Agenda item

Proposed Development

Outline Application for the erection of up to 50 dwellings together with new access, parking, landscaping, open space, a children's play area and associated works with all matters reserved except access (as amended by letter dated 09/12/2014 and plan received 09/12/2014; amended by letter dated 02/01/2015 and received 05/01/2015 and revised flood risk assessment received 05/01/2015; amplified by information received 19/05/2015 and amplified by letter dated 26/05/2015) at Land At Furze Lane, Godalming

Recommendation

That, subject to the completion of a S106 agreement to secure the provision of 40% affordable housing, highway and transport improvements and infrastructure including education, play space, open space and recycling and for the setting up of a Management Company to manage open spaces and the SuDS scheme and subject to conditions 1 to 33 and informatives 1 to 16 on pages 74 to 88 of the Agenda Report, permission be GRANTED.

Proposed development

Outline Application for the erection of up to 50 dwellings together with new access, parking, landscaping, open space, a children's play area and associated works with all matters reserved except access (as amended by letter dated 09/12/2014 and plan received 09/12/2014; amended by letter dated 02/01/2015 and received 05/01/2015 and revised flood risk assessment received 05/01/2015; amplified by information received 19/05/2015 and amplified by letter dated 26/05/2015) at Land At Furze Lane, Godalming

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. 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 response from the Lead Local Flood Authority who had reviewed the flooding information produced by the applicants engineers which resulted in a revised condition 21 (as noted in the update sheet). There were also 8 further letters of representation but these did not raise any new material considerations. Officers also advised of a further update that condition 10 be removed because this was covered by an other condition already.

Officers reminded the Committee that the application was reported to the meeting of the Joint Planning Committee on 21 April 2015 where Members resolved to defer the application to seek more information from Surrey County Council regarding drainage and flooding. Specifically, Members had wanted officers to seek the informal views of the Lead Local Flood Authority and more information in relation to the issue of potential contamination of the site from the land to the north of the application site. The report had been updated to include the relevant responses and further clarification in relation to these matters.

Officers advised the Committee that the application was for outline planning permission with all matters reserved except means of access and landscape. The Council’s preference was for previously developed land to be developed prior to green field sites. However, the Council was not able to identify a deliverable supply of housing sites from the identified sites that would sufficiently meet the housing demand for the next five years. This was a material consideration of significant weight in the assessment of the application.

The Committee was further advised that the proposal constituted a major development within the Area of Great Landscape Value but that development of this site of housing was a significant public benefit. As such, it was considered that there were exceptional circumstances in this case to justify the development within the AGLV. The proposal does not result in the loss or alienation of the best and most versatile agricultural land. The scheme delivers a substantial level of both market and affordable housing and it was considered that this would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the adverse impact on the character of the Countryside Beyond the Green Belt and AGLV. The proposal adequately mitigated its impact on local infrastructure and demonstrated in terms of flood risk that the development would be safe for its lifetime.

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:

Juan Alvarez – Objector

Tony Charles and Neil Jaques – Supporters

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

The Committee raised specific concern about flooding on the site and the additional flooding that could result because of the increase in hardstanding and non-permeable surfaces because of the new development. Officers assured Members that the mitigation methods in place would help alleviate this issue. The drainage system proposed would minimise surface water reun-off and discharge rates would be no higher than an average green field site following the implementation of the mitigation measures, This included the control of finished floor levels, pollution prevention measures and the submission of a Maintenance Management Plan to ensure adequate maintenance of the drainage system. The Environment Agency had also recommended conditions to ensure that the various mitigation measures that had been set out within the submitted Flood Risk Assessment were followed and for a flood storage compensation scheme to be submitted. Having applied the sequential test, Officers also confirmed that this had been passed and there were no other reasonably available alternative sites at lower risk of flooding suitable for this development. During debate it was agreed that there should be an additional condition requiring detailed plans of the external surfaces of the emergency and maintenance access to be submitted and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority before development commenced on site. 

With the amendments noted above agreed, the Chairman moved to the recommendation noted below which was agreed by 13 in favour and 5 against.

Decision

RESOLVED that outline permission be GRANTED, subject to the completion of a S106 agreement to secure the provision of 40% affordable housing, highway and transport improvements and infrastructure including primary education, play space, open space and recycling and for the setting up of a Management Company to manage open spaces and the SuDS scheme and subject to conditions 1 – 33, including amended condition 21 noted in the update sheet, and the removal of condition 10, and an additional condition 34 in relation to the maintenance access; and informatives 1-16 on pages 74 – 88 of the agenda.

Councillor Stewart Stennett requested that his vote against the recommendation be recorded.