Agenda item

Rainham North

 

A sustainable urban extension comprising up to 300 new dwellings (of a range of sizes, types and tenures, including affordable housing), including public open and amenity space, together with associated landscaping, access, highways (including footpaths and cycleways), parking, drainage (including a foul water pumping station), utilities and service infrastructure works (all matters reserved except for points of access) - resubmission of MC/15/0761.

Discussion:

 

The Planning Consultants outlined the planning application and advised the Committee that a planning application relating to this site had been considered by the Committee on 1 September 2015 (MC/15/0761) which had been refused. A public inquiry was now held in abeyance pending the determination of this current planning application.

 

The Committee was advised that since refusing planning application MC/15/0761, Officers had been in discussions with the applicant on the Committee’s concerns relating to the application and in particular, the affect that the proposed development would have upon the junction of Mierscourt Road with the A2.

 

The Planning Consultants outlined the revisions that had been made to the current scheme to include highway improvements to increase the capacity of the A2 details of which were set out in the report.

 

Attention was drawn to the supplementary agenda advice sheet and it was suggested that if the Committee was minded to approve the application, conditions 1, 8, 15 and 16 be amended, proposed condition 21 be deleted, condition 22 and 23  be amended and re-numbered 21 and 22.

 

Attention was also drawn to an additional section relating to flood risk under the planning appraisal section of the report, as set out on the supplementary agenda advice sheet.

 

The Committee discussed the planning application in detail noting that this was a fresh application which sought to address the concerns previously expressed relating to the effect that the proposed development would have upon the highway.

 

A number of Members expressed concern that the proposed development would result in the loss of Grade 1 agricultural land, would place pressure on the surrounding road network particularly at peak periods when the surrounding road network was already congested and result in reduce air quality in the area and would place pressure on local facilities. It was also pointed out that the site was within an Area of Local Landscape Importance.

 

Members also had regard to Saved Policy BNE25 ‘Development in the Countryside’ and the Council’s housing land supply provision.

 

The Head of Planning drew attention to another development at Moor Street which had only been dismissed at appeal on heritage grounds. The Inspector had considered that proposal acceptable in all other respects including highway impact, landscape and agricultural land. He advised that if the Committee was minded to refuse this planning application on highway grounds, it was likely that this decision would be overturned on appeal having regard to the proposed highway improvements that were now proposed.

 

Decision:

 

Approved subject to:

 

A)        The applicant entering into a S106 agreement to secure the following:

 

i)  25% Affordable Housing on site comprising: 75 dwellings (60% Affordable Rent and 40% Shared Ownership)

 

            ii) Contributions towards improved Education provision comprising:

 

            a.         Nursery School @ £8320 per pupil place (£274,560)

            b.         Primary School @ £8320 per pupil place (£673,920)

            c.         Secondary School @ £11,960 per pupil place (£681,720)

            d.         Sixth Form @ £11,960 per pupil place (£179,400)

                        Total: £1,809,600

 

iii) Highway improvements to A2/Mierscourt Road junction improvements

 

iv) Contribution to improvements to off site Open Space: £121,275 (reduced from £571,095 to account for 1.92ha of on-site provision)

 

v) Contribution towards improvements to Local Health Facilities: £140,385

 

            vi) Contributions towards improvements to Public Realm: £73,500

 

            vii) Contribution towards Birds Disturbance Mitigation: £67,074

 

            viii) Contribution to Waste & Recycling: £46,632

 

ix) Contribution towards improvements to local Community Facilities: £41,013

 

B)        Conditions 2 – 7, 9 – 14, 17 – 20 as set out in the report for the reasons stated in the report and conditions 1, 8, 15, 16, 21 and 22 as set out below:

 

1          The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans received on 9th May 2016:

 

1279/00 REV; 1279/01 REV FINAL;1279/02 REV FINAL; 1279/05 REV FINAL; 29905/001/013 REV A; 29905/1001/012 REV C; 29905/1001/09 REV C; 1279/08 REV A.  

