Agenda item

To consider the report of the Assistant Service Lead City Development.

 

The Principal Project Manager (Development) (MD) presented the application for outline planning permission for residential development of up to 234 dwellings with accesses onto Chudleigh Road and Dawlish Road, associated landscaping, public open space, drainage and infrastructure with all matters reserved except for access. (Amended Scheme)

 

The Principal Project Manager (Development) advised that, following previous applications from Devon County Council which had been deferred, revised proposals had been received from Redrow Homes at Aldens Farm East and Burrington Estates at Aldens Farm West. The latter application would be reported to the Planning Committee later in the year.

 

The application for Aldens Farm East comprised revised parameter plans in accordance with urban design principles and the proposal was in line with the principles of the Strategic Allocation. The Principal Project Manager (Development) referred to a series of planning obligations required as part of a Section 106 Agreement. He referred to the objections received from the Alphington Village Forum, notably the reference to the need for community facilities. An updated Transport Assessment had been provided by the applicant.

 

 

Responding to Members’ queries, he advised that:-

·         conditions would include the need to have regard to the 10% policy requirement of public open space, not including the boundary hedgerows;

·         the South West Exeter Development Brief was an adopted Supplementary Planning Document and therefore a material consideration although, not all elements within the Brief were necessarily brought forward;

·         no approach was made by the Clinical Commissioning Group for health facilities as part of this development;

·         the payments due as part of the Section 106 Agreement in respect of the number of dwellings was index linked up to the time payment was made; and

·         the site was located adjacent to Alphington Village and therefore there were a number of existing services and facilities close to the site. The site was served by the existing road network, a number of bus services and was located adjacent to an existing pedestrian and cycle path network.

 

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

 

·         welcome the proposed level of affordable housing of 30%, including 70% social rented to help young families;

·         traffic issues are being addressed through the Exeter Transport Strategy which seeks to reduce reliance on the car through encouraging greater bus usage and with the scheduled opening in 2022 of the Marsh Barton Rail Halt;

·         recent “pop up” changes in the traffic network as part of the response to Covid-19 will further encourage more cycling and walking and use of public transport;

·         the contribution towards transport infrastructure improvements will help towards securing safer access to the developments in South West Exeter;

·         welcome the focus on permeability through the site and beyond into the developments in the Teignbridge District as well as the cycle/walking link into the Riverside Valley Park;

·         welcome biodiversity provision, more than 10% public open space and linkage to the District Heating system;

·         the City Council has previously supported the provision of community facilities in Alphington Village, including the Village Hall; and

·         overall, this, and the other developments, are a significant improvement on original proposals.

 

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

 

·         concerns of Exeter residents regarding potential purchasers of new properties as part of a view that the south west would be a safer area in light of the Covid-19 crisis. Providing for social housing for local people and addressing local housing need is therefore a relevant issue and, as such, a 30% provision may be regarded as inadequate;

·         reference to a gateway development highlights this area as one which is adjacent to a main commuter route into the city with its associated problems of congestion and pollution;

·         the Hydrock 2019 Transport assessment does not fully consider the proximity of the A30 and the M5, nor future traffic arising from the rest of the south west Exeter developments as part of the Bovis, Barrett’s and Burlington Barrett estates;

·         a condition is needed to minimise construction traffic through Alphington village;

·         Highways England have no plans to improve the Devon Motel roundabout;

·         insufficient evidence from the County Council on the likely impact of the additional cars from the 234 houses proposed on travel patterns;

·         Dawlish Road is effectively a country lane;

·         concern that the proposed cycle and walkways will not materialise and, if they do, will lack an integrated approach to other developments; and

·         traffic build-up, traffic jams and gridlock have been evident on many occasions, suggesting a need for an independent traffic assessment.

 

The Highways Development Management Officer advised that the South West Exeter Access Strategy within the South West Exeter Masterplan provided for the delivery of safe and sustainable highway conditions including improved access arrangements onto the A379 and enhanced walking, cycling and public transport provision. These were being brought forward as part of the overall package of housing and community developments in the Teignbridge district. He also stated that the Construction Management Plan would ensure that traffic was directed away from Alphington Village and that, following the previous deferral of the application, Hydrock had provided an updated report.

