APP 01 Application Number: 14/02799/FUL Redevelopment of site to provide 73 dwelling units with associated car parking and new access from North Crawley Road (amended) AT North Crawley Road, Newport Pagnell, MK16 9TG FOR Bellway Homes Ltd (North Home Counties) Target: 18th March 2015 Ward: Newport Pagnell South Parish: Newport Pagnell Town Council Report Author/Case Officer: Nicola Wheatcroft Contact Details: 01908 253238 [email protected] Team Leader: Sarah Evans Team Leader Strategic Applications Team Contact Details: 01908 253326 [email protected] 1.0 INTRODUCTION (A brief explanation of what the application is about) 1.1 The main section of the report set out below draws together the core issues in relation to the application including policy and other key material considerations. This is supplemented by an appendix which brings together planning history, additional matters and summaries of consultee responses and public representations. Full details of the application, including plans, supplementary documents, consultee responses and public representations are available on the Council’s Public Access system www.milton- keynes.gov.uk/publicaccess. All matters have been taken into account in writing this report and recommendation. 1.2 The Site The site comprises 1.98 hectares of employment land on a small commercial estate on the eastern edge of Newport Pagnell. The site, now cleared, consisted of a group of warehouse buildings and a brick office block (Newport House) all with on-site parking, served from a shared access to North Crawley Road adjacent to its junction with Tickford Street. The site lies in a mixed use area of residential and commercial/employment uses. 1.3 The site is a distorted rectangle in shape and adjoins the Newport Pagnell household and commercial waste site to the eastern boundary; the northern boundary adjoins farmland whilst the western boundary adjoins two storey commercial buildings located within Vantage Court behind whilst the northern section of the western boundary adjoins residential bungalows in The Canons. To the southern boundary the site fronts North Crawley Road extending along the junction, for a short length with Tickford Street. The junction of these two roads is controlled by a mini-roundabout with an uncontrolled pedestrian crossing to the front of the site. Opposite are two storey dwellings, whilst Renny Park Estate is located opposite the site on North Crawley Road. An electricity sub-station is located on the site, accessed from Tickford Street and a footpath straddles the northern boundary. All boundaries are planted with trees and other planting with a more extensive treed area on the northern boundary with the adjoining farmland. The eastern boundary with the adjacent recycling centre is planted with mature trees and the western boundary comprises of mesh fencing inter-planted through to the first section of the boundary after which it converts to fencing and conifer planting. 1.4 The Proposal This application seeks the redevelopment of the site for residential use with a total of 73 dwellings proposed (at a density of 37 dwellings per hectare) with a combination of apartments and a mix of house types and sizes, including terraced through to detached dwellings, with 30% affordable housing being proposed. 1.5 Access is proposed to be taken off the North Crawley Road/Renny Park Road roundabout and comprises a single major street which serves the development and terminates at the northern end of the site in a turning head. This road is sized to accommodate a bus route. A redway is proposed along the site frontage but without being connected beyond the site boundaries. 1.6 Internally the site is laid out in a series of cul-de-sacs and dwellings and apartments are located to front the main road and side streets. Dwellings and apartments front or are positioned side on to Tickford Street and North Crawley Road and are set behind a planted verged area with footpath links through to the development from the main roads. Within the site the houses extend to the side boundaries with a planted and treed buffer to the eastern boundary separating the site from the recycling facility adjacent. 1.7 The apartments and dwellings range between two and three storeys in height, including rooms in the roof space and are proposed to be constructed in brick and rendered or painted elevations under pitched tiled or fibre-cement slate roofs. Parking takes the form of predominantly on-plot parking with some grouped parking and a small element of grouped tandem parking. A 4 -4.5 metre high acoustic fence is proposed to separate the development from the recycling facility. 