Agenda item

Public Participation

 

Mr Maidment spoke in objection to the application.

Mr Jonathan Ross spoke in support of the application.

Mr Matthew Airey spoke in support of the application.

Mr Matthew Holmes spoke in support of the application.

 

The Planning Officer presented his report to the Committee which recommended that permission be granted subject to conditions.

 

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. Members asked about staffing levels at the site.

 

An item of late correspondence was circulated at the meeting.

 

The Local Member, Cllr Ian Tomes, spoke in objection to the application. Cllr Tomes discussed the scale of development, the visual impact upon the surround area, the relationship to adjoining properties and the design of the property. Cllr Tomes stated that he had high regard for Wessex Care and his concern is with the potential overdevelopment of the site. Cllr Tomes stated that this development was commercial in scale and would change the nature of the street. It was stated that this development would be too large for the site and that there was a need to conserve the area. It was explained that there had been serious erosion of this conservation area and that there was a need to protect the heritage of these Victorian properties. Cllr Tomes stated that this application should be refused due to the importance of the property being proposed for demolition.

 

Members discussed the requirement to balance the need for modernisation and the need to protect this conservation area. The proposed design of the development was discussed and its future impact on the surrounding properties. Debate continued to the role of this development as a ‘community resource’ and the need to provide accommodation for an aging demographic.

The local economy and the quality of life for those living in the proposed development were discussed. 

 

The Chairman stated the need to ask if this property was appropriate for the site and discussed the history of the site. The need to convert these large Victorian properties into care homes or hotels was raised and also the numbering of Fowler’s Hill properties. The need to physically enhance the streetscene was raised and the scale of the potential developments relative to those properties was discussed. The Chairman stated that these were not domestic developments and therefore the site did not require the same scale of amenity that a family home or a hotel would require.

 

The conditions proposed by the Planning Officer were raised with particular focus on the landscaping and positioning of the property in relation to the highway was discussed. The need for a construction scheme was raised due to concerns for the neighbours. The Planning Officer discussed ‘condition 14’ which was recommended by the Highway’s Officer.

 

Concern was raised at the number of beds available for the elderly in the community area and previous applications that were similar in purpose were discussed. The development of a local 6^th Form College and that development’s parking requirements were debated.

 

Debate continued to the need to preserve the ‘iconic building’ on the corner of Fowler’s Hill and the potential domination of the site on the surrounding properties. The fragility of the conservation area and the current use of the Victorian properties were debated.

 

The quality of care for those residents and staff who would work at the site was discussed and the local geography of the area was raised.

 

It was voted on that condition 19 be amended so that construction work would start half an hour later in the morning.

 

The Local Member, Cllr Tomes, concluded by stating “CN8, CN9 and CN10” as reasons for refusal.

 

Resolved:

 

Planning Permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions:

 

1)    The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission.

 

Reason: To comply with the provisions of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

 

2)    The development shall only be undertaken in accordance with the following approved plans:

 

Plan Ref….13-1871-100...                     Dated….22.04.14….

Plan Ref….13-1871-101...                     Dated….22.04.14….

Plan Ref….13-1871-102...                     Dated….22.04.14….

Plan Ref….13-1871-103...                     Dated….22.04.14….

Plan Ref….13-1871-104...                     Dated….22.04.14….

Plan Ref….13-1871-105...                     Dated….22.04.14….

Plan Ref….13-1871-106...                     Dated….22.04.14….

Plan Ref….13-1871-107...                     Dated….22.04.14….

Plan Ref….496 lp 01...                          Dated….22.04.14….

 

Reason: For the avoidance of doubt.

 

3)    The site shall be used as a residential care home / nursing home for the elderly and for no other purpose (including any other purpose in Class C2 of the Schedule to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended by the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2005, (or in any provisions equivalent to that class in any statutory instrument revoking or re-enacting that Order with or without modification).

 

Reason: The proposed use is acceptable but the Local Planning Authority wish to consider any future proposal for a change of use having regard to the circumstances of the case.

 

4)    Before development is commenced, a schedule of materials and finishes, and, where so required by the Local Planning Authority, samples of such materials and finishes, to be used for the external wall[s] and roof[s] of the proposed development shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: To secure a harmonious form of development.

 

5)    No development to face the external walls of the care homes hereby permitted shall commence on site until a sample brickwork wall panel, not less than 1 metre square, has been constructed on site, inspected and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The panel shall then be left in position for comparison whilst the development is carried out. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved sample.

 

Reason: In the interests of visual amenity and the character and appearance of the area.

