Agenda item

To consider the report of the Assistant Director City Development.

The Principal Project Manager (Development) (PJ) presented the application for outline consent for up to 101 homes, a new sports pitch and changing facility, public open space including children's play areas and associated highways and drainage infrastructure with all matters reserved except for means of access.

He referred to legal advice set out in the update sheet clarifying how the application should be determined following confirmation that the Council’s policies for the delivery of housing were deemed out of date as a result of the Council not having a five year housing supply as concluded by the Exeter Road Inspector. The legal view was that the application should be determined in accordance with the Development Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise and this would depend on assessing whether the proposal was in accordance with the Development Plan as a whole and, if it was not, on the weight afforded to the relevant Development Plan policies under consideration both in themselves and relative to the other material considerations.

He also advised of minor amendments to the reason for refusal. He explained that, as the applicant had appealed against non-determination because the application had not been determined within 13 weeks, the decision on the application would be made by the Inspector at a Public Inquiry to be held on 6 December 2016. The Council is required to indicate what its decision would have been if it had determined the application.

Councillor Leadbetter, having given notice under Standing Order No.44, spoke on the item. He raised the following points:-

·         150 letters of objection had been received setting out 31 reasons;

·         this development would add to existing pressures following other developments in the Newcourt area and the Topsham Gap and the imminent arrival of IKEA;

·         pressure on public open space and need to retain playing field for both young people and adults, a number of football teams struggle to find suitable playing fields as others in the City are fully booked;

·         will be an adverse impact on the Countess Wear 100 Club, the only remaining youth centre in the City; and

·         need to resist pressure on green spaces.

The recommendation was that the application would have been refused for the reason set out in the update sheet.

RESOLVED that the application for outline planning permission for up to 101 homes, a new sports pitch and changing facility, public open space including children's play areas and associated highways and drainage infrastructure with all matters reserved except for means of access would have been REFUSED as the proposal is contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework 2012 (paragraph 74), Exeter City Council Core Strategy 2012 CP10, Exeter Local Plan First Review 1995-2011 Policy L3 and L5 and Sport England’s Playing Field Policy because the development would result:-

(a)        in the loss of the openness of the site detrimental to the amenity value of the area; and

(b)        in the loss of a playing pitch site identified for retention and provides the opportunity for future recreational need and these losses are not being replaced by provision of equivalent value.