2.0 RELEVANT POLICIES (The most important policy considerations relating to this application) 2.1 National Policy National Planning Policy Framework paragraphs: Paragraph 4: Accordance with Development Plan Paragraph 14: Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development Paragraph 17: Core Planning Principles Paragraph 22: Employment Sites Paragraph 29: Promoting Sustainable Transport Paragraph 37: Policies should aim for a balance of land uses in an area Paragraph 48: Windfall Sites Paragraph 50: Affordable Housing Paragraph 58: Design Paragraph 60: Planning should not impose architectural styles or tastes Paragraph 69: Creating healthy and inclusive environments Paragraph 93, 99-103: Meeting the challenge of climate change and flooding Paragraph 98: Sustainability Paragraphs 109 & 118: Natural Environment Paragraphs 120 -124: Pollution and Contamination 2.2 Local Policy Core Strategy CSA: Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development CS1: Development Strategy CS2: Housing Land Supply CS8: Other Areas of Change CS9: Strategy for the Rural Areas CS11: A Well Connected Milton Keynes CS12: Developing Successful Neighbourhoods CS13: Ensuring High Quality, Well Designed Places CS18: Healthier and Safer Communities CS21: Delivering Infrastructure Adopted Milton Keynes Local Plan 2001-2011(Saved Policies) S1: General Principles D1: Impact of Development Proposals on Locality D2a Urban Design Aspects of New Development D2: Design of Buildings D4: Sustainable Construction NE3: Biodiversity and Geological Enhancement T1: Transport User Hierarchy T3 & T4: Pedestrians and Cyclists T5: Public Transport T9: The Road Hierarchy T10: Traffic T15: Parking Provision T17: Traffic Calming EA4A: New Strategic Reserves H2: Priority Housing Requirements H3 & H4: Affordable Housing incl Thresholds H7: Housing on Unidentified Sites H8 & H9: Housing Density and Mix E1: Protection of Existing Employment land L3: Standards of Provision PO1: General Policies PO4: Percent for Art Supplementary Planning Guidance Parking Standards (Jan 2005) and Addendum (2009) Education Facilities SPG (2004) Leisure, Recreation and Sports Facilities (2004) Supplementary Planning Document Sustainable Construction (April 2007) Affordable Housing (March 2013) Social Infrastructure (2005) New Residential Development Design Guide (April 2012) Newport Pagnell Neighbourhood Plan Newport Pagnell Neighbourhood Plan is an emerging Neighbourhood Plan which has been submitted to the Council (July 30) for publication. The publicity period closed on 18th November 2015 and Examination is expected early in the New Year. The Neighbourhood Plan is afforded significant weight as it has been through the publicity period. The emerging Neighbourhood Plan identifies the application site and adjacent land, including the recycling facility and farmland to the rear, Tickford Fields Farm Strategic Reserve Site and Tickford Fields Farm East as a potential large Scale housing development area. 3.0 MAIN ISSUES (The issues which have the greatest bearing on the decision) 3.1 1. The acceptability of the principle of development in terms of sustainable location of the site, and the need for housing as a result of the need to consolidate the Councils five year land supply. Also in relation to the loss of employment land. The site is located within the urban area of Newport Pagnell and Saved Policy H7 (Housing on Unidentified sites) of the Milton Keynes Local Plan 2001 - 2011 is of relevance. Furthermore the site is part of the allocated strategic reserves in the Local Plan (Policy EA4A). 2. The acceptability of the design and layout, in relation to urban design matters and the context of the locality. The layout complies with the requirements of Policy CS13 of the Core Strategy, policies D2, D2A of the Milton Keynes Local Plan 2001 - 2011 and the New Residential Development Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document. 3. The relationship of the proposed development to neighbouring uses, the recycling facility and office block and sub-station and whether an acceptable standard of residential amenity can be achieved for future occupiers. Careful consideration has been given to the relationship of the application site and the adjoining Household Waste Site. On balance it is concluded that whilst the relationship between the two uses is not ideal however the mitigation measures proposed are adequate to ensure that the residential amenity of the proposed dwellings will not be adversely affected to a significant degree. 4. Highways and parking matters, including the provision of a redway to the site frontage, retention of a footpath link at the rear of the site, access into and through the site, with potential to link through to the land to the rear of the site (Strategic Reserve land). Proposed alterations may also be required to the existing roundabout to the front of the