APPLICATION NO: 07/2169/01 OUTLINE PLANNING PERMISSION APPLICANT: Dukeminster Ltd & The Pratt Group PROPOSAL: Residential redevelopment (all matters reserved for future consideration) LOCATION: Land north of Old Rydon Lane, land east of Newcourt House and lower RNSD site, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 REGISTRATION DATE: 09/10/2007 Pyne's Hill 5 M Ex eter Rugby Club Sandy Park Farm Ludwell Valley Park 9 A37 Golf Cou rse 5 M COUNTESS W EAR RivEexr e t s l y C r ve R i i R v e r E x e Scale 1:25000 This map is based on Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office < Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Exeter City Council 100025345 BACKGROUND In 1996 a feasibility study was conducted into the possible future development of the Newcourt Area (Newcourt Feasibility Study). The study covered land between the A379 and Old Rydon Lane, and the Royal Naval Stores Depot (RNSD), which lies between Old Rydon Lane and Topsham Road. The RNSD land was effectively spilt into two parts linked by a private internal road running between the two sites. These parts have become known as the Upper and Lower RNSD sites. Through the Local Plan process, development of the area was explored further and potential quantum of development identified. The conclusion was that the full level of development proposed would generate greater traffic levels than the existing use and therefore the link from Topsham Road to the A379 would be required. Subsequently, within the adopted Local Plan, land in the Newcourt area, including much of the current application site, was allocated for housing and employment development supported by a neighbourhood centre to include primary school, local shops, open space and community facilities (Policy KP8). As part of the development of this area in accordance with Policy KP8, a link road is to be provided between the A379 and Topsham Road. The policy limits the number of dwellings to 200 until the link road has been provided. On appeal outline planning consent was granted for residential development of the upper RNSD site, including neighbourhood facilities including a school and community building under application reference 02/1402/01. A subsequent 'reserved matters' application for this land comprising 398 dwellings and neighbourhood centre (ref 07/1176/02) has also been approved and this land is currently being developed by Persimmon Homes. The Section 106 Agreement in respect of the outline application also limits the number of dwellings on site to 200 until such time as the link road is constructed and open to the public. The history below demonstrates that consent exists for the full length of the link road from the A379 to Topsham Road. HISTORY OF SITE The following applications are considered relevant to the potential development of the sites forming part of this application. Adjoining Upper RNSD site 02/1402/01 - Redevelopment to provide residential units, community facilities and primary school, highway access improvements, car parking and associated works (siting, design, landscaping and external appearance reserved for future consideration). Allowed on Appeal and subject to a Legal Agreement. 07/1176/02 - Redevelopment to provide 398 dwellings, offices, shops, parking and associated works (approval of reserved matters on Ref. No. 02/1402/01 granted 19 July 2004) for siting, design, landscaping and external appearance. Approved 28 January 2008. 05/1718/03 - Amendment to road alignment (Ref. 02/1402/01 granted 19 July 2004 on appeal). Approved 8 December 2005. General 06/2640/03 - Provision of highway junction for access to Russell Way/A379 and link road to Old Rydon Lane in south. Approved 17 October 2007. 06/1673/03 - Provision of highway junction on A379 and section of link road. Refused 7 March 2007. Currently the subject of an appeal against the refusal. This is a competing scheme to that approved under application 06/2640/03. DESCRIPTION OF SITE/PROPOSAL The application site comprises 3 separate parcels of land situated in the Newcourt area south of the A379. The different parcels of land are broken down as follows:- • Land north of Old Rydon Lane - this parcel of land abuts Old Rydon Lane to the south and wraps around Old Rydon Ley (a small cul-de sac comprising 16 detached dwellings). It is currently predominantly farmland but also includes the 2 residential properties known as Wynard's Cottages. • The Langdon land - this is an irregular shaped parcel of land that borders the drive to Newcourt House, Old Rydon Lane to the north and the upper part of the former Royal Naval Stores Deport (RNSD) to the east. • the final parcel lies to the rear (north) of properties on Topsham Road and is bounded by the Golf Course and farmland. It is made up of the lower part of the former RNSD, including land occupied by the former Support Engineering Facility (SEF land). This land has previously been used for Ministry of Defence purposes. Apart from the land occupied by the Support Engineering Facility all of the land is allocated for residential development in the Adopted Exeter Local Plan. The SEF land is unallocated. A new road has been constructed running through the lower site pursuant to the consent (Ref No. 02/1402/01) previously granted for residential development of the Upper RNSD land referred to above. This land lies to the east of the Langdon land identified above. Separate consent (Ref No. 06/2640/03) also exists for construction of a road linking the A379 to Old Rydon Lane and beyond to link into the former Upper RNSD land (which has detailed planning consent for development by virtue of application 07/1176/02). These two elements would then combine with the road through the Upper RNSD land to produce a through route from the A379 to Topsham Road. The application seeks outline consent for residential development of all the land comprised in the application site, together with associated public open space and roads linking to the surrounding highway network and adjoining land. It also includes provision of a Wildlife Corridor running along Old Rydon Lane. The main spine road running through the application sites has already been approved in various separate stages. Originally the applicant was seeking approval for the siting/layout and access specifically for 778 dwellings. All other matters such as scale, appearance and landscaping were to be reserved. However, in considering the application it became apparent that there were concerns with elements of the layout from a design perspective that could only be resolved by detailed design work which was beyond the normal scope of an application for outline consent. Consequently the applicant has now chosen to amend the application and is no longer seeking approval for the siting and access, nor a specific number of dwellings. All detailed matters are now to be reserved for subsequent approval but a set of 12 key design principles have been written and submitted as part of the application documents. This establishes rules and principles to be followed in working up the detailed design and layout of the development in subsequent 'reserved matters' applications. SUPPORTING INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY THE APPLICANT The following documents have been submitted in support of the application. • Planning Statement • Transport Assessment • Design and Access Statement and Key Issues Design Code • Archaeological Assessment • Flood Risk Assessment • GeoEnvironmental Review and Outline Remediation Strategy • Local Air Quality Assessment • Ecological Assessment • Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment • Pre-planning Tree Survey • Ecological Assessment for Wildlife Corridor • Acoustic Assessment Planning Statement This covers a description of the site and its planning history, outlines the proposal, summarises the relevant policy framework and assesses the proposal in this context. It concludes:- "6.2 As required by Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 the application proposals have been assessed against all relevant national and development plan policies and other material considerations. 6.3 The application site comprises 4 parts, 3 of which are allocated in the adopted Exeter Local Plan for housing. Accordingly the principle of developing the majority of the site for housing has been established. The remaining part of the SEF site comprises an existing employment area and is subject to Policy E3 of the Local Plan which requires that the loss of employment land or premises will not be permitted where it would harm business or employment opportunities in the area. For the following reasons the SEF site is no longer viable or desirable for employment use and is not needed to contribute towards the Council's strategic requirements for employment land: 1. The SEF site was formerly in use for employment and continues to be designated for that use by the Council, yet despite several years of availability has failed to attract an occupier. It therefore no longer represents a realistic location for continued employment operations. 2. There is sufficient quantitative and qualitative employment land supply to meet current and potential future demand without the need for the application site. 3. The SEF site is identified as having substantial capacity for residential development within the Council's Urban Capacity Study (2006) and should therefore be brought forward for such uses in accordance with the Council's aspirations for the site. 4. There exists a significant question over the deliverability of housing land supply, whereby existing commitments have not been critically analysed in accordance with the requirements of PPS3. 5. The site is suitable, available and achievable for housing development and is ideally placed to deliver new residential development that would respond directly to identified needs in the City.