 

Mrs Meadowcroft spoke against the application. She raised the following points:-

 

·         in addition to the extremely serious issues around excessive future traffic caused by the massive South West Exeter development comprising 2,500 new houses, the Alphington Village Forum objects to these outline plans on the specific point of the lack of any new community facilities;

·         theHydrock 2019 Transport Assessment produced for the County Council does not fully consider the future traffic arising from the rest of the South West Exeter developments, comprising an additional 1,000 new houses being built on the northern side of the A379. The Tempro 2024 calculations are based on trip rates from a 2011 National Travel Survey and are therefore inaccurate;

·         all traffic heading from the A379 towards Exeter on Dawlish and Chudleigh Roads joins Church Road at the church junction, a designated conservation area, and ends in a bottleneck at Alphington Road. This is the junction near Sainsbury’s, with more traffic from the A30 joining but is not mentioned in the Hydrock’s Manual Traffic Survey;

·         there will be  six new accesses on to Chudleigh Road and two on to the old Dawlish Road, a narrow country lane regularly blocked at rush hour;

·         transport infrastructure enhancements are required for South West Exeter as stated in the Exeter Core Strategy Policy CP19 and regard should be had to the Core Planning Principle of enhancing the natural and local environment;

·         there will be an adverse impact on residents’ present quality of life;

·         the South West Exeter Development Brief produced in 2014 requires an area of 0.11 hectares as a local centre, comprising a site of 0.1 hectare for the future provision of a health centre or doctor’s surgery which should be on the eastern side of Chudleigh Road, but has been omitted from the Redrow development;

·         the new Local Centre of Matford Barton Garden Neighbourhood Centre although 400 metres away is on the other side of the A379. Few people will be willing to walk or cycle there and carry back all their shopping;

·         there are limited parking spaces and dangerous narrow roads; and

·         facilities in the village are already over-subscribed, the primary school is full and the surgery has 8,000 registered patients, with lengthy waiting times for appointments.

 

Responding to a Member, she also remarked that the location of the new school on the other side of the A379 was inappropriate as children from Alphington Village would have to walk across the proposed bridge over the road and extra traffic would occur when parents drove their children to school.

 

Jenny Miitter spoke in support of the application. She raised the following points:-

 

·         30% affordable housing, with 70% social rented and 30% intermediate is proposed which is supported by a detailed viability assessment accepted by the Council’s independent viability assessor;

·         although there had been discussions to increase the affordable housing provision to 35% there was also a request for a substantial education contribution. Redrow had agreed to contribute an additional £1.5 million in education contributions through the Section 106 Agreement. This additional financial burden would impact on the scheme’s viability and the ability to provide a policy compliant level of affordable housing which was not achievable. Therefore, the proposed affordable provision should be considered acceptable; and

·         the development supports the Council’s five year housing land supply position and the imperative to deliver housing growth in line with the plan led system.

 

She responded as follows to Members’ queries:-

 

·         the Section 106 Agreement contributions for traffic improvements are significant;

·         a local centre is proposed for the Bovis development in the Teignbridge District and there are adequate shop facilities in Alphington Village; and

·         Redrow were guided by the Development Brief which identified the Bovis site as the best for the provision of the new school and agreed a substantial contribution towards the school.

 

Members expressed the following views:-

 

·         concerned that developments within the boundary of Exeter, both at Alphington and Pinhoe, allied to the other housing developments in the neighbouring authorities of Teignbridge and East Devon, create huge pressures on the infrastructure and existing community facilities and question the overall sustainability going forward;

·         proposal fails to meet Council policy of 35% affordable housing provision, does not address need to enhance health or education provision for the Alphington Village area and lacks an archaeological site evaluation and should be re-thought

·         additional biodiversity features could be appropriate and a report on noise assessment during and after construction is suggested; and

·         developments in this area are being brought forward after prolonged discussions between local authorities seeking to provide the best infrastructure, education and community provision for both Exeter and Teignbridge District and to deliver much needed housing.

 

The Principal Project Manager (Development) confirmed that the provision of community facilities including education conformed to policy requirements. He advised that the Clinical Commissioning Group were seeking a financial contribution in respect of the Aldens Farm West site but had not made a request in relation to this site.

The recommendation was for approval, subject to the completion of a Section 106 Agreement and the conditions as set out in the report.

The recommendation was moved and seconded and carried.

