Agenda and minutes

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 had been received from Cllrs Stewart Stennett, Chris Storey and Nick Williams.

There were no substitutes present.

Cllr Brian Adams arrived part-way through the Committee’s consideration of application A1 (WA/2017/0198) and took no part in the discussion or determination of the application.

Cllrs Pat Frost and Nabeel Nasir left the meeting after the Committee’s consideration of application A2 (WA/2016/0114) and therefore did not take part in the determination of application A3 (WA/2017/0104).

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 interests in relation to items on the agenda.

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.

Before moving to the three planning applications for determination, the Principal Planning Officer, Kathryn Laughton, provided the Committee with an update on the status of the draft Local Plan Part 1: Strategic Policies and Sites after the conclusion of the Examination Hearings.  

In concluding the Hearings, the Inspector had indicated that modifications would need to be made to the Plan and had invited the Council to submit a list of these proposed modifications. These modifications would be subject to public consultation.  All representations on the proposed modifications would be taken into account by the Inspector before he issued his written report.  It was considered that substantial weight could now be given to the policies where no modifications were proposed, and significant weight could be given to those policies where modifications were proposed.

Proposal

Outline application with all matters reserved except access and layout for erection of 27 dwellings including 9 affordable with new access and associated works following demolition of existing buildings (as amended by plan received 19/04/2017; additional surface water and drainage information received 12/04/2017 and additional ecological information received 26/5/2017) at  Alfold Garden Centre, Horsham Road,  Alfold GU6 8JE.

Recommendation A

That, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement to secure contributions towards: education, environmental enhancements, play space provision, recycling, highway and footpath improvements, the provision of 33% affordable housing and the proposed mix, the provision of on site play space and the provision of a management company, SuDs maintenance and management,  permission be GRANTED subject to conditions.

Recommendation B

That if the requirements of Recommendation A are not met within 3 months of the date of the committee resolution, permission be REFUSED.

Proposal

Outline application with all matters reserved except access and layout for erection of 27 dwellings including 9 affordable with new access and associated works following demolition of existing buildings (as amended by plan received 19/04/2017; additional surface water and drainage information received 12/04/2017 and additional ecological information received 26/05/2017).

Officers presented a summary of the proposed development including photographs of the site currently, and detailed plans of the accessibility for all routes to and within the site; and the layout including buildings, routes and open spaces.

Public speaking

In accordance with the Council’s arrangements for public participation at meetings, the following made representations in respect of the application, which were duly considered:

Adrian Clarke, Cranleigh Civic Society - Objector

Cllr Adrian Erricker – Alfold Parish Council

Jo Male - Agent

Discussion

The Chairman invited Cllr Deanus, as Ward Councillor, to open the Committee’s consideration of the application.

Cllr Deanus advised the Committee that many of his comments applied to all three applications on their agenda this evening, whilst some were more specific to this site. The garden centre was one of the main employment sites in Alfold, and its loss would be a huge blow to the village. The location was in countryside beyond the Green Belt, and also beyond the settlement boundary. The vouchers for future occupants for the purchase of bikes or bus passes were of little use, given the safety concerns about the A281, and the bus service was infrequent, at best. The Parish Council was not opposed to some housing on this site, but 27 dwellings was too many and would have too much of an urbanising impact, and was out of character with the linear nature of existing development along the A281. It was disappointing that Waverley had encouraged the applicant to submit an application for an expanded development.

Cllr Deanus referred to the consultation responses from Thames Water and Southern Water, and raised concerns about the perceived inadequacy of the foul water disposal in parts of the village, and the frequency with which sewage over-flowed into adjacent properties. Major investment in infrastructure was needed to resolve the problems, and this was not being prioritised highly enough within Thames Water. The issue of hydraulic flooding had also been dismissed, but the winter of 2013/14 had not been the only occasion when the village had experienced flooding.

Cllr Deanus had concerns about locating affordable housing where there were almost no local services, and limited transport to access services further away. The draft Local Plan had allocated 100 dwellings to Alfold over the life of the Plan, and recent planning permissions granted totalled 82 dwellings, with 15 years of the plan still to run. Overall, there were minimal benefits to this scheme, and lots of negatives, and he could not support it.

Cllr Cockburn referred to the Local Plan Hearings, and the strong steer that the Inspector had given throughout, that it was necessary to look at the balance between the benefit and harm resulting from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

Proposal

Outline application for the erection of 10 dwellings, including 2 affordable with associated access works following demolition of existing garden centre buildings and associated works. Access and layout to be considered at outline, (as amended by plan received 20/04/2017) at  Alfold Garden Centre, Horsham Road,  Alfold GU6 8JE.

Recommendation

That permission be REFUSED.

Proposal

Outline application for the erection of 10 dwellings, including 2 affordable with associated access works following demolition of existing garden centre buildings and associated works. Access and layout to be considered at outline (as amended by plan received 20/04/2017).

Officers presented a summary of the proposed development including photographs of the site currently, and detailed plans of the accessibility for routes to and within the site; and the layout including buildings, routes and play space. Of the two affordable dwellings proposed, one would be 1-bed and one 2-bed.

