JJ1 S07/0583/69 Date Received: 30-Apr-2007 Applicant The Muir Group Housing Association Ltd Stable Court, Ferrars Road, Huntingdon, PE29 3DH Agent Julie Robinson, The Robert Doughty Consultancy Ltd 32, High Street, Helpringham, Sleaford, Lincs, NG34 0RA Proposal Erection of 7 dwellings (affordable housing) Location (r/o 6-12 Somerby Close), off Green Lane, Stamford Site Details Parish(es) Stamford Radon Area - Protection required Airfield Zone - No consultation required Cottesmore/Wittering (refuse tips only) Drainage - Welland and Nene NATS Consultation - (Windfarms Only)-WF1 REPORT Representations Received: Town Council: The Committee objects to this application for the following reasons: • The access road is extremely narrow and passing space is minimal. • Access is at a junction noted as an accident black spot, which is close to a local school and church. A site visit is recommended. Local Highway Authority: "Visibility from the proposed point of access onto Green Lane is substantially below requirements due to the existing carriageway alignment and surrounding boundaries. The access also emerges onto the junction hence the conflict in this area together with the lack of visibility, especially near a school would be detrimental to highway safety. The proposed layout and number of dwellings served does not comply with the Lincolnshire Design Guide for Residential Areas, adopted as supplementary planning guidance. With regards to the internal entrance this does also not meet standards in respect of design and safety therein. The internal ‘S’ bends are too tight and would not permit a refuse vehicle to manoeuvre safely, also there will be conflict of passing cars in this area. Vehicles parked near this ‘S’ bend will also be in conflict when manoeuvring with vehicles travelling on the carriageway. Due to the above it is considered the internal layout would be detrimental to pedestrian and highway safety". Community Archaeologist: The proposed development does not affect any known archaeological sites. Partnership and Projects Officer: "Please find below my comments on the above site providing affordable housing in Stamford. The site provides 7 affordable housing units being developed by Muir Group Housing Association one of South Kesteven District Council's preferred Registered Social Landlords. As a preferred partner they are signed up to the formal Partnership Agreement and attached nomination agreements and the nomination arrangement agreed in the S.106 agreement. The housing needs for affordable housing in Stamford are as follows:- 2 bed house = 373 (262 have direct local connection) 3 bed house = 195 (115 have direct local connection) Also there will be four bedroom purpose built chalet bungalow to accommodate a Stamford family with a severely disabled child. For several years the Council have been attempting to find a property that can be converted to accommodate the needs of this family without success. Therefore this site gives the opportunity to be able to provide the much needed adapted accommodation to help this family. The design of the accommodation has been carried out in partnership with Social Services (Childrens). The Housing Need Study produced by Fordham Research for the Council in February 2006 indicates an annual demand for 106 new affordable units in Stamford". Representations as a result of publicity The application has been advertised in accordance with established procedures and three letters of representation have been received. The main concerns are summarised below: a) Concerns about loss of privacy. b) Bungalows should be built in order to protect adjacent residents privacy. c) The Planning Committee should consider the safety aspect of the road junction as the exit of this site will be completely blind from the school, church and Green Lane/Churchill Road as the site will be on a blind bend (highway safety & traffic impact). d) The proposed entrance or exit road is not wide enough for two cars to pass therefore could cause a accident in Green Lane near to Queen Eleanor Technical College. e) The corner of Green Lane and Churchill Road is dangerous at present that the entrance or exit will make it worse. f) Stamford Town Council has turned down the proposals twice already. Officer Report Reason for Referral to Committee This application has been referred to Committee as South Kesteven District Council owns the site and due to the planning history relating to a previous approval contrary to the Local Highway Authority’s advice. Cllr Gaffigan has requested that the Committee determine the application, as it is located near to a school, hazards traffic wise, and access road not suitable next to a church. Cllr Jalili has requested that the application be determined by the Committee due to the impact on the surrounding area. The application site and its surroundings The application site is approximately 0.35 hectares (0.86 acres) in size and is owned by South Kesteven District Council. The site is located on Green Lane towards the north edge