Agenda item

Residential development of grazing land as Village Meadows Phase 2 compromising 4 No. bungalows and 12 No. houses and including roads, servicing, and associated works.

Land South of Village Meadows (Phase 2), South Road, Lowick, Northumberland

J. Sharp – Senior Planning Officer introduced the application with a PowerPoint presentation and gave the following updates to the committee:

·       Paragraph 7.2 in the report should have read “The application proposes 2no affordable units within the development”

·       Paragraph 7.73 in the report. Legal advice was received after the publication of the report stating the works to be carried out the replacement of the septic tanks could be conditioned using a Grampian condition as opposed to a S106. The proposed condition would read along the lines of: “The development hereby approved shall not be occupied until the proposed works to replace the two septic tanks at Middleton Low Farm, Belford with modern package treatment plans have been carried out in accordance with the details to be approved in writing by the local planning authority” Exact wording of the condition would be delegated to the planning officers.

·       Paragraph 7.74 in the report. Lowick did not meet the trigger for a second homes condition, therefore there would be no primary occupancy clause on the proposed dwellings.

·       Condition 9.1 would include Nutrient Neutrality and maintenance.

J. Huddart spoke in objection to the planning application and gave the committee the following information:

·       The scheme clashed with the community’s Neighbourhood Plan, which was yet to be adopted.

·       The Neighbourhood plan had been through all phases of public consultation and was being prepared for the Inspector. No objections to any aspect were raised by any party. The plan included the village boundary, excluding the application site.

·       The plan maintains a vibrant and healthy community which satisfied the needs for new and better housing and facilitates of all types and affordability’s, preserving the rural character of the village.

·       The Neighbourhood Plan noted the existence of 37 undeveloped sites with planning permission, and the existence of brownfield sites and other land within the village which could prove more, exceeding the national and county development requirements.

·       The Neighbourhood Plan village boundary sought to limit encroachment on open farmland until 2036, aiming to preserve the character of the settlement and encouraged the use of its existing “land bank”.

·        The proposed development was adjacent to the Village Common, valued by all as an open space, offering a direct link to fields and an uninterrupted view of the nearly Kyloe Hills.

·       The previous proposal was not described as “Phase 1”, the remainder of the field was left as farm land, which the dumping of building waste was negated.

·       The development would add to the pressure on village community facilities.

·       Phases 1 and 2 together would bring around 50 people to the village – a 10% increase in population.

·       The adjacent stream, the Low, floods the Common in extreme weather, when water was trapped and could not drain away. In the Northumberland Local Plan on p213, part 11 – Water Environment, section 11.2 bullet 3 identifies “maximum resistance and resilience to flood risk”. Nearby residents feared that the drainage scheme to be provided would not help to mitigate the increased number of bad weather events that were anticipated.

N. Craig spoke in support to the application and gave the following information:

·       GMC was a local business who employed skilled local people that lived in the area. GMC also used a local supply chain.

·       Having completed the 8 properties adjacent to the site, GMC were in the process of completing the necessary infrastructure works. GMC were obligated under Section 38 and s104 agreement to complete the work.

·       There was a waiting list of 30 names for the 16 new homes planned.

·       If approved, the strategy was to complete 2 homes per year, with minimal impact on the local community.

·       The application had undergone extensive and detailed analysis of the proposal by LPA, technical consultants, including ecology, public heath, LLFA, Northumbrian Water, NCC Highways and Natural England.

·       Specific attention has been given to the drainage capacity and flooding. The new infrastructure included storm water capacity, designed to deal with extreme weather conditions.

·       The homes were well designed with energy efficiency built into construction, with insulation and airtightness as standard.

·       As part of the 16 new homes, 2 were offered as affordable housing, with 45% discount market value.

·       Other financial contributions included local amenity - £9,500, play area - £12,000, parks £12,500, coastal mitigation - £9,600, nitrogen neutral standard - £116,000, affordable homes - £330,000. Total contributions equal to £489,000

Following questions from members to the planning officers, the following information was provided:

·       The Neighbourhood Plan was noted in the report, it was at a reg 14 stage meaning that limited weight was given.

·       The development was considered to be an acceptable location, following the Northumberland Local Plan.

·       The 45% affordable housing offered was voluntarily offered by the applicant and would not be controlled by NCC. 

·       Lowick did not fall into the category of Parishes that have 20% or more second homes.

·       The site was unsustainable for sustainable transport.

Councillor Watson stated that he was impressed by the applicant offering affordable homes for the community and proposed to accept the officer’s recommendation to approve, subject to the conditions in the report, S106 agreement securing the contributions towards coastal mitigation, nitrogen neutrality maintenance and the additional Grampian condition on nitrogen neutrality, with exact wording being delegated to officers. Councillor Thorne seconded the motion.

A vote was taken as follows: FOR; 9, AGAINST; 1, ABSTAIN; 0

RESOLVED that the application be GRANTED in line with the conditions set out in the report, S106 agreement securing the contributions towards coastal mitigation, nitrogen neutrality maintenance and the additional Grampian condition on nitrogen neutrality, with exact wording being delegated to officers.