Agenda item

Application for outline planning permission with some matters reserved for construction of residential development of up to 500 dwellings (including affordable homes), public open space, access to an existing highway and associated works

Land south and south-east of James Calvert Spence College, Acklington Road, Amble

Application for outline planning permission with some matters reserved for construction of residential development of up to 500 dwellings (including affordable homes), public open space, access to an existing highway and associated works

Land wouth and south-east of James Calvert Spence College, Acklington Road, Amble

N Armstrong, Principal Planning Officer introduced the application with the aid of a power point presentation.   Members were advised that a late representation from Amble Town Council had been received and provided details as follows:

• The Town Council referred to their previous comments, which continued to be held, but due to the number of dwellings proposed it was strongly recommended that the infrastructure areas stated in the August 2017 committee report were applied.
• The Town Council referred to paragraph 7.70 of the 2017 committee report where reference was made to contributions for affordable housing and ecological mitigation as well as contributions in respect of off-site sport/recreation provision, education infrastructure, primary health care, and highway works.
• The Town Council also referred to paragraph 7.73 of that report, which referred to consultation with the Town Council to advise on specific areas/projects where contributions in relation to sport/recreation/leisure were required. The Town Council would urge these consultations are commenced again with urgency  
• Amble Town Council believed that if 500 more homes were to be built then additional recreational facilities, healthcare cover which should also cover dentists were needed in Amble.

Mr C Martin, Pegasus Group addressed the Committee speaking on behalf of the applicant in support of the application.  His comments included the following:-

·       There had been two previous resolutions to grant outline planning permission subject to a S106 Agreement.

·       The reasons why a fresh resolution was required was set out in the report and it concluded that the application still met the relevant Development Plan requirements and material considerations.

·       This position was endorsed and the principle of development had been established and accepted.

·       The applicant had worked closely with officers in Planning and Highways to ensure that the scheme could still be delivered.

·       If the application was granted today then the S106 agreement could be finalised so outline planning permission could be granted and the reserved matters application would follow shortly.

·       The details of the S106 contribution were outlined as including contributions to affordable housing, sports provision, education and health care provision along with the provision of pedestrian routes.

·       The site was within the settlement boundary of Amble in the emerging Northumberland Local Plan as a minded to approve site.  The site was a key component to ensure the supply of housing land over the Plan period and was in accordance with policies SPP1 and HOU2 in the emerging Northumberland Local Plan which set the minimum housing requirements for the County. 

·       The application would continue to provide a sustainable addition to Amble achieving sustainable growth and benefit the local economy with increased expenditure.

·       Permission should be granted to allow the site’s delivery.

In response to questions from Members of the Committee the following information was provided:-

·       Affordable housing would be secured through the S106 agreement with a commitment all the way through the process to providing 15% across the site.  A lot of input had been provided from the Affordable Housing Team regarding the tenure and type of affordable housing to be provided which would be agreed through the S106 agreement.   Officers would take into consideration other sites to ascertain what would be required on this site and this would come forward as part of the reserved matters application.

·       The Government’s First Homes agenda set out a new approach whereby you should not be able to differentiate between what was affordable housing and those homes for sale, and affordable housing should not be of a lower quality.

·       There were also more flexibility to the way S106 contributions could be allocated with more input from the Town Council on the sports contribution.

Councillor Flux proposed acceptance of the recommendation to approve the application as outlined in the Officer’s addendum report which was seconded by Councillor Dodd.  A vote was taken and it was unanimously

RESOLVED that the application be GRANTED subject to the conditions in the report and completion of a Section 106 Agreement.