Agenda item

The application was reported to the Planning Committee because it required a Section 106 (S106) Agreement. As such, the application fell outside the scheme of delegation to Officers.

Officers presented the report and in doing so, drew Members’ attention to the presentation slides on pages 5 to 17 of the Site Plans and Presentations pack.

The application was for Four Winds, Birmingham Road, Mappleborough Green, Redditch, B80 7DH and sought the demolition of the existing buildings and the erection of a two-storey, 66-bedroom care home (Use Class C2), with associated access, parking, landscaping and ancillary buildings.

Officers noted that the application was a Cross-boundary application with Stratford-on-Avon  District Council. Page 10 of the Site Plans and Presentations pack detailed the existing site layout and clarified that most of the application site was situated within the administrative area of Redditch Borough Council.

The building would be predominantly made of red brick with the use of cladding and render to reflect the surrounding area and was well constrained with existing development to the East and West and an approved development site situated to the south. The care home would be over two floors, and the layout was typical for the type of development with all rooms exceeding the care sector minimum standards

30 car parking spaces would be supplied as part of the development which included 2 accessible spaces and 6 electric vehicle charging points. Officers clarified that consideration had been given by the Highways Authority to the number of spaces with the expectation that residents did not drive. It was concluded that considering the size of the development, the number of spaces was deemed acceptable and therefore, no objection was raised subject to appropriate Conditions.

Part of the site was designated as primary open space, however, the land was privately owned and not accessible to the general public so was afforded limited weight. Additionally, some of the open space would be retained in the form of external landscaped amenity for residents and visitors. Consideration had been had to the scale, scope and appearance of the development with appropriate landscaping being included to soften the impact of the building.

Officers gave considerable weight to the care provision and addition to the housing land supply which would be generated by the development, this was balanced against the loss of the primary open space and impact to the surrounding area. In conclusion, when considering the mitigation features which were proposed to lessen the visual impact of the development and with no public access to the open space, Officers deemed the application to be acceptable and was therefore, recommended for approval.

At the invitation of the Chair, Jo Kemp addressed the Committee in support of the application on behalf of the applicant LNT care Developments.

The following was clarified by Officers after questions from Members.

• That as the access/egress point was situated within the Stratford-on-Avon administrative area the suitability and safety of the access was for Warwickshire County Council to consider and was not part of the application before Members.
• The relevant authorities had been consulted in regard to Ecological matters which included Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements. No objections had been received subject to suitable Conditions.

Members sought further clarity regarding the S106 contribution requested by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which would be attached to the Stratford-on-Avon part of the application. Officers assured Members that neither authority had the power to determine how the money would be spent and that once the money had been received it would be transferred in full to the Trust once the relevant conditions had been met. The money would then be spent by the trust on those areas it had identified on Page 19 of the Public Reports pack., Members expressed some confusion as to why it was included within the Stratford-on-Avon part of the application, however, they accepted the Officers’ explanations and assurances that the legal agreement would be robust and ensure the money went to Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Members were in support of the application which would be a great asset to the area and would provide much needed care provision.

Concern was raised as to the entrance/egress of the site, however, Members understood that it was not a matter for them to consider and appropriate consideration would be given by Stratford-on-Avon and Warwickshire Highways authority as to ensure the site could be accessed safety.

On being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED that

having had regard to the development plan and to all other material considerations, authority be delegated to the head of Planning, Regeneration and Culture Services to GRANT planning permission subject to:-

a)    The satisfactory completion of a S106 planning obligation ensuring that:

                           i.          A financial contribution of £28,800 towards GP Surgeries

                         ii.          A Section 106 monitoring fee of £526.90

b)    Conditions and informatives as summarised on pages 38 to 48 of the Public Reports pack, subject to the amendment to Condition 20 as detailed on page 20 of the Update Reports pack.