Agenda item

Planning Application No. 16/0849/03 - Playing Field off Wear Barton Road, Exeter

To consider the report of the Assistant Director City Development.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Newby declared a disclosable interest and left the meeting during consideration of this item as his wife worked for Exeter College

 

The Assistant Director City Development presented the application for the development of 101 houses, a new sports pitch and changing facility, public open space including children's play areas and associated highways and drainage infrastructure at Wear Barton and re-provision of senior football pitch and 11 under 11/nine under nine pitches at Exwick Sports Hub.

 

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

 

Councillor Baldwin attended the meeting and spoke on this item under Standing Order No. 44. She made the following points:-

 

·         although there is a housing shortage, housing provision is taking precedence again over preserving open space;

·         although the transport report states that there will be no adverse impact on Tospham Road or the Countess Wear roundabout it is evident that this will not be the case given the high level of traffic on this road which will increase with the other developments coming on line in the Topsham area;

·         extra demand will be placed on the sewage works and some of the houses are only 100 metres from these works;

·         there will be extra pressure on Countess Wear primary school with delays occurring with the new school being built in Newcourt which is behind schedule;

·         two existing football pitches will be lost;

·         is the proposal for a childrens’ play area necessary given the proximity of the Lakeside Avenue Play area?;

·         the Newcourt Area will have 3,500 new homes with only one play area and a multi-use games area still not provided

·         although the College state that the area is little used there is use by the Youth Club as well as by the general public use during school holidays

·         land could be used for a cricket pitch for the St James Cricket Club who are looking for a new facility;

·         unlikely that the terms and conditions of sale from the local education authority to the College would have allowed to sell off for housing and College intention to fence off will prevent public access;

·         if College do not want the land identified for housing they could hand over to the local community;

·         Exwick already has playing fields so no pressing need to update facilities here and the distance of some eight miles is excessive for the youth of Countess Wear to travel. The proposal is contra to aims of Active Exeter;

·         sympathetic to housing requirement but concerned that development in this area is detrimental to playing field and open space provision; and

·         suggest compromise through a smaller number of houses and improved play facilities.

 

Councillor Leadbetter attended the meeting and spoke on this item under Standing Order No. 44. He made the following points:-

 

·         support comments of Councillor Baldwin;

·         the application has previously been recommended for refusal with objections from both Sport England and the public;

·         premature to decide this application without full consideration of the recently produced sports strategy to re-evaluate overall sports facilities in the City; and

·         residents of Countess Wear should not be disadvantaged by the lack of clarity within City Council housing policies.

 

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

 

·         local resident speaking on behalf of the 185 people who have formally objected to this application;

·         the site is legally designated as a playing field and furthermore is a vital open space. Development on such a site is thus contrary to local and government policy. Only minor modifications have been made to the proposal to develop the site which was turned down in June of this year. These modifications do not change the underlying point that covering two thirds of the playing field with housing will undoubtedly harm recreation opportunities in the area, however the remaining one third is used. A football pitch and children’s play area, hemmed in by housing and situated under an electrical pylon, is incomparable to the current open field. Playing fields in Exwick, however high a standard, do not help the community of Countess Wear;

·         statement from Exeter College that this development is about more and better provision of public recreation spaces which is not accepted;

·         Exeter College has neglected the playing field over the last years. It has made no effort to engage the local population to promote use of the site. The college is using firm tactics to apply to develop the field. It has planning permission to fence off the field, and it will likely bar access in the event that this application is turned down. This is hardly the behaviour of a landlord who seeks to improve recreation opportunities for the community;

·         in conclusion the application is essentially the same as that turned down in July and the reasons for turning it application down remain as strong as ever;

·         propose an alternative. A community buy-out of the playing field would enable the football team to retain and improve their sporting facilities. It would allow the council and community to maintain and improve the recreational and ecological value of the site;

·         the Committee should follow its own policies L3 and L5, reject this application, and all parties should to come together and find a better future for the playing field.

 

He advised Members’ that the suggestion of a community by-out was an aspiration only.

 

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

 

·         Exeter College operates as an exempt charity, its core purpose, not to make a profit but to provide outstanding education and training benefiting Exeter, the community and ultimately the economy of the wider region. The College has around 10,000 students within its learning community;

·         the College continues to follow a progressive agenda, aligned to the growth and success of Exeter;

·         the planning application is part of a wider sports strategy and a vision that the College has to create, world class sports facilities here in the City;

·         college had duel responsibility to achieve the best possible outcomes for our students but also to be part of the Exeter Community, so the proposed Wear Barton development includes open space, a playground and a full size football pitch.  All of which, for the first time, provides guaranteed open space for this community and its residents;

·         the land at Wear Barton is privately owned and the College has not used it for teaching for five-years.  It is an unused asset and therefore a current liability for the College.  There is minimal current demand from the public;

·         there has been widespread consultation. The development not only provides much needed starter homes and affordable housing, but also an improved football pitch for the local team and guaranteed open space for the local community;

·         the pitch will always be available for public use and demand for it will increase because of its improved condition and the new changing facilities. Plans have been developed in consultation with the Countess Wear Dynamos;

·         the College is also providing enhanced playing pitches at Exwick, including a 3G astroturf, which will increase city wide pitch availability;

·         to summarise, planning permission is sought by a not-for-profit college whose only aim is to improve still further, education and sports provision in Exeter.

 

He responded as follows to Members’ queries:-

 

·         the College was totally committed to improved playing field provision in Exwick;

·         given funding cuts in the education sector, Exeter College having suffered more than some smaller institutions, it was not economically viable to donate the land for community use; and

·         plan exists to ensure long term provision for use by Countess Wear Dynamos.

