SOUTH CAMBRIDGESHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL REPORT TO: Planning Committee 10 May 2017 AUTHOR/S: Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development Application Number: S/0415/17/OL Parish: Castle Camps Proposal: Outline application for the erection of up to 10 dwellings with all matters reserved except for access Site address: Land off Bartlow Road, Castle Camps, CB21 4SX Applicant(s): Arbora Homes Recommendation: Delegated Approval subject to the completion of a section 106 agreement. Key material considerations: Housing supply Principle of development Density Housing mix Affordable Housing Impact on services and facilities Impact on landscape, local character and heritage impact Ecology, trees and hedging Noise and lighting Residential amenity Highway Safety and Parking Archaeology Surface Water Drainage and Foul Water Drainage Contamination Renewable Energy Waste Developer contributions Committee Site Visit: Yes Departure Application: Yes Presenting Officer: Lydia Pravin, Senior Planning Officer Application brought to The recommendation of officers conflicts with that of the Committee because: Parish Council and Local Member, and approval would represent a departure from the Local Plan Date by which decision due: 10 May 2017 1 Executive Summary 1. The proposed development would be located on land adjacent to but outside of the Castle Camps village framework. Due to the District Council’s inability to demonstrate a five year supply of housing land, the policies that restrict the supply of housing are considered to be out of date. The Balsham, Over and Melbourn appeal decisions have provided additional guidance on weighing the benefits against the harm resulting from a proposal within the context of a lack of a five year housing land supply, a deficit which has further deteriorated (from 3.9 to 3.7 years). 2. A significant benefit of the scheme is the provision of 40% on site affordable housing and this will fulfil the significant need within the Parish of Castle Camps, as well as a substantial need District wide, this is a benefit which officers consider should be afforded significant weight in the determination of the application. The development of up to 10 dwellings will provide towards the lack of five year housing land supply giving rise to significant social and economic benefits through the creation of jobs in the construction industry and an increase of local services and facilities, both of which will be of benefit to the local economy. 3. Castle Camps is a group village with limited facilities and occupants of the development would be required to travel out of the village to access facilities to meet day to day needs and employment opportunities. These factors do weigh against the social and environmental sustainability of the scheme. However, the extent of this harm is considered to be reduced by the fact that there is a bus service which would allow commuting to Haverhill, a market town within a reasonable time and that this service runs within close proximity of the application site. Whilst buses are infrequent throughout the day, occupants of the development would still have an alternative to the use of the private car to access the services and other facilities in Haverhill. 4. There are no objections from statutory consultees and the proposal would not result in significant harm to the character of the landscape, allowing for the retention of the intermittent hedgerow and trees and further hedgerow and tree planting will be provided on the boundaries. This will enable a sense of containment and reduce the impact of the development on the wider landscape to an acceptable degree. 5. In terms of the impact on the Conservation Area and setting of the Grade II listed building the development would be on land that has a ditch along the southern boundary and rises gently to a plateau approx. 2m higher than Bartlow Road. The dwellings are shown as being set back by approx. 15 metres from the site edged red on the site plan which is for illustrative purposes only which will respect the linear character of the dwellings along Bartlow Road. This shows up to 10 dwellings can be accommodated on the site will cause less than substantial harm to the Conservation Area and setting of the Grade II listed building. Officers are therefore of the view that the harm resulting from the proposal is considered to represent less than substantial harm and in accordance with paragraph 134 of the National Planning Policy Framework has been assessed with regard to the public benefits of the development and its optimum viable use. 6. It is considered the public benefits of providing housing to meet the significant deficit in five year housing land supply and chronic shortage of affordable housing. Overall it is considered the development does not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits and as a result, in line with the guidance in paragraph 14 of the NPPF, the recommendation is to grant planning permission. 