Agenda item

Peninsula

 

Construction of 21 dwellings including affordable housing, together with access, parking, landscaping and infrastructure works.

Discussion: 

 

The Senior Planner outlined the planning application for 21 dwellings and advised the Committee that, should it be minded to approve the application, an extra item be added to the S106 agreement for a £5,978.49 heritage contribution towards improvements to Upnor Castle. Also included in the supplementary agenda advice sheet was amendments to proposed conditions 9, 10, 18 and 21 and an update to the planning appraisal section of the agenda report relating to Impact on the Countryside, Design and Trees.

 

The Senior Planner advised that the site was located outside of any defined urban area and therefore comprised development in the countryside. However, with regard to sustainability, the development was considered to provide some economic and social benefit providing houses (including affordable housing provision). 

 

With the agreement of the Committee, Councillor Sands addressed the Committee as Ward Councillor and raised the following issues:

 

·         This was another development in Hoo village and would result in the loss of a number of special trees which was inconsistent with Medway’s approach towards the climate emergency.

·         It would further erode the gap between Hoo and Chattenden.

·         The proposed access by the recreation ground would enable the developer to avoid providing a playground.

·         Consideration of the application should be deferred for a site visit.

 

The Committee discussed the application and in particular the provision of affordable housing and the highways implications. The Senior Planner advised that all of the proposed dwellings were considered to be acceptable. The affordable housing provision would be four 2- bedroom and one 3-bedroom properties. The Head of Planning added that no objections had been raised by Highways as Ratcliffe Highway was considered to be adequate for the proposed development.

 

The Head of Planning advised Members’ that the scale and location of the development was not sufficient to affect the separation between Hoo and Chattenden and that the applicant would be providing a small childrens’ play area within the existing development under construction.

 

Decision:

 

Approved subject to:

 

a)            A Section 106 under the terms of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 being entered into to secure the following:

 

i.          £53,581.50 towards improvements of open spaces within the vicinity of the site in consultation with Hoo Parish Council (£50,902.32) and Great Lines Heritage Park (£2,679.08).

 

ii.         £13,279.56 towards improvements to a healthy living centre or equivalent in Hoo.

 

iii.        £3,634.05 towards provision, maintenance and improvements to local waste centres.

 

iv.        £1,644.72 towards youth provision programme delivery for young people in the Rochester area.

 

v.         £5,112.87 towards sports facilities at Hoo Sports Centre

 

vi.        £3,848.04 for community facilities within the vicinity of the site.

 

vii.       £141,875.56 for Education consisting of:-

–    Nursery £28,958.58 and Primary £71,079.96 to one or more Chattenden Primary, Hundred of Hoo Primary, Hoo St Werburgh Primary, or a new free school.

-       Secondary  £41,837.02 to Hundred of Hoo, or a new free school.

 

viii.      £5,156.76 towards strategic measures in respect of the coastal North Kent Special Protection Area.

 

ix.        £3,468.15 towards equipment and facilities at Hoo Library.

 

x.         £23,376.20 towards the provision and maintenance of offsite trees within the vicinity of the site and improvements to Victoria Lane burial ground.

 

xi.        £500 towards the provision of two kissing gates to either end of public footpath RS103.

 

xii.       £5,431.00 towards the provision of sustainable transport initiatives.

 

xiii.      5 Affordable housing units.

 

xiv.      Meeting the Council’s costs.

 

xv.       £5,978.49 heritage contribution towards improvements to Upnor Castle.

 

 

b)            Conditions 1-8, 11-17, 19-20 and 22-26 as set out in the report for the reasons stated in the report, and amended conditions 9, 10, 18 and 21 as set out below:

 

9.         The existing hedges (H1 and H2) which are to be retained in accordance with the Tree protection plan - Appendix C; and paragraphs a) and b) below shall have effect until the expiration of 5 years from the date of occupation of the building for its permitted use.

 

a)         No retained hedge shall be cut down, uprooted, destroyed or pruned other than in accordance with the approved plans and particulars under (c).

 

b)         If any retained hedge is removed, uprooted or destroyed or dies, another hedging shall be planted at the same place and that hedging shall be of such size and species, and shall be planted at such time as may be specified in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

 

c)         No development, no excavation works  shall take place (excluding the cutting down of approved removed trees to stump level) until an arboricultural method statement for the protection of retained hedging during the construction phase has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The method statement shall include but not be limited to: the storage of any materials, waste or equipment and site compound to avoid the root protection areas and measures, service routes, site security fencing and details of proposed levels. The approved details shall be implemented on site prior to commencement of development and shall be maintained on site for the duration of the construction phase.

 

Reason: Required before commencement of development to avoid any irreversible detrimental impact on the retained hedges in accordance with Policies BNE1 and BNE6 of the Medway Local Plan 2003.

 

 

10.       No development (excluding the cutting down of approved removed trees to stump level) shall take place until a scheme showing details of the disposal of surface water, based on sustainable drainage principles, including details of the design, implementation, maintenance and management of the surface water drainage scheme have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority in consultation with the Lead Local Flood Authority.

Those details shall include (if applicable):

 

i. a timetable for its implementation (including phased implementation where applicable).

ii. appropriate operational, maintenance and access requirements for each sustainable drainage component are adequately considered.

iii. proposed arrangements for future adoption by any public body, statutory undertaker or management company.

 

Reason: Required prior to commencement of development to manage surface water during and post construction and for the lifetime of the development as outlined at Paragraph 165 of NPPF.

 

18.       No development shall take place above ground floor slab level until details of the provision of 1 electric vehicle charging point per dwelling within on-plot parking spaces have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Details shall include the location, charging type (power output and charging speed), associated infrastructure and timetable for installation.  The development shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details and shall thereafter be maintained.

 

Reason: In the interests of sustainability in accordance with paragraph 110E of National Planning Policy Framework 2019.

 

21.       No dwelling shall be occupied until a plan indicating the positions, design and materials of the access between the site herein approved and Kingshill Recreation ground (within the applicants redline boundary) illustrated on drawing number 2898-LA-01 Rev P2 has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The access shall be completed in accordance with the approved details before any dwelling is occupied and shall thereafter be retained.

 

Reason: To ensure that the appearance of the development is satisfactory and without prejudice to conditions of visual amenity in the locality, in accordance with Policy BNE1 of the Medway Local Plan 2003.