 

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

 

RESOLVED that, subject to the completion of a Section 106 Agreement under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 requiring:-

 

·         affordable housing;

·         highway works;

·         a financial contribution towards a Traffic Regulations Order and Travel Planning;

·         an equipment children’s playing area if required;

·         reinstatement of a full size playing pitch at Flowerpot Playing Fields to include community use and 11 uner 11/nine under nine pitches;

·         marked out pitches with the Wear Barton Road site; and

·         provision of associated football equipment in connection with the marked out playing pitches.

 

planning permission for the development of 101 houses, a new sports pitch and changing facility, public open space including children's play areas and associated highways and drainage infrastructure at Wear Barton and re-provision of senior football pitch at Exwick Sports Hub be APPROVED, subject also to the following conditions:-

 

1)

Approval of the details of the layout, scale, appearance of the buildings, and the landscaping of the site (hereinafter called "the reserved matters") shall be obtained from the Local Planning Authority in writing before any development is commenced.

Reason:To safeguard the rights of control by the Local Planning Authority in respect of the reserved matters.

 

2)

Application for approval of the reserved matters shall be made to the local planning authority not later than 2 years from the date of this permission.

Reason:To ensure compliance with section 91 - 93 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

 

3)

The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than 2 year from the date of approval of the last of the reserved matters to be approved.

Reason:To ensure compliance with sections 91-92 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

 

4)

In respect of those matters not reserved for later approval the development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the proposed access scheme shown on drawing no. SK010C

Reason: To ensure that the means of access to the site are acceptable.

 

5)

Construction work shall not take place outside the following times: 0800hrs to 1800hrs (Monday to Fridays); 0800hrs to 1300hrs (Saturdays); nor at any time on Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays.

Reason: In the interests of the amenity of occupants of nearby buildings.

 

6)

A Construction Environmental Management Plans (CEMP) shall be submitted to and agreed in writing by the local planning authority prior to the commencement of development on site and work during the construction period shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details. This shall include details of mitigation measures to control the environmental impact of construction phases, including site traffic, vibration, noise and dust, as well as details of monitoring, complaints handling and arrangements to meet regularly with the local authority.

Reason: In the interest of the environment of the site and surrounding areas.

 

7)

No development shall take place on site until a full investigation of the site has taken place to determine the extent of, and risk posed by, any contamination of the land and the results, together with any remedial works necessary, have been agreed in writing by the local planning authority. The buildings shall not be occupied until the approved remedial works have been implemented and details of compliance provided to the local authority.

Reason: In the interests of the amenity of the occupants of the buildings hereby approved.

 

8)

Before development is commenced, a noise assessment together with details of any necessary mitigation measures to protect future occupiers of the development against identified inappropriate levels of externally generated noise shall be submitted to and approved by the local planning authority and any mitigation measures so approved shall be implemented within the relevant part of the development before it is occupied.

Reason: In the interests of the residential amenity of the future occupants of the development

 

9)

No work in connection with the development shall take place within the site until a written scheme of archaeological work has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority and the work shall be carried out in accordance with the approved scheme.

Reason: To ensure the appropriate identification, recording and publication of archaeological and historic remains affected by the development.

 

10)

Prior to the occupation of the development a biodiversity management and enhancement programme for the site shall be submitted to and approved by the local planning authority and the programme shall be implemented and maintained thereafter in accordance with the approved details.

Reason: In the interests of protecting and improving existing, and creating new wildlife habitats in the area.

 

11)

The development shall not be carried out otherwise than in accordance with a surface water drainage scheme, which shall include details of the means of attenuation and disposal of surface from the site, including through the use of sustainable drainage systems. Details of the scheme, a timetable for its implementation and details of its future management shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to the commencement of development. The scheme shall be implemented in accordance with the approved details and timetable for implementation.

Reason: To ensure the satisfactory drainage of the development.

 

12)

No part of the development shall be occupied until the proposed raised table access, footways and cycle route, as indicated on Wear Barton Road Access Drawing SK01C, has been provided in accordance with details to be submitted to and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority and retained for those purposes at all times.

Reason: To ensure that a safe and suitable access to the site is provided for all users, in accordance with Paragraph 32 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

 

13)

No more than 25% of the development hereby approved shall be occupied until the pedestrian crossing enhancements at the Wear Barton Road/ Topsham Road/ Admiral Way signalised junction, as indicated on the proposed pedestrian/cycle signalisation plan Drawing SK03B, or other arrangements as agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority have been provided and maintained for this purpose at all times.

Reason: To provide safe and suitable pedestrian and cycle access to and from the site to local amenities, in accordance with Section 4 of the NPPF.

 

14)

No more than 50% of the development hereby approved shall be occupied until a dedicated pedestrian cycle route from the Wear Barton Road access, through the development to a connection in the south west corner of the site to Glasshouse Lane, as indicated on Drawing SK04B, have been provided to a standard agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority and maintained for this purpose at all times.

Reason: To provide safe and suitable access and adequate facilities to promote the use of sustainable modes, in accordance with Section 4 of the NPPF.

 

15)

Before commencement of development the applicant shall submit a SAP calculation which demonstrates that a 19% reduction in CO2 emissions over that necessary to meet the requirements of the 2013 Building Regulations can be achieved. The measures necessary to achieve this CO2 saving shall thereafter be implemented on site and within 3 months of practical completion of any dwelling the developer will submit a report to the LPA from a suitably qualified consultant to demonstrate compliance with this condition.

Reason: In the interests of sustainable development and to ensure that the development accords with Core Strategy Policy CP15.

 

 

 

Supporting documents: