Agenda item

Proposal Description: Item 6: Development of site to provide 8no. two storey, affordable dwelling houses (2no.2 bed, 6no, 3 bed), including vehicular access from Francis Gardens, plus associated car parking and landscaping.

Prior to determination and for clarification purposes, the Planning Manager confirmed that this planning application had been submitted by Winchester City Council.

The application was introduced. Members were referred to the Update Sheet which set out in full an amendment and typographical errors to the report on pages 9, 16 and 17; an amendment to condition 13 requiring the proposed dwellings to achieve Passivhaus standard; and an update to the Planning Balance and Conclusion set out within the report.

In addition, a verbal update was provided at the meeting that, if minded to approve the application, an additional standard condition by the council’s Contaminated Land Officer would be added stating that, once development had commenced, if any potential contamination was encountered then details of this and how it could be mitigated would need to be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

During public participation, Jack Hardy and Emma Street spoke in objection to the application and Deborah Sunley (New Homes Team, Winchester City Council), Jeremy Tyrrell (architect), Ian Tait and Mark Johnson (landscape architect) spoke in support of the application and all answered Members’ questions thereon.

Councillor Tippett-Cooper spoke as a Ward Member. In summary, Councillor Tippett-Cooper stated that there were compelling and strongly held arguments for and against this application. He raised the following points:

·       This land provided flat, safe and fondly used play space for local children, a place to hold community events and was highly valued by the local community who live in the area.

·       The objections by the community were set out within a presentation prepared by those speaking in objection. He urged the committee view the important detail and valid concerns contained within this presentation.

·       The frustration felt by Abbotts Barton residents to the planning applications point regarding the compensatory space (such as Hillier’s Haven) proposed for this scheme; this was space that the community have already been provided with in compensation for previous development which he  considered to be inadequate and needed to be reviewed with a revised compensatory provision put forward to Abbotts Barton residents.

·       Councillor Tippett-Cooper also recognised the necessity for the creation of vital affordable homes and advocates for the increasingly long list of families on the council’s housing register that desperately need new council homes to become available.

·       It was noted that this site had been earmarked for development for a long period of time and that there was a national and local housing crisis. It was undeniable that there was a clear benefit to the Abbotts Barton community given that this would be six new homes for Winchester families in need of suitable council housing, as well as two further affordable homes.

·       In conclusion, Councillor Tippett-Cooper stated that the application came down to a battle between these two competing community interests – housing provision or outdoor community open space?

In response to questions, the council’s Senior Planning and Litigation Lawyer clarified the principles in determining planning applications, including the weight given to planning policies, material considerations, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the balance to be considered in the determination of the application by the committee. 

The Committee proceeded to ask questions and debate the application

RESOLVED:

The committee agreed to refuse permission for the following reasons, with the exact wording delegated to the Chair of Planning Committee in consultation with the Service Lead: Built Environment:

(i)             The proposed development is not considered to accord with policies DM5 and CP7 and NPPF in that the loss of the open space for informal use and benefits of health and wellbeing, without appropriate mitigation in the St Bartholomew’s ward, is not outweighed by the community benefit of the new affordable housing; and

(ii)            The recorded deficit of 2.83 hectares in the locality.