Agenda item

Hybrid application for up to 960 dwellings consisting of a full application for 128 dwellings accessed off Weights Lane, new public open space, drainage system, engineering operations, associated works and an outline application, with all matters reserved with the exception of access, for the construction of the remaining dwellings with the access point off Cookridge Close, Hawling Street and Weights Lane and including a new District Centre, new play facilities, new highway network, public open space, new drainage system and surface water attenuation, engineering operations and all associated works including landscaping.

 

 

Officers outlined the application and reminded Members that the site straddled the administrative boundary between Redditch Borough Council and Bromsgrove District Council, with part of the site falling into each area.  As such parallel applications had been submitted to both Councils, and decisions would need to be made by this Planning Committee and by the Bromsgrove Planning Committee.

 

Officers indicated using the relevant plans the location of the site, its setting in the wider area and the position of the administrative boundary between Redditch and Bromsgrove.  Members were also reminded that the site had been identified for housing development to meet the strategic needs of Redditch through the Local Plan making process and were referred to the plan from the Borough of Redditch Local Plan Allocation at page 9 of the Site Plans and Presentations Pack.

 

The full element of the application was for 128 dwellings, of which 76 would be situated in Redditch and 52 in Bromsgrove.  The proposed dwellings would consist of a mixture of detached and semi-detached two, three and four bedroomed houses and 4 one bedroomed apartments. Provision had been made for 23 units of affordable housing to be mixed throughout the development.  The individual house designs were similar to those found in the local area, and as such design, appearance and layout were all deemed to be appropriate.

 

Access to the 128 dwellings would be provided in the first instance through the existing estate roads pending completion of a new access point from Weights Lane.  A scheme to provide highway improvements to Weights Lane formed part of the application and this would include installation of traffic lights to control the flow of traffic where the road narrowed under the railway bridge and improvements to footways.  Members were referred to the plan at page 31 of the Site Plans and Presentations Pack.

 

Proposed condition 34 on page 63 of the agenda pack set a trigger point that no more than 100 dwellings could be brought into use before the highways improvements to Weights Lane were completed.  Officers advised by way of verbal update, that following discussions with the applicant, it was now proposed to reduce the trigger point from 100 dwellings to 85 dwellings, or on the completion of the s278 works whichever was the sooner.

 

 

The outline application detailed points of access to the local highway network with all other matters reserved for subsequent approval, namely scale, appearance, layout and landscaping.  These elements would form part of major planning applications which would come before the committee for decision in the future.

 

The outline element would deliver 23 hectares of residential development made up of up to 832 dwellings, a mixed use district centre of 0.8 hectares, a new internal highway network and 30 hectares of public open space comprising informal and formal open space, planting, drainage and play.  Members were referred to the Capacity Plan on page 11 of the Site Plans and Presentations Pack showing the proposed location of five parcels of land for future house construction.

 

In addition to the highways improvements at Weights Lane, mitigation works were also proposed to the junction of Dagnell End Road with the A441.  Improvements would be secured through a section 278 agreement and aimed to provide a “nil-detriment” solution in terms of capacity plus the installation of signal-controlled pedestrian crossings.

 

To mitigate the impact of the development section 106 contributions had been identified, and Members were referred to the most up to date list as set out on pages 1 to 3 of the second Update report issued on 27^th January 2021.

 

At the discretion of the Chair times for public speaking were extended to 15 minutes in total for objectors and six minutes for the applicant, and the following speakers addressed the committee under the Council’s Public Speaking Rules:-

 

·       Mr Craig Vale – local resident – objecting

·       Mr Mark Hagger – local resident - objecting

·       Mr Alan Bailes – on behalf of residents from “Bordesley Matters” - objecting

·       Mr Suraj Varma – on behalf of Millwood Avenue residents on the Bovis Estate – objecting

·       Councillor Gemma Monaco – ward member for Batchley and Brockhill Ward

·       Mr David Onions – Planning Agent (Pegasus Group) – in support

 

 

Officers responded to questions from Members on a number of issues and in doing so it was noted that: -

 

Highways issues

·       The scheme for traffic lights on Weights Lane had been selected as the safest solution.

·       There was already some street lighting present for a short distance along Weights Lane close to the A441 and the design being worked on for the highways improvements scheme included the potential for lighting to be installed along the full route although this would be determined through detailed design.

·       Based on traffic modelling and the location of the proposed traffic lights on Weights Lane in relation to junctions, it was not anticipated that the vehicles waiting to pass through proposed railway bridge lights would extend back to the A441 Birmingham Road.