2 Site Planning History 7. S/0599/81/O – Hill Farm PT OSP 77 Castle Camps – Residential Development – refused due the development being contrary to the Settlement Policies incorporated in the approved Structure Plan for Cambridgeshire, wherin it is proposed that development in Castle Camps will be restricted to infilling only. The site is considered to be outside the physical framework of the village and its development would represent an undesirable extension of ribbon development in to the open countryside. Development of the scale proposed beyond the framework of the village, would progressively detract from the open and rural character and appearance of the area Planning Policies 8. The following paragraphs are a list of documents and policies that may be relevant in the determination of this application. Consideration of whether any of these are considered out of date in light of the Council not currently being able to demonstrate that it has an up to date five year housing land supply, and the weight that might still be given to those policies, is addressed later in the report. National Guidance 9. National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2012 Planning Practice Guidance South Cambridgeshire Local Development Framework (LDF) Core Strategy, adopted January 2007 10. ST/2 Housing Provision ST/6 Group Villages South Cambridgeshire LDF Development Control Policies, adopted July 2007 11. DP/1 Sustainable Development DP/2 Design of New Development DP/3 Development Criteria DP/4 Infrastructure in New Developments DP/7 Development Frameworks CH/2 Archaeological Sites CH/4 Development Within the Curtilage or Setting of a Listed Building CH/5 Conservation Areas HG/1 Housing Density HG/2 Housing Mix HG/3 Affordable Housing NE/1 Energy Efficiency NE/3 Renewable Energy Technologies in New Development NE/4 Landscape Character Areas NE/6 Biodiversity NE/9 Water and Drainage Infrastructure NE/10 Foul Drainage – Alternative Drainage Systems NE/11 Flood Risk NE/12 Water Conservation NE/14 Light Pollution NE/15 Noise Pollution NE/16 Emissions NE/17 Protecting High Quality Agricultural Land SF/10 Outdoor Playspace, Informal Open Space and New Developments SF/11 Open Space Standards 3 TR/1 Planning for More Sustainable Travel TR/2 Car and Cycle Parking Standards TR/3 Mitigating Travel Impact TR/4 Travel by Non-Motorised Modes South Cambridgeshire LDF Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) 12. District Design Guide SPD – Adopted 2010 Development Affecting Conservation Areas SPD – Adopted 2009 Health Impact Assessment SPD – Adopted March 2011 Affordable Housing SPD – Adopted March 2010 Open Space in new Developments SPD – Adopted 2009 Listed Buildings SPD – Adopted July 2009 Trees and Development Sites SPD – Adopted January 2009 Landscape and new development SPD – Adopted March 2010 Biodiversity SPD – Adopted July 2009 Draft Local Plan 13. S/1 Vision S/2 Objectives of the Local Plan S/3 Presumption in favour of sustainable development S/5 Provision of new jobs and homes S/7 Development Frameworks S/10 Group Villages S/12 Phasing, Delivering and Monitoring CC/1 Mitigation and adoption to climate change CC/3 Renewable and low carbon energy in new developments CC/4 Sustainable design and construction CC/6 Construction methods CC/7 Water quality CC/8 Sustainable drainage systems CC/9 Managing flood risk HG/1 Design principles NH/2 Protecting and enhancing landscape character NH/3 Protecting Agricultural Land NH/4 Biodiversity NH/6 Green infrastructure NH/14 Heritage assets H/7 Housing density H/8 Housing mix H/9 Affordable housing SC/8 Open space standards SC/11 Noise pollution SC/13 Air quality TI/2 Planning For Sustainable Travel TI/3Parking provision Consultation 14. Castle Camps Parish Council – commented: The application was discussed at a Parish Council meeting held on 9/03/17. The meeting was attended by 9 parishioners who raised the following concerns: 15. Sewage drains - a few times over the past couple of years and again last week saw the sewage drains block up at a residence along Bartlow Road. Sewage overflowed out of the 4 drains into gardens, garage, and flowed down the road into the village pond. Environmental Agency were involved - Manholes leak sewage frequently - Can the sewage facilities cope with another 10 dwellings? - Norwood and 8 Bartlow Road are the last on the sewage system. - Have Anglian Water and the Environmental agency been consulted about this planning application? 16, Surface water -The plans suggest that surface water run off will be via ditches and down to the village pond. The pond barley copes with heavy rainfall now. 17. Access - Access width applied for is 5.5m which is only 0.5m over the minimum requirement. What impact will this have on large trade lorries turning in/out - What will be the impact of extra cars parking as plans show 3 dwellings without garages. Most houses generally have 2 cars per property - One of the plans shows access opposite Norwood entrance.