ITEM NO: 34.00 Development No weeks on Parish Ward Listed By Management day of Ref No committee 0/2012/2483 PPA Wokingham Wescott Major Development Proposal Applicant The Nike Group of Companies Location Amen Corner, London Road, Binfield, Bracknell Postcode RG12 8SZ Proposal Outline application with means of access to be determined for the development of approximately 30 hectares of land at Amen Corner (of which 4 ha are within WBC) to provide 550 dwellings; a neighbourhood centre of up to 2500sqm (comprising accommodation within use classes A 1, A2, A3, A4, D1 or D2; construction of a new road between London Road and Cain Road; construction of new junctions with the existing local road network at London Road, North View, South View and Beehive Road to provide vehicular access to the site; the creation of new accesses to the Coppid Beech Hotel I Ski Centre from the site together with replacement car parking spaces and the reconfiguration of existing car parks; provision of associated public open space; children's play areas; Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG); Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDs); internal roads, paths, car parking and landscaping. Type Outline PS Category 1 Officer Connor Corrigan FOR CONSIDERATION BY Planning Committee on 20 August 2014 REPORT PREPARED BY Head of Development Management and Regulatory Services SUMMARY 1) The site is located to the east of Wokingham Borough directly south of London Road and adjacent to the Bracknell ski centre. The majority of the development site including the main developable area comprising housing, commercial development, roads etc. is located within Bracknell Borough's administrative boundary however the western edge of the development is located within Wokingham Borough. This area comprises open space land located adjacent the A329(M). As such a cross boundary application between. both Local Planning Authorities (Bracknell and Wokingham) has been submitted for assessment. · 2) It is noted that the application site at Amen Corner South (and the site Amen Corner North located adjacent) is allocated for development within the Bracknell Forest's Core Strategy (Policy CS4) while the part of the site within Wokingham has been is identified within Wokingham's Core Strategy and MDD (Local Plan) as being retained for the green gap between the two boroughs (Policy SAL04). 3) Planning permission within Wokingham borough is therefore being sought for laying out of an area of Public Open Space on land to the west of the development site however consideration must be given to the impacts the development is likely to have upon residents, infrastructure and services within Wokingham borough. 4) The main issues for consideration are the impact upon neighbouring residential amenities located adjacent the site, the impact on the highway network in terms of traffic generation and congestion and the quality of the open space being provided. Bracknell Forest will assess the main development site issues such as scale, drainage, highway junctions etc. 80 S) Given the site is allocated for development and for retaining the green gap no objection is raised to the principle of the development at this location. It is considered that there are no significant impacts but in fact benefits to Wokingham residents from the proposed development, in particular the area of open space and SANG elements. The open space is considered acceptable and in compliance with planning policies subject to appropriate landscaping along the boundaries with the adjacent residential properties. 6) The transport assessment submitted in support of the application demonstrates that the development will not have significant impacts upon the local highway network within Wokingham borough. The proposals include highway improvements along on London Road and it is noted that the Coppid Beech roundabout improvements are being undertaken by Wokingham in advance of completion of the proposed development which will help facilitate this and other developments. On this basis there are no highway objections raised against the development. 7) With respect to the open space, Wokingham Countryside and Parks Service have advised that they have no objection to Bracknell Forest managing the open space given its location and as it is being provided as part of the new development. 