RESOLVED that, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in respect of affordable housing; district heating; education; financial contribution to highway and public realm improvements and following agreement with the applicant in respect of the pre-commencement conditions, outline planning permission for residential development of up to 234 dwellings with accesses onto Chudleigh Road and Dawlish Road, associated landscaping, public open space, drainage and infrastructure with all matters reserved except for access. (Amended Scheme) 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 the approval of the reserved matters shall be made to the Local Planning Authority before the expiration of three years from the date of the permission and the development hereby permitted shall be begun before the expiration of five years from the date of the permission, or before the expiration of two years from the date of the approval of the last of the reserved matters to be approved whichever is the later.

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

 

3.         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. 13557-HYD-XX-XX-DR-TP-0006 Rev P01 and 13557-HYD-XX-XX-DR-D-0001 Rev P02

Reason: To ensure that an appropriate vehicular access is provided to serve the development.

 

4.         The development hereby permitted shall not be carried out otherwise than in accordance with the submitted details contained within the parameter plans (dwg nos epd5978_d001b; 5978_d002h; 5978_d003i & 5978_d0041i) as modified by other conditions of this consent.

Reason: In order to ensure compliance with the approved plans.

 

5.         If, during demolition/ development, contamination not previously identified is found to be present at the site then the Local Authority shall be notified as soon as practicable and no further development (unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority), shall be carried out until the developer has submitted an investigation and risk assessment, and where necessary a remediation strategy and verification plan, detailing how this unsuspected contamination shall be dealt with. Prior to occupation of any part of the development, a verification report demonstrating completion of the works set out in the approved remediation strategy, shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority.

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

 

6.         Pre-commencement condition: No development related works 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 for those works. This scheme shall include on-site work, and off-site work such as the analysis, publication, and archiving of the results, together with a timetable for completion of each element. All works shall be carried out and completed in accordance with the approved scheme, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

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

 

7.         Pre-commencement condition: No development shall take place until a Waste Audit Statement for waste arising from the development has been submitted to and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The statement shall include:

a) methods to reduce the amount of waste material

b) methods to re-use the waste within the development

c) methods for the reprocessing and/or final disposal of excavated materials, including locations (which should hold appropriate planning permission, Environment Agency licences and exemptions) where such activities will take place

d) estimated quantities of excavated/demolition materials arising from the site

e) evidence that all alternative methods of waste disposal have been considered

f) evidence that the distance travelled when transporting waste material to its final disposal point has been kept to a minimum.

Reason: The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved statement.

 

8.         Prior to first occupation a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan as recommended by the Ecological Assessment dated November 2019 produced by Tyler Grange which demonstrates how the proposed development will be managed in perpetuity to enhance wildlife, together with a programme of implementation, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The development shall be implemented and maintained in accordance with the approved Plan and programme of implementation.

Reason – In the interests of securing a comprehensive approach to the preservation and enhancement of the landscape and ecological interest of the site

 

9.         Pre-commencement condition: No development (including ground works) or vegetation clearance work shall take place until a Construction and Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority including for those works:

(a)  the timetable of the works;

(b)   daily hours of construction;

(c)   any road closure;

(d)   hours during which delivery and construction traffic will travel to and from the site, with such vehicular movements being restricted to between 8:00am and 6pm Mondays to Fridays inclusive: 9.00am to 1.00pm Saturdays, and no such vehicular movements taking place on Sundays and Bank/Public Holidays unless agreed by the planning Authority in advance;

(e)  the number and sizes of vehicles visiting the site in connection with the development and the frequency of their visits;

(f)    the compound/location where all building materials, finished or unfinished products, parts, crates, packing materials and waste will be stored during the demolition and

      construction phases;

(g)   areas on-site where delivery vehicles and construction traffic will load or unload building materials, finished or unfinished products, parts, crates, packing materials and waste with confirmation that no construction traffic or delivery vehicles will park on the County highway for loading or unloading purposes, unless prior written agreement has been given by the Local Planning Authority;

(h)  hours during which no construction traffic will be present at the site;

(i)     the means of enclosure of the site during construction works; and

(j)    details of proposals to promote car sharing amongst construction staff in order to limit construction staff vehicles parking off-site

(k)  details of wheel washing facilities and obligations

(l)    the proposed route of all construction traffic exceeding 7.5 tonnes.

(m) details of the amount and location of construction worker parking.

(n)  photographic evidence of the condition of adjacent public highway prior to

commencement of any work.

Reason: To minimise the environmental impacts of the construction process for local residents and in the interests of amenity.

