Agenda and minutes

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 22 June 2016 (to be laid on the table half an hour before the meeting).

The Minutes of the last meeting of the Joint Planning Committee held on 22 June 2016 were signed and confirmed as a correct record.

To receive apologies for absence.

Where a Member of the Committee is unable to attend a meeting, a substitute Member from the same Area Planning Committee may attend, speak and vote in their place for that meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mike Band, Stephen Mulliner, Mary Foryszewski, Brian Adams, Christopher Storey and Pat Frost.

Councillor Patricia Ellis was in attendance as a substitute.

To receive from Members declarations of interests in relation to any items included on the Agenda for this meeting in accordance with the Waverley Code of Local Government Conduct.

There were no declarations of interest received from Members of the Committee.

The Chairman to respond to any questions received from members of the public of which notice has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 10.

There were no questions from members of the public received.

Proposal

Outline application with all matters reserved except for access for the demolition of the existing building and the erection of up to 96 dwellings with associated car parking and up to 4200sqm of commercial floor area for purpose of Class A1(retail) or Class A2 (professional and financial services) or Class A3 (food and drink) or Class A4 (drinking establishments) (as amended by plan received 11/01/2016) at The Woolmead, East Street,  Farnham GU9 7TT.

Recommendation A

That subject to the completion of a S106 legal agreement to secure infrastructure contributions towards highway improvements, early years and secondary education, recycling, playing pitches and equipment and to secure Thames Basin Heaths SPA contributions within 3 months of the date of resolution to grant permission, permission be GRANTED subject to Conditions 1 - 21 and Informatives 1 – 22 as set out in the report.

Recommendation B

That if requirements of Recommendation A are not met, permission be REFUSED for the reasons set out in the report.

Proposal

Outline application with all matters reserved except for access for the demolition of the existing building and the erection of up to 96 dwellings with associated car parking and up to 4200sqm of commercial floor area for purpose of Class A1(retail) or Class A2 (professional and financial services) or Class A3 (food and drink) or Class A4 (drinking establishments) (as amended by plan received 11/01/2016) at The Woolmead, East Street,  Farnham GU9 7TT.

Officers Introduction

The Head of Planning, Elizabeth Sims, introduced the background to the application. She explained that the proposal seeked the redevelopment of a major and important brown field site within Farnham town centre. It was the Governments and the Councils strong preference that residential development be carried out on brown field land where ever possible.

The site was run down and of a dated design. The redevelopment would provide an improved environment and opportunity at the heart of the town and was a long standing ambition of the Council since the 2002 Waverley Borough Local Plan. The Plan identified the site as part of the East Street area of opportunity.

The Committee were reminded that the application before the Committee was an outline application with only access under consideration as a matter of detail. Members were asked to consider the principle of development, that was whether they had felt that the application had demonstrated that up to ninety six dwellings and 4200sq. metres of commercial floorspace could be acceptably accomodated on the site in planning terms.

Officers emphasised that the elevations provided were indicative only and that any concerns or aspirations in respect of scale, appearance, landscaping or layout would have to be considered at reserved matters stage. The only detailed matter decided at the meeting had been that of access.

Members was also reminded that policy H5 of the Local Plan required at least 25% affordable housing for a development of the scale, form and density proposed. The applicant had argued that the development would not be viable if affordable housing provision had been made. As required by normal practice, in order to demonstrate this the applicant had been required to submit a financial appraisal to set out the viability position. The appraisal had been independently assessed by Adams Integra Consultants. The applicants case had indicated that the current lawful land value of the site had meant that the provision of affordable housing had made the scheme unviable. The current land value had reflected the granting of prior approval under reference CR/2015/0017, for the change of use from office to residential granted under permitted development rules.

Officers explained that Adams Integra Consultants had concluded that the scheme would be unviable if it had been required to provide affordable housing on site taking into account the infrastructure contributions that the scheme had to make to be acceptable in terms of infrastructure.

Members were informed that the Adams Integra Viability Report had been attached to the Agenda as a confidential document as it contained commercially sensitive  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

To consider the following recommendation on the motion of the Chairman (if necessary):-

Recommendation

That pursuant to Procedure Rule 20, and in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during the item, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information (as defined by Section 100I of the Act) of the description specified at the meeting in the revised Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

To consider any legal advice relating to any application in the agenda.