 

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

           

8         Any application for the approval of reserved matters relating to the landscape shall include full details of hard and soft landscaping and a programme for implementation. Details shall include:

 

i.          Proposed finished levels of contours, (including slab levels); means of enclosure (should be consistent with boundary treatment proposals); car parking layouts; existing areas of retained planting; other vehicle and pedestrian access and circulation areas; hard surfacing materials; minor artefacts and structures (e.g. external furniture, play equipment; refuse or other storage units, signs, lighting etc); proposed and existing functional services above and below ground (e.g. drainage, power, communications cables, pipelines etc. indicating lines, manholes, supports etc); retained historic features and proposals for restoration where relevant. 

ii.         Soft landscape works shall include planting plans, written specifications (including cultivation and other operations associated with grass and plant establishment, aftercare and maintenance); schedules of plants, noting species, plant sizes and proposed numbers/densities where appropriate; tree pit details including species, size, root treatment and means of support; implementation programme. 

iii.        All planting, seeding and turfing comprised in the approved scheme of landscaping, shall be implemented during the first planting season following occupation of the houses or completion of the development, whichever is the earlier. 

iv.        Details of lighting design, location and specification including spillage and intensity

v.         Detailed design for sustainable drainage systems

 

The programme for the implementation of landscaping scheme shall include details of strategic planting and open space provision that will be delivered prior to the occupation of the first dwelling. These details shall have regard to the Construction Environmental Management Plan required under condition 18 to ensure that these early landscaping works are not undertaken abortively.

 

Details shall be approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and thereafter implemented in accordance with the approved timetable.

 

Reason: To ensure a satisfactory external appearance and provision for landscaping in accordance with Policies BNE1 and BNE6 of the Medway Local Plan 2003

 

15        a. No development shall take place until a detailed scheme for the provision of surface water drainage for the life time of the development, together with a timetable for its implementation, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 

b. No development above foundation level shall take place until details of the future management and maintenance of the surface water drainage, including arrangements for adoption by any public body or statutory undertaker or any other arrangements to secure the operation of the sustainable drainage scheme throughout its lifetime, have been submitted and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 

The drainage scheme shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: In order to ensure the satisfactory development of the application site.

 

16        No development above foundation level shall take place until a detailed scheme of noise insulation/mitigation measures have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.  The scheme shall include details of acoustic protection sufficient to ensure internal noise levels (LAeq,T) no greater than 35dB in bedrooms or combined study/bedrooms and 40dB in living rooms with windows closed.  Where the internal noise levels (LAeq,T) will exceed 35dB in bedrooms or combined study/bedrooms and 40dB in living rooms with windows open, the scheme shall incorporate appropriately acoustically screened mechanical ventilation.  The scheme shall include details of acoustic protection sufficient to ensure amenity/garden noise levels of less than 55dB (LAeq,T).  All works, which form part of the approved scheme, shall be completed before any part of the development is occupied and shall thereafter be maintained in accordance with the approved details.

 

Reason: To ensure no detrimental effect on residential amenity of future residents.

           

 21       No development shall take place until an Air Quality Emissions Mitigation Assessment and Statement has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The Assessment and Statement shall be prepared in accordance with the Medway Air Quality Planning Guidance, and shall specify the measures that will be implemented as part of the development to mitigate the air quality impacts identified in the Air Quality Assessment dated December 2014 and approved as part of the permission. The total monetary value of the mitigation to be provided shall be demonstrated to be equivalent to, or greater than, the total damage cost values calculated as part of the Mitigation Assessment. The development shall be implemented entirely in accordance with the measures set out in the approved Mitigation Statement. As a minimum the following air quality mitigation measures shall be provided:

 

a) All gas fired boilers to meet a minimum standard of <40mgNOx/kWh;

b) 1 Electric vehicle charging point per dwelling with dedicated parking or 1 charging point per 10 spaces (unallocated parking);

c) Mitigation in accordance with the Institute of Air Quality Management (IAQM) Guidance on the Assessment of Dust from Demolition and Construction.

 

Reason: In the interests of amenity and minimising air pollution in accordance with policy BNE24 of the Medway Local Plan 2003.

 

22        No development above foundation level shall take place until a detailed design for highways improvements to Otterham Quay Lane as shown on drawings 29905_1001_009 and 29905/001/013 Rev A have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. A timetable for the provision of the improvements shall be submitted and approved in writing and thereafter the improvements shall be constructed in accordance with the approved details and timetable.

 

Reason: To provide an attractive and safe means of pedestrian access in accordance with Policy T3 of the Medway Local Plan 2003.