 

10.       No part of the development hereby permitted shall be commenced until the detailed design of the proposed permanent surface water drainage management system has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority. The application for the detailed drainage should be submitted and agreed at the same time that the reserved matters for layout are submitted and agreed. The design of this permanent surface water drainage management system will be in accordance with the principles of sustainable drainage systems, and those set out in the Alden's Farm East, Alphington Drainage Strategy Addendum Report (Report Ref. 19035 - A, Rev. A, dated 20^th March 2020). No part of the development shall be occupied until the surface water management scheme serving that part of the development has been provided in accordance with the approved details and the drainage infrastructure shall be retained and maintained for the lifetime of the development.

Reason: To ensure that surface water runoff from the development is managed in accordance with the principles of sustainable drainage systems.

 

11.       Pre-commencement condition No part of the development hereby permitted shall be commenced until the detailed design of the proposed surface water drainage management system which will serve the development site for the full period of its construction has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority. This temporary surface water drainage management system must satisfactorily address both the rates and volumes, and quality, of the surface water runoff from the construction site.

Reason: To ensure that surface water runoff from the construction site is appropriately managed so as to not increase the flood risk, or pose water quality issues, to the surrounding area.

 

12.       Pre-commencement condition No part of the development hereby permitted shall be commenced until the full details of the adoption and maintenance arrangements for the proposed permanent surface water drainage management system have been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To ensure that the development’s permanent surface water drainage management systems will remain fully operational throughout the lifetime of the development.

 

13.       Pre-commencement condition: No development shall take place until details have been submitted and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority of how good design principles and best practice measures, as outlined in Chapter 5 of the IAQM/EPUK guidance Land-Use Planning & Development Control: Planning For Air Quality, will be incorporated to ensure that emissions are fully minimised. The development shall not be occupied until the agreed measures have implemented.

Reason: In the interests of residential amenity.

 

14.       No development shall take place, until a noise quality assessment has been carried out in accordance with a programme and methodology to be agreed in writing by the local planning authority and the results, together with any mitigation measures necessary, have been agreed in writing by the local planning authority. The development shall not be occupied until the approved mitigation measures have implemented.

Reason: In the interests of residential amenity

 

15.       No part of the development shall be occupied until details of the open space provision (to be not less than 10% of the total site area and excluding hedgerow and associated buffer area) and children’s play equipment has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority and thereafter installed to an agreed timescale and maintained in accordance with the agreed details.

         Reason: In the interests of residential amenity

 

16.       With the exception of the approved removal of the accesses for the site any trees and hedges on or around the site shall not be felled, lopped, or removed without the prior written consent of the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To safeguard the rights of control by the Local Planning Authority in these respects and in the interests of amenity.

 

17.       The erection of fencing for the protection of any retained tree shall be undertaken in accordance with the tree protection plans submitted as part of the Arboricultural Survey produced by Advance Arboriculture dated August 2017 before any equipment, machinery or materials are brought on to the site for the purposes of the development, and shall be maintained until all equipment, machinery and surplus materials have been removed from the site. Nothing shall be stored or placed in any area fenced in accordance with this condition and the ground levels within those areas shall not be altered, nor shall any excavation be made, without the written approval of the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To ensure the protection of the trees during the carrying out of the development. This information is required before development commences to protect trees during all stages of the construction process.

 

18.       Prior to occupation of the development hereby approved details of provision for nesting birds shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority in consultation with the RSPB. Upon written approval of the details, the scheme shall be fully implemented as part of the development and retained thereafter.

Reason: In the interests of preservation and enhancement of biodiversity in the locality.

 

19.       The development shall accord with the recommended mitigation measures as stated within the Ecological Assessment dated November 2019 produced by Tyler Grange unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To protect and enhance the existing habitat in relation to the area’s bat population.

 

20.       The development shall accord with the recommended mitigation measures as stated within the dormouse mitigation method statement dated December 2012 and reaffirmed in November 2017 produced by EPS Ecology and the Ecological Assessment in November 2019 produced by Tyler Grange unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Reason: To protect and enhance the existing habitat in relation to the area’s dormouse population.

 

21.       Unless it is agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to commencement that it is not viable or feasible to do so , or would unreasonably delay construction the habitable buildings comprised in the development hereby approved shall be constructed in accordance with the CIBSE Heat Networks Code of Practice so that their internal systems for space and water heating are capable of being connected to the proposed low temperature hot water decentralised energy district heating network. Space shall be provided for the necessary on-site infrastructure (including pipework, plant and machinery) for connection of those systems to the network at points at the application site boundary, as agreed in writing by the local planning authority.