of Stamford. Access to the site is via a long access track which links onto Green Lane. The access runs between the Jehovah’s Witness Church and 33 Green Lane. The site is surrounded by 2 storey detached and terraced properties. The Queen Eleanor School lies directly to the north of the site. The majority of the site comprises a large area of grassed open spaces with mature hedgerows along the northern and southern boundaries. This part of site has not been previously developed and can therefore be described as a ‘greenfield’ site. A small part of the residential curtilage of 6 Somerby Close also forms part of the application site. Site History Outline planning consent was granted in June 2001 for residential development of the site. The application was recommended for refusal by Officers on highway safety grounds. Following a site visit by Members the Officer’s recommendation was overturned and the application was approved. (Application reference S01/0443). In June 2006 a full application for the erection of 8 affordable dwellings was submitted. The application was withdrawn in October 2006 following concerns raised by Officers about the proposed design, layout and access arrangements. This current application is the resubmitted scheme, which seeks to address the original concerns. The Proposal This is a full application for the erection of 7 affordable dwellings comprising 1 x four- bedroom chalet bungalow, 3 x two bedroom properties, and 3 x three bedroom properties. The access to the site is via a 100m long access road, which comes links to Green Lane between The Jehovah’s Witness Church and 33 Green Lane. Two parking spaces are proposed for plot 1 within the curtilage of the dwelling. Plots 2-7 have a single space each along with the provision of two visitor spaces. The application also proposes to provide the residents of 7-12 Somerby Close with a single parking space each. A chalet bungalow with room in the roof space is proposed on Plot 1. The proposed chalet bungalow has been designed so that it is suitable for use by a disabled person. The proposed bungalow has velux windows in the roof space in order to minimise the possibility of overlooking adjacent properties. A row of two storey terraced properties are proposed for plots 2-4 and are of a similar scale to adjacent properties. Plot 5 is a two storey detached dwelling and plots 6 and 7 comprise a pair of semi-detached properties. All of the plots have been designed and orientated in such a way as to ensure that there is minimal overlooking and overshadowing of adjacent properties. Policy Considerations National Policy Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development (PPS1) Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing (PPS3) Lincolnshire Structure Plan Policy H1: Housing Provision Policy H4: Affordable Housing Provision South Kesteven Local Plan Policy H6: Housing Development Policy EN1: Protection and Enhancement of the Environment Key Issues This application seeks approval for the erection of 7 affordable dwellings. The proposed development is considered to be in scale and character with the surrounding development and has been designed in such away as to ensure that the residential amenities of the adjacent properties will not be significantly affected. The proposed dwellings have been sited to ensure that they have adequate amenity space and to provide a suitable separation distance from the adjacent dwellings on Somerby Close and Kesteven Road. Significant concern has been raised relating to highway safety and in particular the proposed access arrangements. Outline planning consent was granted in June 2001 for residential development of the site. The application was recommend for refusal by Officers on highway safety grounds. Following a site visit by Members the Officer’s recommendation was overturned and the application was approved. (Application reference S01/0443). The proposed access onto Green Lane is located in the same position as that of the early outline permission. Additional off-street parking is now proposed to the rear of 7-12 Somerby Close in order to help alleviate some of the issues of on-street parking on Somerby Close. Whilst the outline consent has now lapsed it is still a significant material planning consideration and there have been no material change in circumstances since the approval in 2001. The Council’s Partnership and Project Officer has confirmed that there is a proven need for affordable housing in this area. The Housing Need Study produced by Fordham Research for the Council in February 2006 indicates an annual demand for 106 new affordable units in Stamford. The proposed scheme will therefore help to address this unmet need. The Partnership and Project Officer has also advised that the four bedroom purpose built chalet bungalow will accommodate a Stamford family with a severely disabled child. For several years the Council have been attempting to find a property that can be converted to accommodate the needs of this family without success.