Agenda item

Public Participation

Mr John Wilkinson, Chair of the Old Sarum Residents Association, spoke in objection to the application.

Mr Glen Godwin, agent, spoke in support of the application.

Mr Ron Champion, Laverstock and Ford Parish Council, spoke in objection to the application.

A report was presented which recommended that the application be delegated to the Area Development Manager to approve subject to the signing of a S.106 legal agreement as detailed further in the agenda. Key details also included the principle of additional dwellings on the site, the proportion of affordable housing and the impact upon the area, residential amenity and highways.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officer. It was confirmed that the outline permission for the site had not restricted the number of dwellings in Old Sarum to 630, and therefore the developers were able to apply to increase the number from the current 628 that were approved.

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

The Local Member, Councillor Ian McLennan, then spoke in objection to the application.

A debate followed, where the impact on the highways, open space and other infrastructure from the density of development across Old Sarum was raised, as well as the level of affordable housing being offered also being considered.

At the conclusion of debate, it was,

Resolved:

To REFUSE planning permission for the following reasons:

1)     It is acknowledged that the application site is located within the allocated housing site defined by saved policy H2D of the Salisbury District Local Plan and within the approved site associated with outline application S/2005/0211. However, whilst the policy and adopted development brief alludes to additional dwellings being permitted after 2011, the Council is of the opinion that any additional dwellings were envisaged to come forward following a formal consultation and allocation as part of a future Local Plan adoption process. As no such land has been allocated at the Old Sarum site as part of the now adopted South Wiltshire Core Strategy, or is intended as part of the draft Wiltshire Core Strategy, it is considered that the proposal is contrary to the Development Plan, in particular policy H2D and the associated development brief, which stipulated a limit of 630 dwellings prior to 2011; policy CP6 of the adopted South Wiltshire Core Strategy, which does not allocated further land in this area, and similarly, draft policy CP1 & CP2 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy. The proposal would therefore also be contrary to the guidance contained with the National Planning Policy Framework, which indicates that housing provision should be considered on the basis of the adopted up to date local planning policies.

2)   Notwithstanding the above, the scheme would only provide for 25 percent affordable housing, and would not provide any on site public open space or provide any access to additional planned open space within the allocated Longhedge development located immediately adjacent to the site. As a result, and in the absence of a suitable Section 106 Agreement, the proposal would not accord with either the 33 percent affordable housing provision stipulated by the 2007 Section 106 Agreement related to the outline planning permission S/2005/211, or with the 40 percent affordable housing provision stipulated by adopted policy CP3 of the South Wiltshire Core Strategy. The proposal would therefore also be contrary to the provisions of saved policy R2 which also forms part of the South Wiltshire Core Strategy, in that the proposal fails to provide sufficient public open space on site or a suitable financial contribution towards the provision of such space. 

3)         The proposal would result in additional dwellings, and hence additional impacts, on existing and proposed facilities. To mitigate the impacts of the development, provision would therefore need to be made towards the following:

·         Additional affordable housing

·         Additional contributions towards the planned community centre

·         Additional contributions towards the existing educational facilities

·         Additional public art contributions

·         Contributions towards the Wessex Stone Curlew project

·         Additional contributions towards public open space and equipment

·         Additional contributions towards sustainable transport infrastructure including bus and cycle vouchers

·         Waste and recycling facilities

However, the absence of any provision being made at this time for mitigation towards the enhancement of these facilities or any financial contribution offered towards them, the proposal is considered to be contrary to policies CP3, CP21 & CP22 of the adopted South Wiltshire Core Strategy, policy WCS 6 of the Waste Core Strategy, and saved policies G2 (ii), D8 & R2 and R4 of the Salisbury District Local Plan, and guidance provided in the NPPF regards planning obligations.

Councillors Jose Green, John Noeken and Fred Westmoreland requested their votes in opposition to the motion to refuse planning permission be recorded.