Agenda and minutes

To sign the minutes of the meetings held on 27 April, 1 June and 29 June 2015.

The minutes of the meetings held on 27 April, 1 June and 29 June were taken as read and signed by the Chair as correct.

No declarations of interest were made by Members.

The Principal Project Manager (Development) presented the application for the demolition of two storey car park, relocation of western power substation, relocation of O2 substation and erection of new residential development containing 26 flats including new adjacent car parking facilities and landscaped areas.

Members were circulated with an update sheet - attached to minutes.

Mr Bolton spoke against the application. He raised the following points:-

• the design and colouring scheme are alien to the area;
• the proposed car park is inadequate for the existing number of residents;
• adequate parking spaces and garages are required to ensure that there is no parking congestion in the area;
• the Police have reported anti social behaviour in the area which is continuing and, consequently, a gated area is required to improve security;
• the proposed garden area is in the wrong location and will suffer from excess shading and is likely to be windy;
• refusal of the application on the previous occasion was because of the loss of open space and this remains a problem with the new plans; and
• is the £1.9 million allocated for the upgrade of Rennes House dependent on the new build?.

He responded as follows to Members’ queries:-

• there were no disabled parking spaces currently marked on site;
• parking is likely to be a growing problem as, although the flats are designated for over 55’s, many of the occupants will possess cars. It is likely that there will be increased parking in Whipton Village.

Ms Osmundsen spoke in support of the application. She raised the following points:-

• a new high quality development of 26 flats for the over 55’s was proposed to be rented to households in housing need in Exeter;
• the scheme would deliver new healthy design for older people using building biology principles, a modern landmark design offering long term savings in maintenance and repair costs, it would meet the Lifetime Homes standard and exceed minimum national space standards and it would possess low energy Passivhaus design aiding fuel poverty by reducing heating bills significantly;
• following the approval of the 2010 scheme, there has been a need to drive down costs and get better value for the public purse, hence the removal of the undercroft car parking. The number of new homes had been increased from 19 to 26 by increasing the proportion of one bedroom houses. This, along with other design changes, had reduced build costs by 40% between the old scheme and this current scheme;
• would possess 24 parking spaces to be shared between the new build and Rennes House retaining the same number of parking spaces used by Rennes House residents with 9 spaces for the new development;
• a new high quality, landscape architect designed scheme for the residents of Rennes House, with design input from the tenants;

• improved security of the entire site with the introduction of boundary treatments to prevent pedestrians from crossing the site and gaining access to the upgraded private amenity space;
• after the February Planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64.

The report of the Assistant Director City Development was submitted.

            RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The schedule of appeal decisions and appeals lodged was submitted.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To advise that the next Site Inspection Party will be held on Tuesday 22 September 2015  at  9.30 a.m.  The Councillors attending will be Bialyk, Newby and Sutton.

RESOLVED that the next Site Inspection Party will be held on Tuesday 22 September 2015 at 9.30 a.m.The Councillors attending will be Denham, Lyons and Newby.