GLOUCESTER CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE : PLANNING DATE : 7TH APRIL 2009 ADDRESS/LOCATION : BRITISH ENERGY, BARNETT WAY. APPLICATION NO. & WARD : 08/01638/FUL BARNWOOD EXPIRY DATE : 13TH APRIL 2009 APPLICANT : PERSIMMON HOMES SOUTH MIDLANDS AND BRITISH ENERGY. PROPOSAL : RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF 90 UNITS WITH ASSOCIATED PUBLIC OPEN SPACE, PARKING AND LANDSCAPING TOGETHER WITH THE FORMATION OF A NEW VEHICULAR ACCESS OFF BARNWOOD ROAD AND ADDITIONAL PARKING FACILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH NO. 203 BARNWOOD ROAD. AMENDED SCHEME INCORPORATING REPLAN / HOUSE TYPE SUBSTITUTIONS ON PLOTS 9 TO 24, 44 TO 57, 75 TO 78 AND 80 TO 86 INC. APPROVED UNDER REF. 06/00682/FUL. REPORT BY : CAROLINE TOWNLEY NO. OF APPENDICES/ : 1. SITE LOCATION PLAN OBJECTIONS 2. 9 LETTERS OF REPRESENTATION 3. COMMITTEE REPORT DATED 5TH SEPTEMBER 2006 1.0 SITE DESCRIPTION AND PROPOSAL 1.1 The application site measures approximately 2.7 hectares in area and lies to the east of the British Energy Offices, between the bowling green, social club and conference centre and the established residential area accessed from Insley Gardens and Chosen Way. The BICC computer centre is adjacent to the northern boundary beyond which is the Barnwood Fields Business Park. To the south the site fronts onto Barnwood Road adjacent to the Emmaus building and Barnwood Builders. 1.2 The site was previously owned by British Energy and used as a recreation area for the benefit of its employees. PT07049A 1.3 Construction work has recently started site under the previous planning permission ref. 06/00682/FUL with the access off Barnwood Road nearing completion. 1.4 The current application proposes a number of plot substitutions incorporating a change in the mix of units from the approved scheme. The application still relates to the construction of 90 dwellings of 2, 2½ and 3 storey buildings but incorporates a number of new 2 storey houses, the omission of a number of flats and repositioning of previously approved house types. The main changes can be summarised as: Plots 9 to 24 inclusive The approved three storey 1 and 2 bed apartment blocks are proposed to be replaced by two storey 1 bed houses set in two blocks with 8 units in each. The units would have communal gardens and parking. Plots 44-57 and 75-78 inclusive Plots 44-45 remain as approved but have been slightly re-positioned to enable plots 46-57 to be substituted with a series of two storey 2 and 3 bedroom terrace and semi-detached properties. Overall the number of 2½ storey properties along the boundary with existing houses in Kingstone Avenue has been reduced. Plots 77 and 78 involve a substitution of a detached 4 bedroom house to a pair of 3 bed semi-detached houses. Plots 75 and 76 are re-positioned slightly to accommodate this change. Plots 80-86 inclusive The units have been reconfigured reducing the number of 2½ storey units with the introduction of an increased number of two storey detached houses. 1.5 The overall allocation, mix, type and general positioning of the affordable housing remains as approved under planning permission 06/00682/FUL. The mix of house types proposed under the current application is: 16 one bed terrace houses 4 one bed flats 6 two bed apartments 19 two bed houses 33 three bedroom houses 9 four bed houses 3 five bed houses 1.6 It is proposed that vehicular access would be gained from a single point of access from Barnwood Road. The proposed development is centred on the principle of a Home Zone with houses fronting onto the internal road, which follows a loop pattern in the northern part of the site. PT07049A 1.7 The proposal also includes an area of public open space fronting onto Barnwood Road incorporating a Multi Use Games Area (MUGA), Locally Equipped Area of Play (LEAP) and retention of the existing tennis courts within the area identified for public open space. The area of POS measures 0.915 hectares in area. 1.8 The Applicants have confirmed that the provisions within the original Section 106 Agreement can remain the same and they are happy to enter into a deed of variation to the existing Agreement which includes: Affordable housing – 35% of the housing units on site will be affordable with the same mix and tenure of units as previously approved. Public Open Space – the provision of 0.915 hectares of on site public open space to include the provision of a Local Equipped Area of Play (LEAP), Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) and existing tennis court. Sport & Recreation - A £150,000 financial contribution towards off-site sports provision within the city to compensate for the loss of the designated private playing field (golf course). Transport – A financial contribution of £30,000 towards public transport improvements – real time bus information on adjoining Barnwood Road bus stops. Education – The sum of £5,124 as a contribution towards a School Travel Plan. Libraries – A sum of £9,450 as a contribution towards Hucclecote Library. Bicycle Provision – A voucher of £150 towards the purchase of a bicycle to be provided to the first occupier of each dwelling to be sold on the open market. 