local infrastructure. Roads - the development of 40 houses will result in the region of 70 additional vehicles in reality. While I understand that vehicle movements have been calculated due to established criteria, in this case those criteria are not a good basis for calculation. The village has no public transport, there are no local shops at which everyday goods can be purchased within walking distance, the proposed shop will not satisfy all needs of the residents of the site. There are few job opportunities in the area. Both of these facts mean that car journeys will be necessary above the figures calculated in the application. The roads through the village are unable to support such an increase in 5 traffic. Main Road has several blind corners on it where pedestrians could come into conflict with vehicle users. Specific to the application is the access to the school would need to cross the busy Main Road at a dangerous corner- this is dangerous today, let alone with the traffic which the Old Airfield (50 dwellings and office space) and this Application for forty. With the possibility of a new link road round Eynsham, this road would be very crowded at school opening and closing times. Such times are already over subscribed at the entrance to the school so with walking access being dangerous, new parking would be necessary for the school. If the Planning should proceed, a road should link the two sites with the B4449 to Northmoor, Standlake and the bridge on the A415 at Newbridge from Blackditch. All construction traffic should be directed if relevant to enter the site through Blackditch at the South end off the Haul Road and not through the village. Details of the responsibility of the maintenance of the proposed footpath needs to be stated. Educational - While there is some space in the local primary and secondary schools, this is very limited, with other plans in the local area, there is insufficient capacity to accommodate the likely extra children from this development. Medical - The local doctor's has a considerable patient list and getting an appointment at the current time is very difficult. With other plans in the local area, there is insufficient capacity to accommodate the likely demand from this development. Water and sewage - There is currently insufficient capacity in the water delivery system during peak demand and much of the day. The water pressure is extremely low, resulting in dwellings that do not have storage facilities frequently having times when showers will not work and toilet cisterns that will not fill. While the plans indicate that the sewage output from the site can be accommodated, it is well known in the village that the local sewage system is frequently over full at wet times. There are many instances of local properties reporting sewage in their gardens. We appreciate the merit of the 'Shop' in this application but would state that Stanton Harcourt cannot accommodate the commerciality of having three shops- one at the Harcourt Arms being we understand food oriented, one at this site and another being proposed at Greensleeves (Application pending 17/01245/ FUL). More information is vital as to the intentions of the three shop applications. We accept that there is housing need and that development needs to occur, but this does need to do so in the correct area with appropriate infrastructure improvements.