Agenda item

River

Construction of 115no. residential apartments together with landscaping and associated parking.

Discussion:

The Head of Planning outlined the planning application in detail and reminded the Committee that this planning application had been approved by the Committee on 29 May 2019 subject to a Section 106 agreement and conditions. However, the applicant now proposed to revise the scheme and the Committee’s approval was being sought to the revision prior to the issue of the planning permission.

He advised the reasons for the proposed revisions as set out within the report. In addition, he drew attention the supplementary agenda advice sheet which set out proposed amendments to the wording and reasons for conditions 3 and 17 and a new condition 35.

He also drew attention to an amended representation from KCC archaeology, one additional representation from KCC Biodiversity and amendments to the planning appraisal section of the report, details of which we set out in full on the supplementary agenda advice sheet.

The Head of Planning requested that if the Committee was minded to approve the revised planning application, the Committee grant him delegated authority to finalise the precise wording of the conditions.

A Member referred to developments in Strood and issues concerning dust and noise which had affected local residents and he requested that as this application site was in close proximity to residential properties, the works be closely monitored.

In response, the Head of Planning confirmed that as this site was being developed by the Council, it was important that the Council set a good example and whilst he was satisfied that the proposed conditions were suitable, it was the enforcement of the conditions that would be important. He confirmed that lessons had been learnt from the developments in Strood.

In response to other questions, the Head of Planning confirmed that the level of electric charging points to be provided at the proposed development met the Council’s current policy but he agreed that this policy would need to be reviewed as more electric cars became available.

He also confirmed that the heads of terms of the Section 106 agreement for this development had already been agreed in May 2019 but suggested that the provision of a funicular railway could be investigated outside of the planning application process.

Decision: 

Approved subject to:

a)            The applicant entering into an agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act to secure:

•           Provision of 20 no. 2-bedroomed affordable rented accommodation off-site at White Road Community Centre.

•           Provision of 9 no. on-site shared-ownership units (2 no. x 1-bed, 7 no. x 2-bed)

•           Contribution of £157,740.70 towards education and the provision of nursery, primary and secondary school places. 

•           Contribution of £31,947.00 towards local heritage in the form of survey work, repairs and improved visitor access to the underground sump.

•           Contribution of £257,687.06 towards the restoration, improvement and enhancement of the Town Hall Gardens open space.

•           Contribution of £28,631.90 towards footpath improvements (phase 2) at Great Lines Heritage Park.

•           Contribution of £70,960.75 for the NHS to support the purchase of equipment and infrastructure for a new Healthy Living Centre in the Chatham Central locality.

•           Contribution of £30,380 towards public realm enabling work to improve the end of Military Road/Brook, creating a path at the end to the taxi rank, to facilitate the closure of the pedestrian underpass and thereby improve connectivity of the development with the town centre.

•           Contribution of £19,418.90 towards waste and recycling activities related to the development.

•           Contribution of £3,516.00 towards signage and information for Public Rights of Way network accessed from the development site.

•           Contribution of £6,000 towards the improvement of bus infrastructure at the Chatham Bus Exchange to help encourage residents to utilise the bus service.

•           Contribution of £27,555.15 towards bird disturbance mitigation measures.

b)            Conditions 1 and 2 and 4 – 16 and 18 - 34 as set out in the report for the reasons stated in the report, conditions 3 and 17 revised and new condition 35 as follows, with the Head of Planning being granted delegated authority to finalise the precise wording of the conditions:

3.         Notwithstanding the ‘Written Scheme of Investigation for Archaeological Excavation’ (Wessex Archaeology, Ref: 202061.1, dated November 2019), no excavation or development of the embankment in the northeastern part of the site shall take place until a specific Method Statement/Written Scheme of Investigation and timetable for the excavation and/or development of the embankment has been submitted to and agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority. The excavation and/or development of the embankment shall be carried out only in accordance with the agreed programme. Development within the site, excluding the embankment in the northeastern part of the site, shall only take place in accordance with the ‘Written Scheme of Investigation for Archaeological Excavation’ (Wessex Archaeology, Ref: 202061.1, dated November 2019).

Reason: To ensure that features of archaeological interest are properly examined and recorded in accordance with Policy BNE 21 of the Medway Local Plan 2003.

17.       No excavation or development (including vegetation removal) of the embankment in the proposed car park area to the northwestern side of the building hereby approved shall take place until a Reptile Method Statement report has been submitted to and been approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. That report shall include:

a.         a further habitat survey of the area of it’s suitability for reptiles, and

b.         a method statement detailing mitigation and/or avoidance measures, including timings, so any vegetation clearance in this area does not impact reptiles

The excavation and development in the car park area to the northwestern side of the building hereby approved shall be carried out only in accordance with approved Reptile Method Statement report.

Reason: To prevent harm to any recolonised reptile population in accordance with Policies BNE37 and BNE39 of the Medway Local Plan 2003.

35.       No excavation or development of the embankment in the northeastern part of the site shall commence until a plan has been submitted to and agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority showing a fenced area for the archaeological investigation works of the embankment to take place. The plan shall detail the location and type of the proposed fencing. The agreed fencing shall be erected prior to the excavation or development of the embankment commencing and no works, vehicle movements or storage shall take place within the fenced area other than those connected with the archaeological investigation of the embankment. The fencing shall remain in place as agreed until the archaeological investigation of the embankment has been completed.

Reason: To ensure that features of archaeological interest are properly examined and recorded in accordance with Policy BNE21 of the Medway Local Plan 2003.