Case No. 17/01897/OUTMAJ Item No.01 Location: Land Comprising Field At 439236 449205, Harrogate Road, Stockeld. Proposal: Outline application for the erection of up to 210 dwellings and associated infrastructure, with access to (but not within) the site considered. (Site Area 13.17Ha) Applicant: Hallam Land Management And Stockeld Park Access to the case file on Public Access can be found here:- view file Reason for report: This application is to be presented to the Planning Committee because it proposes a scheme of residential development of 50 units or more. The application was deferred at the Planning Committee of 05.04.2018 to seek clarification on education matters. At the Planning Committee of 14.08.2018 Members voted to refuse the application contrary to the recommendation of the Chief Planner on the following grounds: 1) health: lack of doctors / dentists provision; 2) education: lack of education provision; 3) highway infrastructure: unable to carry more traffic. The application stands deferred by the Solicitor to the Council from the Planning Committee of 14.08.2018 for further consideration in accordance with the Council’s scheme of delegation for determining Planning applications. The Committee will receive an exempt report as part of its determination. SUMMARY The proposed scheme comprises the development of up to 210 dwellings, of which up to 84 will be defined as affordable, on a sustainable green field site on the edge of an established major settlement in the Leeds District. The development has significant social benefits in providing open market and 40% affordable housing to contribute to meeting an identified shortfall for the Harrogate district. The development will also provide the education requirements generated by the 17/01897/OUTMAJ 1 development potentially in both the Leeds and Harrogate District. There are no economic or environmental effects of development that significantly or demonstrably outweigh the social benefits of providing new housing in this location. This includes the effect of development on landscape and the character and appearance of the existing settlement, the effect on heritage assets, biodiversity and protected trees; The amenity of existing residents and users of the public right of way; highway capacity and safety matters; flood risk and drainage issues; and land contamination and pollution considerations. As such, the development is considered to be sustainable when applying the ‘tilted balance’ at paragraph 11 of the National Planning Policy Framework. The sustainability of the reasons for refusal proposed by Members are set out in Paragraph 9.1 to 9.16 of this report. RECOMMENDATION: Defer and Approve subject to conditions and a S106 Agreement 17/01897/OUTMAJ 2 17/01897/OUTMAJ 3 17/01897/OUTMAJ 4 1.0 SITE DESCRIPTION 1.1 The application site comprises approximately 13Ha of arable agricultural land within the ownership of the Stockeld Park estate, adjacent to the boundary of the Harrogate district with Leeds City Council’s administrative area and adjoining the built up area of Wetherby. The development area includes one complete parcel of land, and the partial development of two further parcels. The existing boundaries between the three parcels of land are generally native hedgerow. Landform reaches its highest point in the south-western part of the site with land falling both to the north-east towards the built up area of Wetherby and to a more limited extent to the south-west towards the A661. 1.2 To the south and east of the site, within the Leeds City Council administrative area, a development of 325 dwellings is currently taking place by Bellway Homes. A belt of trees separates the application site from this development to the south, whilst a more open hedged boundary separates the site from this development to the east. A public right of way runs within the neighbouring development site to the eastern boundary of the application site. The approved plans for the Bellway housing show this public right of way to run within a landscaped buffer. 1.3 To the northern boundary of the site is the Harland Way cycle route, part of the National Cycle Network which runs between Spofforth and Thorp Arch via Wetherby along the route of a former railway line. The route enters a treed cutting as it passes the site with further agricultural land beyond to the north. 1.4 There is currently no defined boundary to the western extent of the site with the arable agricultural land gradually falling towards Ingbarrow Farm. The south-western extent of the site abuts the A661 Harrogate Road with a native hedge boundary, occasional hedgerow trees and a wide grassed highway verge. 