8) As such the proposed development is considered acceptable as it would have limited impacts upon the residents, services and infrastructure of Wokingham borough. PLANNING STATUS • Within North Wokingham Strategic Development Area • SKM Thames Basin Heath SPA • Landfill Consultation Zone I Landfill site • Aerodrome Safeguarding for Wind • Tree Preservation Order RECOMMENDATION A. That the committee authorise the Head of Development Management to GRANT PLANNING PERMISSION subject to conditions including: Conditions to follow. As this is a cross boundary application with only the Open Space element located within Wokingham's administrative boundary, officers are currently co-ordinating conditions with Bracknell Forest Planning Authority to ensure consistency. lnformatives 1. You are advised, in compliance with The Town & Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (England) (Amendment) Order 2000, that the following policies and/or proposals in the development plan are relevant to this decision: Adopted Core Strategy: CP1, CP2, CP3, CP4, CPS, CP6, CP7, CPS, CP9, CP10, CP11, CP13 CP14, CP1S, CP17, CP20, CP21 and Appendix 7. Managing Development Delivery Development Plan Document (MOD Local Plan) February 2014: CC01, CC02, CC03, CC04, CCOS, CC06, CC07, CC08, CC09, CC10, TBOS, TB07, TB08, TB21, TB23, TB2S, SAL04 and SALOS. North Wokingham Strategic Development Location SPD adopted October 2011. Infrastructure Delivery and Contributions SPD for the Strategic Development Locations adopted October 2011. Sustainable Design and Construction SPD adopted 2010. 81 Wokingham Borough Council Design Guide: Borough Guide Design SPD June 2012. Affordable Housing SPD adopted June 2011. 2. Mud on the Road Adequate precautions shall be taken during the construction period to prevent the deposit of mud and similar debris on adjacent highways. For further information contact Corporate Head of Environment on tel: 0118 97 4 6302. 3. On-Site Engineering Works (S38 Adoption) If it is the developer's intention to request the Council, as local highway authority, to adopt the proposed access roads etc. as highway maintainable at public expense, then full engineering details must be agreed with the Corporate Head of Environment at the Council Offices, Shute End, Wokingham. The developer is strongly advised not to commence development until such details have been approved in writing and a legal agreement is made with the Council under S38 of the Highways Act 1980. 4. The applicant is advised that the Council seeks that employers or developers within the borough commit to using local labour I contractors where possible. This should include: • Advertisement of jobs within local recruitment agencies I job centres; • Recruitment, training and apprenticeships of residents from the local area; • Seek tender of local suppliers or contractors for work. PLANNING HISTORY The site forms part of the development locations set out within the Bracknell Core Strategy. There is no recent olanninq historv related to the site. SUMMARY INFORMATION Site Area Approx. 28 ha I 4.3ha within Wokingham Number of residential units 550 Site within WBC 4 ha SANG 13.4 ha (Big Wood and Riggs Copse) CONSULTATION RESPONSES • Bracknell Forest BFC are recommending approval of the scheme and have confirmed they will be contributing directly to WBC for the Coppid Beech roundabout improvements. • Berkshire No objection subject to condition on an archaeological investigation. Archaeology: The Environmental Impact Assessment Archaeology and Cultural Heritage chapter demonstrates the site to have archaeological potential. This report identifies that the proposed works are likely to have an adverse impact upon any heritage assets present on the site. Advise that archaeological evaluation is carried out over the majority of the site prior to reserved matters applications being submitted, to ensure that the impact of the development is mitigated in the most effective manner. Recommend that the applicant, their agent or archaeological consultant makes contact with Berkshire Archaeology in order to devise a suitable scheme of works to ensure that the impact of the development is mitigated in alignment with local and national planning policy. 82 • Countryside No objection subject to conditions on reptile habitat. Officer (Biodiversity) and This scheme proposes that the area within the borough boundary is to Public Open be converted from derelict land/agricultural land to Public Open Space. Space: Whilst the submitted phase 1 habitat survey report does not identify these fields as especially interesting botanically it does suggest that they provide suitable reptile habitat. However the submitted reptile was unable to survey the southern most portion of the land with Wokingham Borough due to access issues. Condition recommended for full details of a protected reptiles contingency to be provided. The submitted ecological information for the parts of the site beyond the borough boundary aside from a general assessment of the quantity of SANG proposed have not been assessed. • Countryside The development would not have any effect on Wokingham's public Access I Public rights of way or access to the countryside for WBC residents.