Agenda and minutes

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 12 November 2018 (to be laid on the table half an hour before the meeting).

The minutes of the meeting which took place on 12 November were confirmed and signed.

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.

Members are advised that in order for a substitute to be arranged, a Member must give four clear working days notice of their apologies. For this meeting, the latest date apologies can be given for a substitute to be arranged is [XX Month XXXX].

Councillors Carole Cockburn, Mike Band and John Ward. Councillor David Else did not make the start of the first application so Councillor Peter Isherwood took the chair and until the second application.

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.

Councillor Mary Foryszewski declared a non-pecuniary interest in Item B1 - WA/2017/2391 - Land south of High Street between Alfold Road and Knowle Lane, Cranleigh GU6 8NE because of the references in the report to Little Meadows.

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 none.

The Chairman to respond to any questions received from Members in accordance with Procedure Rule 11.

There were none.

Planning Performance and the Government target on quality on planning decision making will now be a standard item on the Joint Planning Committee agenda. This was an agreed recommendation at Executive on 28 November 2017 and is part of the Development Management Service Improvement Plan.

The latest available statistics are attached.

The Committee noted the report which outlined that the service was performing well.

Proposal

Approval of reserved matters for phase 2.2 for the erection of 130 dwellings with associated access, parking, drainage and landscaping works following the outline approval WA/2016/1625 for the erection of 425 dwellings. This is a subsequent application under the EIA Regulations and is accompanied by a statement of conformity (as amended by plans and documents received 09/08/18)

Recommendations

Proposed development

Approval of reserved matters for phase 2.2 for the erection of 130 dwellings with associated access, parking, drainage and landscaping works following the outline approval WA/2016/1625 for the erection of 425 dwellings. This is a subsequent application under the EIA Regulations and is accompanied by a statement of conformity (as amended by plans and documents received 09/08/18) at  Land south of High Street between Alfold Road and Knowle Lane, Cranleigh GU6 8NE

With reference to the report circulated with the agenda, Officers presented a summary of the planning context for making a decision on the application, and then outlined the proposed development including site plans and the layout. Officers outlined the determining issues and those matters of a more subjective nature.

Officers drew Members attention to the update sheet. Since the agenda had been published, plans had been submitted where were reviewed by the Council’s Tree Officer and it was noted that the originally proposed yellow leaved trees and magnolias, which were of concern, had been substituted. The proposed planting specification was now considered to be acceptable. There was an update from the County Council’s Principal Environmental Assessment Officer and one amendment to a condition.

The Committee was advised that the reserved matters application related to part of a wider site which adjoined a Builders’ yard and Hewitts Industrial Estate was also being developed with residential dwellings. Outline permission was granted on 31/06/2016 under Ref WA/2014/0912 for up to 425 dwellings including affordable homes, new access points and associated works. This application comprised the information for Phase 2.2 of the development, which contained 130 dwellings in total.

Public speaking

There was no public speaking.

Debate

The Committee debated the application and number of Members were disappointed about the size of the Affordable Housing dwellings being considerably smaller than that of the market housing. It was felt that this was not satisfactory, portrayed the wrong message and they were quite far under the national space standards. Officers advised that it is acknowledged that a number of the proposed units would not accord with the Standards. However, the Council did not have a Local Plan Policy in respect of these standards and, having regard to the floorspaces to be provided, Officers nevertheless considered that an appropriate standard of accommodation would be provided on site.

There was confusion by the Committee on the phasing of the development and why phase 2.2 was coming before 2.1. Furthermore, how could they be certain that the number of affordable homes would be built. Officers advised that there was an decision pending on phase 2.1 (approval of reserved matters for phase 2.1 for the erection of 18 dwellings, parking, drainage and landscape works and detail of the road from the Alfold Road access and the bridge over Littlemead Brook). Officers also advised that the applicant was increasing the number of affordable homes from 50 to 58. This was Phase 2.2 of a 425 dwelling development, and therefore, the mix of housing would be balanced across  ...  view the full minutes text for item 90.

Proposal

Application under Section 73A to vary Condition 5 and remove Condition 11 of WA/2018/0544 (Condition 5 limits works that can be done prior to construction of access bridge and Condition 11 limits lane closure times on the A31) to allow for the demolition of Brightwell Cottage and the tennis pavilion and the provision and collection of welfare facilities prior to the completion of the temporary construction bridge and to allow for the temporary 24 hour closure of a lane of the A31, to enable the construction of the bridge

Recommendation

That, subject to the consideration of the views of the Council’s Environmental Health Team and the County Highway Authority and subject to conditions 1-14 and informative 1, permission be GRANTED

Proposal

Application under Section 73A to vary Condition 5 and remove Condition 11 of WA/2018/0544 (Condition 5 limits works that can be done prior to construction of access bridge and Condition 11 limits lane closure times on the A31) to allow for the demolition of Brightwell Cottage and the tennis pavillion and the provision and collection of welfare facilities prior to the completion of the temporary construction bridge and to allow for the temporary 24 hour closure of a lane of the A31, to enable the construction of the bridge at  Site B , East Street Regeneration, East Street,  Farnham

With reference to the report circulated with the agenda, Officers presented a summary of the planning context for making a decision on the application, and then outlined the proposed development including site plans and the layout. Officers outlined the determining issues and those matters of a more subjective nature.

Officers drew Members attention to the update sheets. Officers advised that  since the agenda report was published, additional information has been received from the applicant in the form of a Technical Note prepared by Abley Letchford Partnership regarding the highway impacts of a 24 hour lane closure. The analysis showed that by operating a 24 hour lane closure, the construction programme could be reduced by approximately three quarters which in turn, resulted in a reduction in total cumulative delay of approximately 3,000 hours across the construction programme compared to a restricted lane closure. The County Highway Authority also confirmed that the 24 hour lane closure would allow for 10 hours of construction working per day between 8am and 6pm.

A further update was a response from the Council’s Environmental Health Team who raised no objection. There had been additional representations from the Farnham Society and Farnham Liberal Democrats. Amendments were also proposed to condition 1 and, in a separate update sheet, to conditions 6 and 14. Condition 6 was amended further verbally at the meeting.

Officers advised that planning permission was granted for a temporary two way construction access bridge in connection with the East St redevelopment in June 2018 (ref. WA/2018/0544). This application related to two conditions that were attached to the dual lane bridge permission – Conditions 5 and 11.  

Under the current terms of Condition 5, no development can take place on the main scheme until the bridge is completed. The application was for a Non- Material Amendment to Condition 5 of planning permission WA/2018/0544 to enable the demolition of Brightwell Cottage to occur prior to the completion of the bridge and the provision of on-site welfare facilities. Condition 11 was attached to the permission to ensure that the lane closure did not take place during peak traffic hours to reduce the impact on the highway network. The applicants were seeking to remove this condition to enable a 24 hour lane closure to take place during the construction of the bridge.

Public Speaking

There was no public speaking.

Debate

The Committee considered the application and raised concern about  ...  view the full minutes text for item 91.