Agenda and minutes

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 26 January 2015 (to be laid on the table half an hour before the meeting).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 5^th January 2015 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.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Richard Gates, Christiaan Hesse, Stefan Reynolds, Stewart Stennett and Chris Storey. Councillors Dennis Leigh, Patricia Ellis, Jim Edwards and Nick Holder attended as substitutes.

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.

Councillors Stephen Mulliner, Peter Isherwood and Jim Edwards declared non-pecuniary interests as Members of Haslemere Town Council.  

Proposed development

Outline application for the erection of up to 135 dwellings together with associated development including hard and soft landscaping, access roads, public open space, dedicated woodland and permanent footways and the upgrading of existing footpath to a pedestrian/cycle link (PROW No. 35). This application is accompanied by an environmental statement which has been the subject of a Regulation 22 request (as amended by additional EIA information received 08/08/2014 and additional information and emails received 27/12/2014, 23/12/2014, 11/12/2014, 04/11/2014, 15/10/2014, 08/10/2014, 07/10/2014, 06/10/2014 and 03/10/2014, 13/11/2014  16/01/2015 and 20/01/2015 and 22/01/2015)  at  Land At Sturt Road,  Haslemere GU27 3SE

Recommendation

That, subject to the completion of a S106 agreement to secure the management of SANG land in perpetuity by the Land Trust, provision of affordable housing, highway and transport improvements, sustainable transport measures, a travel plan, upgrade of the existing footpath to a Public Bridleway, community facilities, drainage improvements, education, libraries, playing pitches, play space, open space, sports/leisure centres, recycling and other environmental improvements and for the setting up of a Management Company and to require the applicant to first secure any necessary planning permission or advertisement consent for the SANG and subject to conditions, permission be GRANTED.

Proposed development

Outline application for the erection of up to 135 dwellings together with associated development including hard and soft landscaping, access including partial demolition of retaining walls, public open space, dedicated woodland and permanent footways and the upgrading of existing footpath to a pedestrian/cycle link (PROW No. 35). This application is accompanied by an environmental statement which has been the subject of a Regulation 22 request (as amended by additional EIA information recevied 08/08/2014 and additional information and emails received 27/08/2014, 27/12/2014, 23/12/2014, 11/12/2014, 04/11/2014, 15/10/2014, 08/10/2014, 07/10/2014, 06/10/2014 and 03/10/2014, 13/11/2014  16/01/2015 and 20/01/2015 and 22/01/2015)  at Land At Sturt Road,  Haslemere GU27 3SE

The Chairman introduced the Officers present and referred Members to the proposed order of business for the meeting.

With reference to the report circulated with the agenda, Officers presented a summary of the planning history of the site, and the current plans and proposals. Officers showed pictures of the site and plans for the application. A representative from the County Highways Authority was also present and advised members of the arrangements in place by the applicant to improve access and highway improvements.

Officers outlined the matters of principle/technical judgement and those matters of judgement and advised members of information received following the agenda being published and detailed in the update sheet. This included further information regarding the AONB, flood risk and drainage. Further consultee responses from Chichester District Council and County Highway Authority. And, 3 additional representations against the application but these did not raise any additional material considerations. There were also two additional conditions proposed in relation to the retaining wall and proposed ground levels and the recommendation had been amended to reflect the additional environmental information and clarity around the management company being within the site.

Officers advised the Committee that the application was for outline planning permission with all matters reserved except means of access and landscape. Therefore, in forming a conclusion, the NPPF required that the benefits of the scheme must be balanced against any negative aspects of it. Members noted that the site was located in the Countryside Beyond the Green Belt and, as such, the development would encroach into the countryside. The Council’s preference would be for previously developed land to be developed prior to green field sites. However, the Council could not currently identify a deliverable supply of housing sites from the identified sites which would sufficiently meet the housing demand for the next five years. Members noted that this was a material consideration of significant weight in this assessment.

The Committee noted that the proposal would result in increased traffic movements but this had been addressed by way of conditions by the County Highways Authority. Furthermore, the applicant was putting in measures to address flood risk. There was provision for a SANG and a high number of both market and affordable housing being proposed. In view of the benefits of the scheme, officers were of the opinion that these would significantly outweigh the adverse impact on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.