·       Any pre-existing issues of vehicles speeding on the A441 were outside of the scope of the planning application and subject to enforcement by the police. The Highway Authority was looking into the issue of speeding vehicles along the A441, although this was unrelated to the planning application.

 

 

Planning

·       The final figures of how many houses would be built on either side of the Bromsgrove/ Redditch boundary were not known at this stage.

·       The section 106 monitoring fee of £8000 payable to Redditch Borough Council was calculated based on the approved charging schedule.

·       The proposed section 106 contributions did not currently include a monitoring fee for Worcestershire County Council in relation to highway contributions, but subject to clarification of whether a charging schedule had been adopted by the County Council, Members could request that a contribution for this be added to the section 106 agreement.

 

In debating the application, whilst acknowledging some of the highways concerns raised by public speakers, Members referred to the significance of the application site and its allocation in the Local Plan as an area for housing development, and the weight that should be afforded to that aspect.

 

The application was therefore recommended for approval with an amendment to allow the Head of Planning and Regeneration to seek a section 106 contribution in relation to County Highways for a planning obligation monitoring fee.

 

In further debate Members discussed the possibility of amending trigger points for the two highway schemes, the issue of street lighting on Weights Lane, whether construction traffic could access via Weights Lane earlier in the development work and traffic implications for current residents in the Brockhill area and living in Bordesley.  Although considered by the committee no additional matters were brought forward by way of amendments and the application as recommended with the one amendment referred to above was put to the vote.

 

RESOLVED that

 

Having regard to the development plan and to all other material considerations: -

 

a.     Minded to APPROVE Hybrid Planning Permission

 

b.    That authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Regeneration to determine the outline planning application following the receipt of a suitable and satisfactory legal mechanism in relation to the following:

 

i) Highways

 

• Bromsgrove & Redditch IDP £780,000 (Redditch) and £469,429.03 (Bromsgrove)

• TRO Application The processing cost for a TRO for Weights Lane, in seeking to change the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph.

• Community Transport. Contribution £40,000 over 5 years

• Bus Service Strategy Contribution £324,000

• Bus Service Infrastructure Based on 3 pairs of stops with associated shelters only in the inbound direction. Contribution £40,000.

 

ii) Education Infrastructure

 

Transfer of a strip of land adjacent the new first school site to support the expansion of the school.

 

First school contribution calculated on a per plot basis

• £2,307 per open market 2 or 3 bed dwelling

• £3,461 per open market 4 or more bed dwelling

• £ 923 per open market 2 or more bed flat

 

A Middle school contribution calculated on a per plot basis

• £2,308 per open market 2 or 3 bed dwelling

• £3,462 per open market 4 or more bed dwelling

• £ 923 per open market 2 or more bed flat

 

iii) Off-site Open Space £405,000

 

iv) Waste Management Contribution

 

Waste and recycling bins calculated as follows:

·       Dwellings within the Redditch BC authority - Refuse bins (1 x green bin / 1 x grey bin) £31.29 per dwelling

·       Dwellings within the Bromsgrove DC authority - Refuse bins (1 x green bin / 1 x grey bin) £52.24 per dwelling

 

v) Planning Obligation Monitoring Fee £7,500

 

vi) Redditch Town Centre (Enhancement Contribution) £520,320

 

vii) Bromsgrove and Redditch CCG Contribution £363,370

 

viii) Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust (WAHT) Contribution £459,390.86

 

And:

ix) The securing of a 30% provision of on-site affordable dwelling units for dwellings Redditch BC authority

 

x) The securing of a 40% provision of on-site affordable dwelling units for dwellings Bromsgrove DC authority

 

xi) The provision and future maintenance in perpetuity of the on-site play space, SuDs facilities and open space provision with appropriate mechanism (including commuted sum) to adopt the open space

 

xii) District Centre, outlining specification (including uses) and Marketing Plan

 

c.     That authority be delegated to the Head of Planning and Regeneration to agree the final scope and detailed wording and numbering of conditions as set out on pages 48 to 66 of the main agenda subject to the alteration to the wording of conditions 1, 4, 15 and 28 as set out on pages 1 to 3 of the second Update report issued on 27^th January 2021 and subject to the amendment of the trigger point in Condition 34 from 100 dwellings to 85 dwellings.

 

d.    That the scope of the delegation granted under paragraph b. above be extended to cover the Head of Planning and Regeneration including in the legal mechanism, if appropriate, a Planning Obligation Monitoring Fee to be paid by the developer to Worcestershire County Council Highways Department.