Issue - meetings

Outline Application for the construction of up to 23 residential units including detailed access on land to the rear of No. 54 Woodmarsh, North Bradley with all other matters including appearance, landscaping, layout and scale to be reserved.

Public Participation

·       Councillor Roger Evans, on behalf of North Bradley Parish Council, spoke in objection to the application.

The Senior Planning Officer, David Cox, presented a report which recommended that the cited application should be approved for the construction of up to 23 residential units including detailed permission for the vehicular access at land to the rear of No. 54 Woodmarsh, in North Bradley, with all other matters including appearance, landscaping, layout, and scale being reserved, subject to planning conditions, and the completion of a S106 agreement to deliver the essential infrastructure as set out within Section 9.6 of the original Committee report.

The background to the application was detailed, including the previous referral to the Committee on 27 September 2023. In recognition that the S106 agreement was still outstanding, and no decision had been issued, the application had been brought back for fresh consideration by Members in light of the material changes since September 2023 and most particularly the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in December 2023.

Key material considerations were identified including the principle of the development; ecology issues and the impact on bats as part of the Trowbridge Bat Mitigation Strategy (TBMS); access and highway safety; impact on neighbouring amenity; drainage issues; archaeology and heritage matters; and S106 contributions.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions. In response to a query with regard to the TBMS, officers drew attention to the comments received by a Wiltshire Council Ecology Officer in the original report, and reiterated that although the revised Ecological Parameters Plan deviated from the principles of the TBMS, the overall undeveloped area of bat habitat proposed would provide continuity for bats through the landscape alongside purpose-built roosting replacements for the bat species and swallow migration areas that would be lost.

The named public speaker as detailed above, then had the opportunity to present their views to the Committee.

A debate followed where Members raised the public concerns with regard to surface water drainage and noted that they were satisfied with the protective measures in place in support of the TBMS.

During the debate, a motion to grant planning permission in line with officer recommendations was moved by Councillor David Vigar and was seconded by Councillor Stewart Palmen. Following a vote on the motion, it was:

Resolved:

The Committee GRANTED planning permission subject to the representatives of the late applicant first entering into a S106 agreement to deliver the essential infrastructure made necessary by the development as set out at section 9.6 of the original committee report, and subject to the following planning conditions:

1.       The development hereby permitted shall be begun either before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission, or before the expiration of two years from the date of approval of the last of the reserved matters to be approved, whichever is the later.

REASON:  To comply with the provisions of Section 92 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15

Outline Application for the construction of up to 23 residential units including detailed access on land to the rear of No. 54 Woodmarsh, North Bradley with all other matters including appearance, landscaping, layout and scale to be reserved.

Public Participation

Francis Morland, local resident, spoke in objection to the application.

Nigel Bedford, agent to the applicant, spoke in support of the application.

Councillor Roger Evans, on behalf of North Bradley Parish Council, spoke in objection to the application.

The Senior Planning Officer, David Cox, introduced the report which recommended that the outline application be approved for the construction of up to 23 residential units including detailed access on the land to the rear of No. 54 Woodmarsh, North Bradley, with all other matters including appearance, landscaping, layout, and scale to be reserved, subject to planning conditions, and the applicant first entering into a S106 agreement to deliver the essential infrastructure made necessary by the development as set out within Section 9.6 of the report.

Key material considerations were identified including the principle of the development; ecology issues and the impact on bats as part of the Trowbridge Bat Mitigation Strategy (TBMS); access and highway safety; impact on neighbouring amenity; drainage issues; archaeology and heritage matters; and S106 contributions.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the Planning Officer.

Members of the public then had the opportunity to present their views to the Committee as detailed above.

The Unitary Division Member, Councillor Horace Prickett, then spoke in objection to the application.

A debate followed where the Bath and Bradford on Avon Bat Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and TBMS were discussed in respect of habitat and flight path concerns, the impacts of the increased traffic and light pollution created by the scheme, and who would be responsible for maintaining the green areas and existing bat habitats within the application site. The significant weight that Natural England, as a statutory consultee, carried in the planning process was highlighted alongside the lack of a 5-year housing land supply, with Members noting that the proposed scheme proffered less housing than was allocated within the made Plan, and the impacts of the enhanced tree planting and master planned open space were discussed.

Other issues raised included the North Bradley Neighbourhood Plan, maintaining the separation between the village of North Bradley and Trowbridge, and the proportion of affordable housing that would be delivered within the scheme.

During the debate, a motion to refuse planning permission was moved by Councillor David Vigar and was seconded by Councillor Trevor Carbin. Following a vote on the motion, it was:

Resolved:

The Committee GRANTED planning permission subject to the applicant first entering into a S106 agreement to deliver the essential infrastructure made necessary by the development set out within Section 9.6 of the report, and subject to the following planning conditions:

1.    The development hereby permitted shall be begun either before the expiration of three years from the date of this permission, or before the expiration of two years from the date of approval of the last of the reserved matters to be approved, whichever is the later.

REASON:  To comply with the provisions of Section 92 of the Town and Country  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49