Agenda item

Sir John Moore Barracks Concept Masterplan

Decision:

1.       That the concept masterplan process be noted, including the public engagement strategy undertaken by the applicants which has helped to inform the preparation of the concept masterplan for Sir John Moore Barracks and has been undertaken following the Council’s master planning framework process; and

 

2.       That the Sir John Moore Barracks Concept Masterplan Vision Document, that is attached as Appendix 1 to report CAB3473 be endorsed which will then become a material consideration to inform the development management assessment of the future planning application.

 

3.       That it be noted that Cabinet is not taking a decision on whether the candidate Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) will be agreed.  This decision will be taken following the assessment and consideration of the future outline planning application.

Minutes:

 

Councillor Porter introduced the report and highlighted that the master planning process allowed developers and the planning team to work together with residents, the council’s planning team and other interested parties to develop a concept master plan which would become a material planning consideration when a planning application was submitted.  Public consultation has already been undertaken and the responses received were reflected in the masterplan.

 

David Tozer (Vice-chair of Littleton and Harestock Parish Council) spoke during public participation and his comments are summarised below.

Councillor Tozer clarified that the parish council had never been opposed to new housing on the existing developed part of SJMB but believed that the current approach left too many important decisions to be developer- led.  The masterplan proposed development on ecologically important land and the Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) advisory panel had recommended that the existing Flower Down SINC be extended to include the northern fields.   In summary, the parish council asked that both a decision on the masterplan be deferred until the outcome of the Local Plan public examination was known and the process of designating the northern fields as an extension of the existing SINC be expediated. 

 

At the invitation of the Leader, Councillors Lee, Horrill and Godfrey addressed Cabinet as summarised briefly below.

 

Councillor Lee

Councillor Lee queried why the concept master plan was a material consideration for future planning applications and whether a supplementary planning document would be more appropriate?  He asked how the emerging CN8 would be incorporated and whether there would be consideration of housing topology and optimal orientation for solar energy?  He also raised a number of other detailed queries and comments in relation to the design and layout of the site in relation to measures to reduce the environmental impact and offering nature-based solutions.

 

Councillor Horrill

Councillor Horrill noted that SJMB was a crucial part of the current local plan submission due to the inclusion of up to 1,000 new homes and queried whether the Inspector’s review of the plan was likely to make any material difference to the concept masterplan.  She regretted the lack of decision on the candidate SINC and believed this indicated an intention on the part of the developer to develop the northern fields area of the site.  She queried whether the proposed sports provision would be amended once the district review of sporting facilities had been completed?  She also asked how the green infrastructure and estate would be managed in the future and who would fund the cost of building the new park and ride facility?

 

Councillor Godfrey

Councillor Godfrey welcomed the retention of most of the woodland and the creation of a nature park but expressed concern about what remodelling of the existing land would be required.  He also shared the concern regarding a delay to the decision on the candidate SINC and any development in the northern fields.  He did not oppose the provision of new homes but emphasised the importance of the protection of the rural character of Littleton and retention of the settlement gap.  He queried the requirement to retain the existing sports facilities and requested that the masterplan should have regard to the recently adopted Littleton and Harestock Village Design Statement. 

 

The Leader welcomed three representatives from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) team to the meeting: Ian Woodward, Nikki Davies and Rob Gardner. 

 

Councillor Porter, the Service Lead – Built Environment, the Strategic Planning Manager and representatives from the DIO team responded to the comments and questions raised by the parish council and three city councillors summarised above.  The officers and representatives,  together with the Director (Legal), also responded to questions from Cabinet Members.

 

Cabinet agreed to the following for the reasons set out in the report and outlined above.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.             That the concept masterplan process be noted, including the public engagement strategy undertaken by the applicants which has helped to inform the preparation of the concept masterplan for Sir John Moore Barracks and has been undertaken following the Council’s master planning framework process; and

 

2.             That the Sir John Moore Barracks Concept Masterplan Vision Document, that is attached as Appendix 1 to the report be endorsed which will then become a material consideration to inform the development management assessment of the future planning application.

 

3.             That it be noted that Cabinet is not taking a decision on whether the candidate Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) will be agreed.  This decision will be taken following the assessment and consideration of the future outline planning application.

 

Supporting documents:

 

m - Sir John Moore Barracks Concept Masterplan{sidenav}{content}