Public speaking

In accordance with the Council’s arrangements for public participation at meetings, the following made representations in respect of the application, which were duly considered:

Adrian Clarke, Cranleigh Civic Society - Objector

Jo Male - Agent

Discussion

The Chairman invited Cllr Deanus, as Ward Councillor, to open the Committee’s consideration of the application.

Cllr Deanus reminded the Committee that the Parish Council had not objected to this application, although they did regret the loss of the employment in the village. He agreed with the view that a development of 10 dwellings was more in keeping with the size of the site and the character of the village. In principle, he felt this was a good application, but suggested more time was needed for Planning to work with the applicant to clarify the requirements of a S106 agreement, and conditions to be attached to an approved application.

Cllr Deanus therefore proposed that this application be deferred to allow for further discussions with the applicant. Cllr Foryszewski seconded the proposal to defer a decision.

The Principal Planning Officer advised the Committee that it could put forward an alternative recommendation to grant outline permission subject to the completion of an appropriate S106 agreement, and subject to conditions.

Speaking in support of the proposal to defer the application, Cllr Foryszewski suggested that this would provide an opportunity to look at an alternative scheme, perhaps with a mixed use. There was some goodwill behind a development of some kind on this site, but it was important that it was good, and the proposed site layout diagram was not very clear.

Cllr Frost agreed that the layout was not very clear, and she did not like or see the need for the play area; but she preferred this application to the larger one for the same site, felt the indicative designs were good, and was pleased to see that the affordable housing included both rented and shared ownership dwellings. Cllr Frost did not want to defer the application, and felt that it could be resolved by the Committee this evening.

Cllr Adams supported a deferral, but suggested that this would enable a full application to be submitted, rather than an outline application.

Cllr Hyman also supported deferring the application, but this was as he felt that there were issues to be clarified in relation to the Flood Risk Assessment, and drinking water quality.

Cllr Goodridge reminded the Committee that it was their role to consider and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

Proposal

Outline application for up to 39 dwellings, provision of public open space and SuDS attenuation with all matters reserved except access (as amended by plans and email received 11/05/2017 and amplified by drainage information received 16/02/2017) at  Land Adjoining Brockhurst Farm, Dunsfold Road,  Alfold.

Recommendation A

That, subject to the completion of a S106 agreement to secure 15 (38.5%) Affordable Housing dwellings, contributions towards Education infrastructure, waste and recycling, playspace, public open space, SuDS, and a LEAP within 3 months of the committee meeting, and subject to conditions, permission be GRANTED.

Recommendation B

That, in the event that a Section 106 Agreement and Section 278 Agreement is not completed within 3 months of the date of the resolution to grant planning permission, then permission be REFUSED.

Proposed development

Outline application for up to 39 dwellings, provision of public open space and SuDS attenuation with all matters reserved except access (as amended by plans and email received 11/05/2017 and amplified by drainage information received 16/02/2017).

With reference to the report circulated with the agenda, Officers presented a summary of the proposed development, including photographs of the site currently, site plans and an indicative layout, and the determining issues. The Committee was also shown how the proposal had been amended to reduce the number of proposed dwellings, and match the line of the developed part of the site in line with the curtilages of the neighbouring properties on either side.

The Committee noted a verbal update to proposed Condition 3, relating to plan numbers: Plan no. 16.011.09 Rev F to read ‘(Indicative Only)’; and Plan no. 096.0002.003 Rev D to read ‘Rev E’.

Public speaking

In accordance with the Council’s arrangements for public participation at meetings, the following made representations in respect of the application, which were duly considered:

Alastair Denton Miller - Objector

Adrian Erricker – Alfold Parish Council

David Murray Cox - Agent

Discussion

The Chairman invited Cllr Deanus, as Ward Councillor, to open the discussion and members consideration of the proposal.

Cllr Deanus reiterated his principle concerns about the scale of the proposed development in relation to the size of the Alfold settlement and applications already granted, and the impact on roads and on the waste water and sewage network infrastructure that were already felt to be under strain. The Parish Council had made substantial objections to the scheme, that were detailed in the agenda report, and he endorsed these. In particular, Cllr Deanus drew attention to pre-application advice from Waverley that had indicated that over-delivery on the housing numbers allocated to Alfold in the spatial strategy would not be sustainable; and, the ‘estate’ layout was not in-keeping with the linear development that was characteristic of Alfold. Cllr Deanus also pointed out that the S106 agreement for the 2015 planning permission for commercial buildings on Dunsfold Park had stipulated a contribution towards delivery of a new footpath between the Compass Gate and Alfold Crossways, and so far nothing had been provided on the ground.

In summing up his objections to the proposals, Cllr Deanus reiterated that the site was outside of the defined settlement, Waverley already had a 5 year housing supply, this proposal would go beyond the number of dwellings allocated to Alfold in the spatial strategy with 15 years of the Local Plan life still to run, there were very limited services in Alfold, it was urbanising overdevelopment in the countryside, and would cause material visual harm.

Cllr Cockburn had some reservations about the site, but did not agree with all the points raised and felt that circumstances had changed as a result of the Local Plan Inspector’s comments. Waverley would have to take significantly more houses than anticipated, and the Inspector had emphasised that new development should be contiguous with existing settlement  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.