Reason: To ensure that the proposal complies with Policy CP13 of Councils Adopted Core Strategy and paragraph 153 of the NPPF and in the interests of delivering sustainable development.

 

22.       The development shall achieve a 19% reduction in CO2 emissions over than necessary to meet the requirements of the 2013 Building Regulations.

Reason - In the interests of sustainable development and in accordance with Exeter Core Strategy Policy CP15.

 

23.       No part of the development shall be occupied until a vehicular access onto Dawlish Road and Chudleigh Road with associated visibility splays (subject to the approval of a TRO in consultation with the Local Highway Authority), as indicated in drawing Number 13557-HYD-XX-XX-DR-TP-0006 Rev P01have been completed with details that shall have been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority                       

            Reason: To ensure that a safe and suitable access to the site is provided for all users, in accordance with Paragraph 108 of the NPPF.

 

24.       No part of the development shall be occupied until further details of Pedestrian/Cycle access serving the site, as indicated in Drawing Number edp5978_d002h have been completed with details that shall have been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority and the Local Highway Authority.                       

            Reason: To ensure that a safe and suitable access to the site is provided for all users, in accordance with Paragraphs 108 and 110 of the NPPF.

 

25.       No part of the development shall be occupied until a 2m footpath adjacent to Chudleigh Road as indicated on Drawing Number 13557-HYD-XX-XX-DR-D-0001 Rev P02 have been completed with details that shall have been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the Local Planning Authority and with the Local Highway Authority   

Reason: To ensure that a safe and suitable access to the site is provided for all users, in accordance with Paragraphs 108 and 110 of the NPPF

 

26.       Prior to first occupation any retaining wall within 5m of public highway, a detailed Approval In Principle for that section of retaining wall shall be submitted and approved in writing by the Local Highway Authority and implemented in accordance those agreed details.

              Reason: To ensure the integrity of adjacent structures and land, and to formalise any necessary easements.

 

27.       No more than 150 dwellings shall be occupied until a vehicular route from Chudleigh Road to Dawlish Road capable of accommodating two-way bus flow through the site have been provided to a specification agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority and with the Local Highway Authority                     

              Reason: To ensure the site is served by sustainable transport modes required to meet the agreed residential trip rates and to ensure that a safe and suitable access to the site is provided for all users, in accordance with Paragraph 108 of the NPPF.

 

28.       No development shall take place, including any works of demolition, until adequate areas shall have been made available within the site to accommodate operatives' vehicles, construction plant and materials and a Construction Method Statement has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the local planning authority.

            The statement should include details of access arrangements, measures to minimise the impact on the adjacent footpaths and timings of the proposed works. The approved Statement shall be adhered to throughout the construction period.

            Reason: In the interests of highway safety and public amenity

 

Informatives

 

1. A legal agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 relates to this planning permission.

 

2. In accordance with paragraph 38 of the National Planning Policy Framework the Council has worked in a positive and pro-active way with the Applicant and has negotiated amendments to the application to enable the grant of planning permission.

 

3. The Local Planning Authority considers that this development will be CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) liable. Payment will become due following commencement of development.  It is also drawn to your attention that where a chargeable development is commenced before the Local Authority has received a valid Commencement Notice (ie where pre-commencement conditions have not been discharged) the Local Authority may impose a surcharge and the ability to claim any form of relief from the payment of the Levy will be foregone. You must apply for any relief and receive confirmation from the Council before commencing development. For further information please see www.exeter.gov.uk/cil.

 

4. In accordance with Chapters 1 and 2 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, this development has been screened in respect of the need for an Appropriate Assessment (AA). Given the nature of the development, it has been concluded that an AA is required in relation to potential impact on the relevant Special Protection Areas (SPA), the Exe Estuary, which are designated European sites. This AA has been carried out and concludes that the development is such that it could have an impact primarily associated with recreational activity of future occupants of the development. This impact will be mitigated in line with the South East Devon European Site Mitigation Strategy prepared by Footprint Ecology on behalf of East Devon and Teignbridge District Councils and Exeter City Council (with particular reference to Table 26), which is being funded through a proportion of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) collected in respect of the development being allocated to funding the mitigation strategy.