 

6)    No development shall commence on site until details of all eaves, verges, windows (including head, sill and window reveal details), doors, rainwater goods, chimneys, dormers, entrances and decorative elements have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.  Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: In the interests of visual amenity and the character and appearance of the area

 

7)    No development shall commence on site until a scheme of hard and soft landscaping has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, the details of which shall include:

 

(a) details of trees and hedgerows to be retained, together with measures for their protection in the course of development;

(b) details of new trees and hedgerows to be planted, including species;

(c) means of enclosure;

(d) car park layouts;

(e) hard surfacing materials;

(f) minor artefacts and structures (e.g. refuse and other storage units, oil tanks);

 

Reason: To ensure a satisfactory landscaped setting for the development.

 

8)    All soft landscaping comprised in the approved details of landscaping shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding season following the first occupation of the building(s) or the completion of the development whichever is the sooner. Any trees or plants which, within a period of five years, die, are removed, or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of a similar size and species, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the local planning authority. All hard landscaping shall also be carried out in accordance with the approved details prior to the occupation of any part of the development or in accordance with a programme to be agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority.

 

Reason: To ensure a satisfactory landscaped setting for the development.

 

9)    No development shall commence on site until details of the proposed access alterations to the Tollgate Road site frontage have been submitted to, and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The development hereby permitted shall not be fully brought into use until the access alterations, drop off area and realigned paved footway, including all associated highway works, have been provided in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

 

10) The development hereby approved shall not be fully brought into use until the cycle/car parking area shown on the approved plans has been consolidated, surfaced and laid out in accordance with the approved details. These areas shall be maintained and remain available for these uses at all times thereafter.

 

Reason: To ensure that adequate provision is made for parking within the site in the interests of highway safety.

 

11) The development hereby permitted shall not be fully brought into use until the first five metres of the new Tollgate Road site access, measured from the back of the realigned paved footway, has been consolidated and surfaced (not loose stone or gravel). The access shall be maintained as such thereafter.

 

Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

 

12) The gradient of the new Tollgate Road access shall not at any point exceed 1 in 15 for a distance of five metres from the back of the realigned paved footway.

 

Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

 

13) No development shall commence on site until a scheme for the discharge of surface water from the site (including surface water from the access/driveway area), incorporating sustainable drainage details, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The development shall not be fully brought into use until surface water drainage has been constructed in accordance with the approved scheme.

 

Reason: To ensure that the development can be adequately drained.

 

14) No development shall commence on site until a Construction Method Statement has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the agreed details.

 

Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

 

15) Before the development hereby permitted commences a scheme for the discharge and control of fumes and/or odours from the proposed cooking operations on the premises shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved scheme shall be implemented before the development is first brought into use and shall be maintained at all times thereafter in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: In the interests of neighbouring amenity.

 

16) Before the development hereby permitted commences a scheme of acoustic insulation shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority specifying the measures that will be taken for the purposes of preventing and controlling the emission of noise from externally mounted plant, equipment and ventilation systems. The approved scheme shall be implemented before the development is first brought into use and shall be maintained at all times thereafter in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: In the interests of neighbouring amenity.

 

17) The en-suite windows in the north-east elevations shall be glazed with obscure glass only and permanently fixed with a ventilation stay restricting the opening of the window, in accordance with details to be submitted to and agreed in writing by the local planning authority, prior to the first occupation of the development hereby permitted and shall be permanently maintained in perpetuity.

 

Reason:  In the interests of residential amenity and privacy.

 

18)No development shall commence within the area indicated (proposed development site) until a written programme of archaeological investigation, which should include on-site work and off-site work such as the analysis, publishing and archiving of the results, has been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. The approved programme of archaeological work shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: To enable the recording of any matters of archaeological interest.

 

19)No demolition or construction works shall take place outside the hours of 0800 to 1800 Mondays to Fridays and 0830 to 1300 on Saturdays or at any time on Sundays & Banks Holidays.

 

Reason: In the interests of neighbouring amenity.

 

INFORMATIVES:

 

Bats

 

There is a low risk that bats may occur at the development site. Bats and their roosts are protected at all times by the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010. Planning permission for development does not provide a defence against prosecution under this legislation or substitute for the need to obtain a bat licence if an offence is likely. If bats or evidence of bats is found during the works, the applicant is advised to stop work and follow advice from an independent ecologist or to contact the Bat Advice Service on 0845 1300 228, email enquiries@bats.org.uk or visit the Bat Conservation Trust website

 

Highways adoption

 

It is anticipated that the realigned paved footway will be adopted by the council under a legal agreement.