Agenda item

To consider the report of the Assistant Director City Development.

The City Development Manager presented the application for the construction of 116 dwellings and associated works (Phase 2 development area). He explained that an acoustic fence would be required on the southern side as the site was adjacent to the consented commercial development at Moor Exchange. In addition the Highway Authority required that a connection through the southern boundary to the Moor Exchange site to the south would be available to buses, pedestrians and cyclist with private motorised vehicles prohibited. A number of small open spaces would be provided within the development but the main area of open space to serve the Hill Barton development would be delivered as part of the Ridge Line Park in a later phase with a contribution towards the much larger Ridge Line Open Space to which other developments would also be asked to/had contributed. 

The Highways Development Manager explained that the bus only route would be signage only because of longstanding problems across the County with a bollard system. The County did not wish to enable access for cars as it was believed that this would result in a “rat-run” from Hill Barton and Monkerton through onto Honiton Road causing capacity issues at the Moor Lane roundabout.

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

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

·         do not object to the housing and only seek clarity on condition three for the bus link and condition five, the acoustic fence, changes needed to protect the commercial scheme;

·         the layout is driven by higher density and less internal roads but the opportunity has been missed for the main road to run along the hedge to act as a further buffer from the noisy commercial scheme, instead housing now directly borders the hedge; 

·         in return for greater density, Persimmon have proposed an acoustic fence to solve all the problems, but this is unclear. It is likely that a five/six metre plus acoustic fence is required. The worst case noise scenario from commercial operators needs to be defined so the specification can be appropriately agreed. If the specification of the fence is not sufficient to counteract the proposed noise from commercial operators, then it achieves little. Could condition five require the specification to reflect the proposed/likely noise via commissioned assessments from the commercial scheme and likely operators - at present it does not;

·         could Persimmon negate condition five and not install any fence at all as, at present, the site next door is a field, pending a revised commercial application and is not currently producing any noise;

·         lack of enforcement for the bus link into the Moor Exchange land before it reaches highway at Fitzroy Road. Any grey area on highway performance at the entrance of the site concerns potential occupiers. The Highways Engineer has confirmed the concern that the link will be a heavily used rat run and the concern over the junction performance, Honiton Road and Moor Roundabout, yet a bus only link is sought with only signage as enforcement which is unacceptable;

·         support the offer of a bus link in the future if an operator serves this route, however, the bus only link must be enforced via a bollard mechanism not just signage. It is common sense that, with only signage, this link will be utilised by private cars - uncertainty for potential Moor Exchange occupiers is unacceptable

·         the “build out” proposed will be ineffectual and potentially dangerous and is within the Moor Exchange site and not within the red line of the application;

·         there is no suitable control or enforcement delivered within this application; and

·         a bollard mechanism is required to ensure this link is used as a bus link only and a barrier mechanism is delivered and secured within the red line of this application via a redrafted condition three. 

He responded to Members’ queries as follows:-

·         the height and nature of the acoustic fence will be determined by the nature of the commercial units which is unknown at present;

·         further clarity is required on build-out for a bus only construction to discourage private motorised vehicular use as currently proposed;    

·         the Moor Exchange scheme is fixed and will react to the operational requirements of commercial occupiers and not reflect the additional 900 homes planned for the area;

·         no dialogue to date with the housing applicant nor Devon County Council in respect of the proposed link;

·         parking spaces for shoppers are provided for in the Moor Lane development; and

·         right hand turns into the site of this proposal as well as into Fitzroy Road is a concern.

Mr West spoke in support of the application. He raised the following points:-

·         outline consent already given and the scheme fits in with the approved Monkerton Masterplan;

·         have accepted advice of the Highways Engineer that the link should be bus only but will also support opening the link to all vehicles;

·         no objection to “build out” to facilitate the link;

·         will comply with Section 106 Agreement for provision of open space which will be provided at the appropriate trigger point.

Responding to a Member, he stated that there had been no discussions yet with bus providers regarding the possible locations of bus stops. Also in response to a Member, he advised that the provision of open space as part of the Ridge Line open space area would be in response to a trigger, the City Development Manager advising that this was related to a numerical number of houses provided which was some time away and was in accordance with outline consent.

The recommendation was for approval, subject to the conditions as set out in the report.

Members expressed their concerns around the decision to provide a bus link controlled by signage rather than bollards, thus preventing access by motor vehicles, as they believed that this would cause considerable difficulty for the residents of this development and the wider area to access the proposed local shopping centre that was a likely occupier of the Moor Exchange Lane. It was also suggested that vehicles visiting Moor Exchange from Monkerton would cause added pressure on the by-pass and other roads.

The City Development Manager stated that, if the site was to fulfil a role as a local centre, it should be well served by appropriate accesses to the surrounding residential areas. There was also concern regarding the impact of extra traffic on the Moor Exchange roundabout.

Suggestions were made of alternative access points into the Moor Exchange site from this development. There were difficulties associated with the suggestions and, although the developer could re-design the residential layout, the preferred siting of a service road for the commercial development would be adjacent to the southern boundary which would result in traffic conflict with any access from the residential development. It was noted that, at present, no bus provision had been identified. 

Members asked for clarification on the highway traffic implications for the area as this and other developments were brought forward and for a clear strategy to be developed for the benefit of local residents. Further consideration was needed regarding access to the site. They urged collaboration between the two developers and the County Council.

RESOLVED that the application be deferred for a report back to this Committee on the strategic access issues relating to the residential and other developments across the whole Monkerton Master Plan area.