2.0 RELEVANT PLANNING HISTORY 2.1 01/00069/FUL Erection of 3 and 4 storey office building, with central atrium of 5 storeys, associated roads, car parking and landscaping. Although this application excluded the current application site the application was originally accompanied by various masterplans and a planning framework plan, which included the current application site. These masterplans did not however, form part of the application. Committee considered this application on 1st May 2001 when it was resolved to grant planning permission subject to the satisfactory completion of a Section 106 Agreement. The legal agreement has never been signed and no permission has therefore been issued. 2.2 06/00682/FUL - Residential development of 90 units comprising 63 no. Dwelling houses and 27 no. flats with associated public open space, parking and landscaping together with the formation of a new vehicular access off Barnwood road and additional parking facilities associated with no. 203 PT07049A Barnwood road. The Planning Committee considered the application on 5th September 2006 when it was resolved to give delegated powers to the Development Control Manager to grant planning permission on the completion of a satisfactory legal agreement and a number of conditions. The Legal Agreement was subsequently signed and planning permission issued on 24th January 2008. 3.0 PLANNING POLICIES 3.1 The following national guidance is relevant: PPS1 (Delivering Sustainable Development 2005) PPS3 (Housing 2006) PPG13 (Transport 2001) PPG16 (Archaeology and Planning1990) PPG17 (Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation 2002) PPG24 (Planning and Noise) 3.2 The following policies from the Second Deposit City of Gloucester Local Plan (2002) are relevant: Policy TR.29 (Home Zones in New Residential Areas Policy TR.31 (Road Safety) Policy TR35 (Provision of Bicycles with New Residential Development) Policy BE.21 (Safeguarding of Amenity) Policy H.4 (Housing Proposals on Unallocated Sites) Policy H.7 (Housing Density and Layout) Policy H.8 (Housing Mix) Policies H15 & 16 (Affordable Housing) Policy H18 (Lifetime Homes) Policy E.4 (Protecting Employment Land) Policy OS.2 (Public Open Space) Policy OS3 (New Housing and Public Open Space) Policy OS4 (Design of Public Open Space) Policy CS.11 (Developer Contributions for Education) 3.3 The Deposit local plan (2002) only shows a site designation of Private Playing Field (PPF) on the pitch and putt golf course. The 'mixed use' allocation was removed from the plan at the Second deposit stage. The site can therefore be considered to be a brownfield site, which forms part of the curtilage of a major office (B1) complex. Whilst in the grounds of the employment site it is not allocated for any future use. The emerging LDF does not allocate the site but the proposal map again shows its designation as a private playing field. 3.4 All policies can be viewed at the relevant website address:- Gloucester Local Plan policies – www.gloucester.gov.uk/planning; Gloucestershire Structure Plan policies – www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=2112 and Department of Community and Local Government planning policies - www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/planning/. PT07049A 4.0 CONSULTATIONS External 4.1 Severn Trent Water – No objection subject to conditions. 4.2 Gloucestershire County Council – No highway objection is raised subject to conditions. 4.3 Gloucestershire County Council – The School Travel Plan and Library contributions for this site were secured in a section 106 agreement dated 24th January 2008 for planning application 06/00682/FUL. Payment of these contributions was received on 17th March 2008. I have looked at the plans submitted for the revised scheme which is now 64 houses with 2 or more bedrooms and 26 flats / 1 bed houses. The previous scheme was for 63 houses and 27 flats. Flats and 1 bed houses are excluded from Education contributions as they produce minimal pupil numbers. The amended scheme now has 1 additional house. The Library and STP contributions for 1 additional dwelling is minimal and therefore I confirm that we do not require any further contributions from this site. Requested confirmation that the planning consent for this application will be linked to the previous consent (06/00682/FUL). 4.4 Sport England – No comments to make as the loss of sports facilities was decided on a previous application that we were not consulted upon. (Sport England was actually notified of the previous application on 28th June 2006 but no comments were received). 4.5 Crime Prevention Design Officer – The addition of a ground floor window to plot 49 would certainly help with surveillance of the small parking courtyard between plots 49 and 50.