Agenda item

Proposed development

Outline Planning Application with the reservation for subsequent approval of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale (reserved matters) for the erection of up to 425 dwellings including affordable homes and associated works, and new access points onto Alfold Road and Knowle Lane. This application affects Bridleway 566 and is accompanied by an Environmental Statement at  Land South Of High Street Between Alfold Road and Knowle Lane,  Cranleigh (As amended by letters dated 03/06/2014 and 05/12/2014, plans received 04/09/2014, 07/10/2014, and 19/11/2014, and as amplified by email dated 10/07/2014, by letters dated 12/08/2014, 13/08/2014, by emails dated 03/10/2014 and 21/11/2014.

Recommendation

That, having regard to the environmental information contained in the application, the accompanying Environmental Statement and responses to it, together with proposals for mitigation, subject to the applicant entering into an appropriate legal agreement by 28/03/2015, to secure the provision of/contributions towards:  affordable housing, highway and transport improvements, highway drainage improvement along Alfold Road, education, libraries, playing pitches, provision and on-going maintenance of play space and other open space, sports/leisure centres, community facilities, recycling, environmental improvements, improvements to the Downs Link, policing and for the setting up of a Management Company, and subject to conditions, permission be GRANTED.

Outline Planning Application with the reservation for subsequent approval of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale (reserved matters) for the erection of up to 425 dwellings including affordable homes and associated works, and new access points onto Alfold Road and Knowle Lane. This application affects Bridleway 566 and is accompanied by an Environmental Statement

The Chairman introduced the Officers present and referred Members to the proposed order of business for the meeting. Members were reminded that the application had been reported to the Joint Planning Committee on 28 October 2014 when they resolved to defer the application to allow time for officers to address the concerns of the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) with regards to surface water flood risk and, since that meeting, the applicant had submitted further information and the Council had also received information from independent consultants Odyssey Markides who had been commissioned to assess the information.  

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 application site and plans for the application. Members were advised that the application sought outline permission for the development proposal with all matters reserved for future consideration except for access. It was the officers view that the scheme should be supported subject to the applicant entering into an appropriate legal agreement to secure contributions towards a number of different elements detailed in the report.

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 a further 25 representations but these did not raise any additional material considerations, and comments from the Applicants. Furthermore, Members received a copy of a letter from the Secretary of State advising Members that if they were minded to grant the application if was possible that it may be called-in under Section 77 of the town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended)

Following the officers presentation and before the Committee debated the application, in accordance with the guidance for public participation at meetings, each party was given the opportunity to speak for up to 5 minutes. The following people spoke to the application:

Objectors

Mrs Townsend and Adrian Clark

Cranleigh Parish Council

Cllr Ken Reed

Applicant

Adrian Brown

In accordance with the Council’s constitution, procedure rule 23, Councillors Nick Holder and Patricia Ellis spoke for 4minutes on the application before the Committee debated the application.

Having heard the officers’ presentation as well as the representations from the objectors, the Parish Council and the local ward Councillor, Members were invited to ask any further questions or to seek clarification on areas of concern from the officers.

The Committee raised particular concern about the possibility of flooding on the site and the completion of the sequential test. Members also raised concern about the loss of countryside beyond the greenbelt, the impact of additional cars on residential amenity particularly on Alfold Road, the density of the proposal and the impact on the Downs link. There was also concern expressed about the harm it could create to the character of the area, the impact on the trees and visual amenity.  

Having concluded its deliberations, the Joint Planning Committee RESOLVED that: planning permission be REFUSED for the following reasons:

1.    The proposal, by virtue of the number of dwellings, scale, urbanising impact and loss and harm to ancient woodland, would cause material and detrimental harm to the character and setting of the existing village settlement and the intrinsic character, beauty and openness of the countryside contrary to Policies C2, D1 and D4 of Waverley Borough  Local Plan 2002 and paragraphs 17 and 118 of the NPPF. The adverse impact would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the proposal when assessed against the policies of the NPPF taken as a whole.

2.    The application, by virtue of its indicative details has failed to adequately demonstrate that the proposal for up to 425 dwellings could be delivered in sustainable way contrary to paragraphs 6 and 7 of the NPPF and Policies D1 and D4 of the Waverley Borough Local Plan. The adverse impact would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the proposal when assessed against the policies of the NPPF taken as a whole.

3.    The application fails to comply with the Waverley Borough Council Infrastructure Contribution SPD (April 2008) and therefore the proposal conflicts with Policies D13 and D14 of the Waverley Borough Local Plan 2002.

4.    Notwithstanding Reasons for refusal Nos1 and 2 and the Council’s objection to the development of this site, the proposal is considered to be unacceptable in that it fails to provide affordable housing within the meaning of the NPPF, appropriate to meet Waverley Borough Council’s housing need. The proposal is therefore contrary to Paragraphs 50 of the NPPF which states that Local Planning authorities should plan for a mix of housing.