Agenda item

Outline application (all matters reserved except for access) for part conversion and part redevelopment of the Devizes Community Hospital site to provide up to 58 no. residential dwellings (Use Class C3) and circa 67.7sqm flexible commercial unit (Use Class E), including the retention and conversion of two original buildings to the east of the site, with associated landscaping and parking.

Public Participation

·         Mr Richard Jackson spoke in opposition to the application.

·         Miss Rowan Gilbert (NHS Property Services Ltd) spoke in support of the application.

·         Cllr Richard Ormerod (Devizes Town Council) spoke in opposition to the application.

The Senior Planning Officer, Ruaridh O’Donoghue, introduced a report which recommended that the outline application for the part conversion and part development of the Devizes Community Hospital site, to provide up to 58 residential units and a circa 67.7 metre squared commercial space, be approved subject to a Section 106 agreement and the conditions outlined in the report. It was noted that the application would include associated landscaping and parking, as well as the conversion of two historically significant buildings (non-designated heritage assets) to the east of the site. All other matters, excluding the access arrangements, would be considered under a reserved matters application. Key details were stated to include the principle of development, highway safety, drainage, parking, heritage and landscape impacts.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the Senior Planning Officer. Details were sought about whether there was a requirement to provide electric vehicle charging and heat pumps. It was confirmed that Condition 12 of the attached report, if approved, would ensure that a strategy for electric vehicle charging must be in place prior to the commencement of development. However, it was noted that there was not currently a policy in the Local Plan dictating that renewable energy had to be used in new dwellings.

In response to a query about why no affordable housing was included in the development, the Senior Planning Officer explained that it would be commercially unviable if affordable units were included. A commercial viability report had been commissioned by the Developer and reviewed by Wiltshire Council.

When asked about the requirement under the Environment Act 2021 for developments to deliver a 10 percent biodiversity net gain, the Senior Planning Officer explained that it had yet to come into effect. The current requirement, in line with paragraph 180 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was to provide a one percent increase in biodiversity. He noted that the plans submitted included tree planting, the creation of a bat house and the retention, or replacement, of hedgerows around the site.

It was clarified that the development would have to comply with building regulations set out at the time of approval, even if there was a lengthy delay before the construction work was complete. 

Further information was sought about the indicative parking arrangements as it was noted that there were only 71 parking spaces proposed, which was below the minimum requirement of 112. The Senior Planning Officer noted that the Local Highway Authority had accepted that the reduced parking provision was permissible due to the location of the site close to local amenities, which would promote active travel. In addition, there was a need to protect the non-designated heritage assets and provide sufficient room for landscaping. There would be little green space on site if the number of spaces to meet the minimum requirements were to be delivered.  

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

The representative of Devizes Town Council then spoke in opposition to the application.

The Unitary Division Member, Cllr Iain Wallis, stated that he was supportive of developing the site, but opposed the application before the Committee, on the grounds that there was no provision of affordable housing. Cllr Wallis did not otherwise participate in the debate or vote on the application. 

In response to the points raised by the public and Unitary Division Member, the Senior Planning Officer highlighted that the Highways Officer had compared the  the likely number of vehicle movements to when the site was in operation as a hospital and had not objected to the development as proposed.

He noted that there had been some differences between the assessments made in the financial viability report produced on behalf of the Applicant and Wiltshire Council’s independent assessment, but both had concluded that the provision of affordable housing would mean that the scheme was not commercially viable. If built with affordable units provided, the scheme would not be able to achieve a 10 to 15 percent profit. It was noted that the NHS would not be developing the site itself but would be selling it on to a developer. The Senior Planning Officer also observed that it was possible for developers to apply to Homes England for grant funding for the provision of affordable units through the Affordable Homes Programme.

The Development Management Team Leader, Karen Guest, highlighted that it was standard practice for commercial viability assessments to be redacted in the first instance before discussions with the Applicant, when unredacted versions were sometimes made available.

It was confirmed that as only outline permission was being sought at this stage the layout of the site plan provided was indicative and could be subject to change within the parameters of the outline permission. If outline permission was approved a further reserved matters application would come forward with proposals for the final layout and building design.

So that the Committee had something to debate, Cllr Dr Brian Mathew, seconded by Cllr Adrian Foster, proposed that the application be deferred pending the release of documents assessing the commercial viability of delivering affordable housing as part of the project.

A debate followed where issues such as the provision of affordable housing and the significance of the site were discussed. In response to queries, the Senior Planning Officer confirmed that it would be possible to release the commercial viability assessment conducted by the Applicant as well as the independent assessment made by Wiltshire Council.

At the conclusion of the debate, it was:

Resolved

To DEFER the outline application (all matters reserved except for access) for part conversion and part redevelopment of the Devizes Community Hospital site to provide up to 58 no. residential dwellings (Use Class C3) and circa 67.7sqm flexible commercial unit (Use Class E), including the retention and conversion of two original buildings to the east of the site, with associated landscaping and parking.

Reason

To allow the Committee to consider the commercial viability report, about the provision of affordable housing, prepared on behalf of the Applicant, as well as the independent assessment made by Wiltshire Council.