Application DC/066556 Reference Location: Old Canal Yard Reuben Street South Reddish Stockport SK4 1PS PROPOSAL: Outline application including details of access, layout and scale for the erection of nine apartments (three blocks each containing three units). Type Of Outline Application Application: Registration 27/09/2017 Date: Expiry Date: 22/07/2017 Case Officer: Mark Burgess Applicant: GIP Ltd Agent: Garner Town Planning Ltd UPDATE FOLLOWING HEATONS AND REDDISH AREA COMMITTEE MEETING OF 16/04/18 As part of the consideration of the application at the meeting of the 16th April 2018, Members of Heatons and Reddish Area Committee resolved to refer the application to the Planning and Highways Regulation, following a site visit from the Visiting Team. Members of Heatons and Reddish Area Committee specifically requested clarification from Officers prior to Visiting Team and consideration be Planning and Highways Regulation Committee with regard to the planning policy status in respect of the former Manchester and Stockport Canal and clarification with regard the current position of the extant outline planning permission (Reference : DC062105) for the redevelopment of the site for 8 no. residential flats to the Northern portion of the site and replacement employment units to the Southern portion of the site. In response to Members requests, the following confirmation is provided :- Manchester to Stockport Canal The application site is located on the line of the former Manchester to Stockport Canal and the proposal is therefore subject to consideration under the provisions of saved UDP policy L1.10. This policy seeks to consider creating or improving recreational uses of former rail or canal routes, but does not require the route to be protected in its entirety. The policy is very much an aspiration to improve recreational routes, but does not cover the opening up of previous canals, albeit the supporting text to the policy states ‘The Council will have regard to the Stockport Branch Canal and the potential for restoration. The Council will have regard to the need to ensure that the route is not unnecessarily severed by new buildings and non-transport uses’. The objection received to the application from the Manchester and Stockport Canal Society is noted and it is understood that a submission has been made to the Stockport Local Plan Review, to describe how the entire length of the canal within the boundary of Stockport might be brought back into use over the coming years. Notwithstanding the above, it is noted that there are already a number of existing buildings and uses within and in the vicinity of the site which pre-date saved UDP policy L1.10. These existing buildings and uses include residential development to the North of the site, buildings within the Manchester Road Retail Park, in particular the ‘Asda’ superstore to the South of the site and existing buildings within the application site itself. Members’ attention is also drawn to the extant outline planning permission for the redevelopment of the whole site for employment and residential uses, granted in December 2016 as part of outline planning permission DC062105. In consideration and determination of planning applications, Officers take account of the current and former route of the Canal and any impact that development would have on this policy. In many instances, due to the historic nature of applications, there are many areas where the potential of the previous route of the canal would be restricted, due to historic development pre-dating saved UDP policy. In view of the above, noting the existence of existing built development and uses to the North and South of the site and the extant outline planning permission for redevelopment of the site, it is considered that the route of the former Canal in this particular location is already severed. As such, given the nature of the site, surroundings and existing severance issues, protection of the former Canal could not be warranted in this location as it could not serve as a functional nor desirable recreation route. On this basis, it is considered that the existence of the former Canal should not preclude the redevelopment of the site as proposed. Extant Outline Planning Permission (DC062105) On the 21st December 2016, Outline planning permission was granted for the erection of replacement employment units to the Southern portion of the site and the erection of one block of 8 no. flats to the Northern portion of the site (Reference : DC062105). Notwithstanding the assumption and comments made by the Council Highway Engineer, contained within the Consultee Responses section below, the applicant has confirmed that there is still a firm commitment to develop the block of 8 no. flats to the North portion of the site, the principle of which was approved under Outline planning permission DC062105. Should the current Outline application (DC066556) for 9 no. residential flats and relevant Reserved Matters be granted and subsequently implemented, the employment units to the South of the site, as approved under Outline planning permission DC062105, would obviously not be capable of implementation. Members are advised that should Outline planning permission be granted for the current application (DC066556), a subsequent Reserved Matters application for the details of this development would need to be submitted for consideration and approval. The same is the case for the existing Outline planning permission (DC062107), should the applicant wish to develop the block of 8 no. apartments to the North of the site. Details such as traffic generation and parking provision would need to be assessed as part of any subsequent Reserved Matters applications that may follow the Outline planning permissions. It is however noted that the current proposal would use exactly the same access layout which was approved for the extant Outline planning permission (DC062105) for the mixed employment and residential use. In terms of trip generation figures, the current proposal for 9 no. apartments would result in one additional traffic movement in the morning peak period and two additional trips in the evening peak, when compared to the previously approved employment units. This is not considered to have a material highway impact and would have the resulting benefit by eliminating large-scale commercial traffic. DELEGATION/COMMITTEE STATUS Planning and Highways Regulation Committee – Departure from the Development Plan. Application referred to Heatons and Reddish Area Committee for comment and recommendation only. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT Outline planning permission is sought for the demolition of existing buildings on the site and the redevelopment of the site to comprise the erection of nine apartments. The application seeks outline permission for the principle of residential development at the site, access, layout and scale, with matters of appearance and landscaping reserved for future consideration and approval. As such, the application is accompanied by a proposed site plan to indicate the proposed access to the site from Reuben Street to the North West, an access road running along the North Eastern boundary of the site and the provision of 14 car parking spaces (including 3 spaces designated for disabled users) at various locations within the site. The proposed apartments would be arranged within three separate blocks within the central and South Eastern end of the site, close to the South Western boundary. The proposed blocks would be of three storey scale, with a width of 8.3 metres, a maximum length of 12.0 metres and a maximum height of 8.5 metres. Each floor of the blocks would contain one apartment, comprising a lobby, cycle store, lounge/kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms. The application is accompanied by the following supporting information :- Planning Statement; Employment Land Statement; Geo-Environmental Site Assessment; Acoustic Report. Energy Statement The proposal has been amended since its original submission in order to address Officer concerns raised. Details of the proposed development are attached to the report. SITE AND SURROUNDINGS The 0.18 hectare application site comprises a long narrow strip of land containing a collection of single storey buildings in a poor state of repair and associated hardstanding which were last used for employment/commercial purposes in 2015. Access to the site is taken via an existing narrow access point from Reuben Street to the North West. The site is adjoined to the North East by commercial and industrial units on Coronation Street, which are situated at a lower level to the site. Beyond a small car park to the South East is an ‘Asda’ superstore. Adjoining the site to the South West are residential properties on Reuben Street and the former Rope Works site on Stanbank Street, for which full planning permission for the conversion and redevelopment of this site to create 34 residential dwellings was granted in February 2018, following consideration and approval by Heatons and Reddish Area Committee (Reference : DC063392). To the North West of the site are residential properties on Reuben Street and The Parklands. POLICY BACKGROUND Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires planning applications and appeals to be determined in accordance with the Statutory Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The Statutory Development Plan for Stockport comprises :- Policies set out in the Stockport Unitary Development Plan Review