Agenda item

Proposal Description: Item 6: Full planning permission for 80 dwellings, 716sq.m of Class E commercial space comprising Class E(c) - (financial and professional services), E (e) (medical or health services) and E (g) (uses which can be carried out in a residential area without detriment to its amenity including industrial processes), related vehicle access from Solomons Lane (residential) and Winchester Road (single access to serve 8 properties, and commercial), separate pedestrian/cycle access from Winchester Road, open space and play space, landscaped buffer to Waltham Chase Meadows Site Scientific Interest (SSSI) , parking, landscaping and drainage infrastructure. (Amended Description)

It was noted that members of the committee had visited the application site on 11December 2023 to enable members to observe the site in context and to gain a better appreciation of the proposals.

The committee noted that the application site was on the boundary and was located within the Central Meon Valley ward and not Whiteley and Shedfield as set out on the agenda pack.

The application was introduced. Members were referred to the Update Sheet which set out in full the following:

1.    Amendments to the plans negotiated section;

2.    Submission of updated viability reports and re-advertisement details;

3.    Additional further objections submitted from households that had previously raised comment;

4.    A comment from Hampshire County Councillor Hugh Lumby;

5.    Further clarification on a number of issues relating to external lighting, employment and management of the public open space

6.    An addition to the sustainable travel section;

7.    An additional Heads of Term for a bond to pay upfront to ensure laying out of the open space; and

8.    A Public Health representation received from NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB on 8 December 2023 and planning’s response to this representation.

In addition, a verbal update was provided by the case officer at the meeting that the footpath going through the public open space will be secured as part of the Heads of Term for the S106 agreement and also recommended several additional regarding visibility splays being retained and ensuring that no planting within visibility splays was no higher than 0.6 metres in height. If the committee were minded to approve the application, the matters set out above would be applied.

During public participation, David Ogden and Ian Donohue and Councillor Margaret Jones (both speaking on behalf of Shedfield Parish Council) spoke in objection to the application and Simon Packer spoke in support of the application and all answered Members’ questions thereon.

Councillor Wallace spoke as a Ward Member. In summary, Councillor Wallace, raised the following points:

·       Under the current existing Local Plan, Waltham Chase has a requirement for approx. 250 new dwellings earmarked to be built over a 20 year period have already been built out and the village has grown by 28% in the last decade putting a strain on services and infrastructure in the area.

·       If approved, this application would result in the village expanding by almost 40%.

·       Although the number of houses has been reduced to 80 from 100 dwellings, it was important to highlight that 80 dwellings was still an amount over the requirements set out in the local plan.

·       The Parish Council and residents recognised that Morgan’s Yard needed redevelopment. However, the concerns focussed on how the development occurs.

·       The housing density of Morgan’s Yard was the highest of any other site in Waltham Chase at over 30 dwellings per hectare and there were concerns that this would fail to deliver an attractive and well landscaped scheme that was seen in the other developments, with concerns also expressed by Urban Design and the Winchester and Eastleigh Design Review Panel.

·       Lack of affordable housing on site with only 10% proposed and fails to meet local needs.

·       Sustainability measures – failure to provide heat pumps, solar panels or EV charging points.

·       Queried the content of the viability assessment which led to this application being considered acceptable. Questioned whether profit margins are being retained at the expense of providing a high-quality development.

·       Southern Water’s commitment to reinforce the network was welcomed. However, the statement that some of the dwellings should be able to connect pending reinforcement should be challenged. Wastewater coming from a manhole cover had been witnessed on nearby Winchester Road recently and there was already wastewater flowing into waterways in heavy rainfall.

·       Clarification should be sought from Southern Water on the capability of their treatment works to manage the impact of sewage from the development and the number and/or duration of sewage discharges into rivers or seas.

·       Need to ensure the application benefits the local community – new footpaths from Morgan’s Yard should be in addition to existing routes, funds for school travel improvements and sports provision needed to be conditioned to ensure they were for use in Shedfield Parish only.

·       The quantity and quality of the development needed to be managed.

In response to matters raised in respect of sustainability, the planning case officer made reference to Policy CP11. It was noted that there had been some very recent building regulation updates that surpassed the requirements for CP11 and that, within the building out of the application, if approved, the developer would be required to surpass the requirements of CP11 in terms of energy efficiency and water usage.

Councillor Read raised a point of order that Councillor Achwal had left the room for several minutes during the consideration of the item and therefore she should not take part in the determination of the rest of the application. In response, Councillor Achwal stated that she had only left the room for a few minutes and had not missed anything that would significantly impact her decision making and prevent her from continuing to determine the application. Therefore, at the discretion of the Chairperson, Councillor Achwal remained in the room and continued to take part in the consideration of the application.

The Committee proceeded to ask questions and debate the application.

RESOLVED:

The committee agreed to grant permission for the reasons and subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the Report, the Update Sheet and the verbal update set out above, subject to additional conditions as set out in (i) and (ii) below, and the view of the committee as outlined in (iii) below. The precise wording to be delegated to the Chair of Planning Committee in consultation with the Planning Delivery and Implementation Manager.

:

(i)             That details of the size of planting be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority;

(ii)            That plans be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority showing the parking spaces that will be serviced by electric vehicle charging points; and

(iii)          The committee expressed a view that they wished to see the installation of a fixed pelican crossing point to the new pathway to ensure the safety of children crossing the road in this area.