Agenda item

Public Participation:

 

Karen Munroe and David Timbrell spoke in objection to the application.

Paul Walsh spoke in support of the application.

 

The Planning Officer outlined the report which recommended the application for approval subject to conditions. Reference was made to the site visit undertaken by the Members of the Committee prior to the meeting. The site description and an overview of the proposed development were also given. The Planning Officer outlined the relevant planning policy, consultation and relevant planning considerations.

 

Councillor Jon Hubbard as the local member, spoke in objection the application.

 

Members of the public were invited to speak on the application as listed above.

 

Issues discussed including the position of housing units in relation to existing properties, the elevation and size of the proposed housing units, the ecological impacts of the development, the location of the site in relation to service, the siting of the open space area, the access to the main site and the landscaping plans. Members suggest that, to mitigate the impact on neighbouring properties, that the landscaping be starting once construction work had begun rather than at the point of occupation or completion. At the end of the debate the meeting;

 

Resolved

 

1.            That Planning Permission be granted at a future date in the event of the Development Control Manager being satisfied as to the prior completion a legal Agreement to secure:

 

a)    An index-linked financial contribution towards secondary education infrastructure expansion of 2 places; and

 

b)   The transfer of ownership of the proposed public open space to the Melksham Town Council and to secure the provision of the play equipment on that site.

 

2.            That Permission be granted subject to the following conditions:

       I.       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.

 

      II.       The materials to be utilised within this development shall accord with the schedule of materials as described within the planning application form, registered 16 April 2014 and the revised drawings received on 12 August 2014.

 

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

 

   III.        Subject to the further requirements of Condition 4, all soft landscaping comprised in the approved details of landscaping on Plan 3731/01 Rev K 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. All shrubs, trees and hedge planting shall be maintained free from weeds and shall be protected from damage by vermin and stock. 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 and the protection of existing important landscape features.

 

  IV.        Notwithstanding Condition 3, the south eastern boundary treatment between Plots 5 and 12 including fencing and hedge and tree planting comprised in the approved details of landscaping on Plan 3731/01 Rev K shall be carried out in the first planting and seeding season following commencement of development. All shrubs, trees and hedge planting shall be maintained free from weeds and shall be protected from damage by vermin and stock. 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. 

 

REASON:

To ensure a satisfactory landscaped setting for the development and the protection of existing important landscape features.

 

     V.       No development shall commence on site until details of the estate roads, footways, footpaths, verges, junctions, street lighting, sewers, drains, retaining walls, service routes, surface water outfall, vehicle overhang margins, embankments, visibility splays, accesses, carriageway gradients, drive gradients, car parking and street furniture, including the timetable for provision of such works, have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall not be occupied until the estate roads, footways, footpaths, verges, junctions, street lighting, sewers, drains, retaining walls, service routes, surface water outfall, vehicle overhang margins, embankments, visibility splays, accesses, carriageway gradients, drive gradients, car parking and street furniture have all been constructed and laid out in accordance with the approved details, unless an alternative timetable is agreed in the approved details.

 

     REASON: To ensure that the roads are laid out and constructed in a satisfactory manner.

 

   VI.       The development hereby permitted shall not be occupied until the first five metres of the access onto Longford Road, measured from the edge of the carriageway, has been widened to 5m (this access width shall include increasing the length of the lowered kerbs and footway crossover) and shall be consolidated and surfaced (not loose stone or gravel). The access shall be maintained as such thereafter.

    

     REASON: In the interests of highway safety.

 

  VII.       No part of the development hereby permitted shall be occupied until the access, turning area and parking spaces have been completed in accordance with the details shown on the approved plans. The areas shall be maintained for those purposes at all times thereafter.

 

     REASON: In the interests of highway safety.

 

 VIII.       The development hereby approved shall be carried out in strict accordance with the revised 'Bats - Method Statement template to support a licence application' for 17a Longford Road, Melksham (reference WML-A13.2 (03/14)) prepared by Middlemarch Environmental Ltd and received by the local planning authority on 25th September 2014, as modified by any relevant Natural England bat licence relating to this development. The installation of the new bat roost features shall be supervised by a professional ecologist.

 

     REASON: To ensure adequate protection and mitigation for European protected species (Common pipistrelle, Brown long-eared and Serotine bats).

 

   IX.       The cavity wall bat roost and its access point and the bat tubes will be available for bat use before the first occupation of the dwellings associated with the development hereby approved and shall be retained as permanent features for the lifetime of the development, as modified by any Natural England Licence relating to this development.

 

     REASON: To protect and maintain the bat roost mitigation.

 

     X.       No external lighting shall be installed to the south elevation of Plot 6 or the north elevation of Plot 5 unless it is required for health and safety purposes, whereupon lighting shall be controlled by a passive infra-red sensor; all other security /external lighting shall be controlled by passive infra-red sensor and all street lighting installed on site shall be low level and downward directional to minimise light spillage.

 

     REASON: To prevent illumination of the alternative cavity wall bat roost provided as mitigation in the southern elevation of Plot 6 and to keep the lighting of the whole site to a minimum for continued foraging/commuting bat usage.

 

   XI.       Prior to the commencement of works associated with the development hereby approved, a Landscape and Ecology Management Plan shall be prepared and submitted to the local planning authority for approval. The approved plan shall be complied with during and after the completion of the development hereby approved.

 

     REASON: To ensure the appropriate management of retained trees, hedgerows and newly planted vegetation, and the maintenance of new bat roosts.

 

  XII.       The development hereby approved shall be carried out in accordance with the revised Reptile Mitigation Strategy prepared by Middlemarch Environmental Ltd and received by the local planning authority on 19th September 2014. The Strategy shall be implemented in full unless otherwise agreed in writing with the local planning authority.

 

     REASON: To ensure adequate protection and mitigation for slow worms.

 

 XIII.       The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans:

 

·      3731/01 Rev K received on 12 August 2014;

·      3731/02 Rev E received on 12 August 2014; and

·      3731/03 Rev E received on 12 August 2014.

 

     REASON:  For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

 

 

     INFORMATIVE: Any noise during the construction phase should be limited to 0730-1800hrs Monday to Friday and 0800-1300 on Saturdays and not at all on Sundays and Public Holidays.

 

 

Admin Note: Cllr MacDonald, having declared an interest in this item, did not participate in the meeting for the duration of the item.