17/01897/OUTMAJ 5 1.5 The application site is not covered by any landscape designation nor is it located within the Green Belt. Land to the south of the A661 is contained within the statutory Green Belt but this does not extend to any part of the application site. 2.0 PROPOSAL 2.1 The application, made by Hallam Land Management with Stockeld Park, seeks outline consent for the construction of up to 210 dwellings with access to the site considered. The principal vehicular and pedestrian access will be taken from a new priority junction on the A661 Harrogate Road to the south- western part of the application site. An existing track a little further to the east, currently being used as the construction access to the Bellway Homes site will be retained as an emergency vehicle link. Pedestrian and cycle connection will also be made into the Harland Way in the north-eastern corner of the site, and via the existing public right of way into the adjacent development to the south. 2.2 With the application being in outline, there is no detailed layout for consideration, however, an illustrative masterplan with structural landscaping detail has been prepared. This masterplan proposes the dwellings to be located to the central and eastern parts of the site, on the falling ground towards Wetherby with sustainable drainage surface water attenuation basins on the lowest parts of the site. The parcel of land to the north will contain parkland open space with children’s play facilities, whilst the western parcel of land contains the vehicular approach and landscape mitigation. 2.3 This landscape mitigation comprises woodland structure planting of between 10 and 20 metres in depth to create a second woodland buffer to define the extended urban edge of Wetherby. To the northern part of the western boundary new hedge and hedgerow tree planting will take place to form a defined boundary, with additional planting of individual and groups of trees within the site. 3.0 APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING INFORMATION 3.1 The application is accompanied by the following supporting documents: 17/01897/OUTMAJ 6 - Planning Policy Statement - Design and Access Statement - Statement of Community Involvement - Preliminary Geo-Environmental Appraisal - Arboricultural Assessment - Ecological Appraisal - Transport Assessments and draft Travel Plan - Archaeological Assessment - Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy - Landscape and Visual Impact Appraisal - Hydrological Assessment 4.0 RELEVANT HISTORY 4.1 No previous applications for planning permission have been made on the land subject to this proposed development. 4.2 An Environmental Impact Assessment Screening Opinion was issued by the Council on 24 January 2018 under planning reference 17/01966/SCREEN. This confirmed that the environmental impact of the development would not be so significant to warrant the submission of a stand-alone environmental statement, and the environmental effects of development could be adequately assessed through the standard planning application process. 4.3 The adjacent land to the south east, within Leeds City Council’s boundaries, benefits from outline and reserved matters consent for the erection of 325 dwellings with access from Spofforth Hill and Glebe Field Drive, associated open space and structural landscaping. The approved scheme is currently under construction. Leeds City Council planning references 13/03051/OT and 15/07291/RM. 5.0 NATIONAL & LOCAL POLICY 5.1 National Planning Policy 5.2 The National Planning Policy Framework July 2018 (NPPF) sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to 17/01897/OUTMAJ 7 be applied. Planning permission must be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The National Planning Policy Framework is a material consideration in planning decisions. 5.3 At the heart of the NPPF is a presumption in favour of sustainable development. 5.4 Core Strategy Policy SG1 Settlement Growth: Housing Distribution Policy SG2 Settlement Growth: Hierarchy and limits Policy SG3 Settlement Growth: Conservation of the countryside, including Green Belt Policy SG4 Settlement Growth: Design and Impact Policy EQ1 Reducing risks to the environment Policy EQ2 The natural and built environment and green belt Policy TRA1 Accessibility Policy C1 Inclusive communities 5.5 Harrogate District Local Plan (2001, As Altered 2004) Policy C2 Landscape Character Policy H5 Affordable Housing Policy HD13 Trees and Woodlands Policy HD20 Design of New Development and Redevelopment Policy R11 Rights of Way Policy T22A Measures to promote cycling 5.6 Supplementary Planning Documents 17/01897/OUTMAJ 8 Provision for Open Space in Connection with New Housing Development Provision for Village Halls in Connection with New Housing Development House Extensions and Garages Design Guide Landscape