Agenda item

To determine the application.

Nick Harding presented the report to members.

Members asked questions of officers as follows:

·       Councillor Connor expressed his disappointment that the applicant/agent were not present at committee to answer any questions that members may have and the update to this application does not address any concerns he had from the September committee. He knows the ownership of the road is in the hands of a separate management company and is a civil matter, not a planning issue and so no weight should be given to this. Councillor Connor referred to £6,000 being offered to the George Clare Surgery but this was based on 10 houses and this proposal is for 9 houses so there is no requirement for this to be offered and the proposal cannot be refused as it is compliant with policy.

·       Councillor Benney agreed that it is unacceptable that the applicant/agent are not present and he feels the proposal is worse by the withdrawing of the £6,000 to the George Clare Surgery. Nick Harding stated that when the application was originally submitted it was for a scheme of 10 dwellings and during the consultation the health authorities responded detailing what their ask was and the applicant at that time was happy to provide. He explained that the scheme was reduced to 9 dwellings at officer’s instigation due to design concerns and, therefore, the need for a contribution fell away in line with Council policy.

·       Councillor Benney asked if a contamination report has been submitted as the site was an old farmyard? Nick Harding responded that Environmental Health have been consulted and recommend that a condition is placed on the approval, which is Condition 7.

·       Councillor Benney stated that he accepts the £6,000 to George Clare Surgery is lost, but he would like to see a contamination report and as this is an old part of town, in the Conservation Area, he would like Cambridgeshire County Council’s Archaeology Team checking to see that no artifacts are being lost. Councillor Connor asked for clarification that a full archaeological survey is being asked for at the foundation stage? Councillor Benney confirmed this to be the case.

·       Councillor Mrs French stated that she supports an archaeological survey due to Chatteris’ history and she is not happy that there is no longer £6,000 being given to the doctor’s surgery. She referred to LP5, meeting housing needs, asking if any of the dwellings are proposed to be affordable? Nick Harding responded that under national and local policy there is no requirement for affordable housing to be provided on a site of 9 dwellings. He made the point that the County Council Archaeology Team have not requested an upfront assessment and recommend a condition attached to the permission. Nick Harding reiterated that Environmental Health have also not requested an upfront contamination report and recommend a condition be applied.

·       Councillor Mrs French stated that she takes on board officer’s professional advice with the recommendation to approve but she would like to see a condition on the construction times, a wheel wash and deliveries between 9am-2.30pm as there is a school nearby. Nick Harding responded that any resolution to grant planning permission can indicate that in any management plan that there should be no deliveries or leaving the site at school drop off and collections times. He stated in terms of wheel washing the problem is that the nature of the site is that there is a road already present and there is no space to position a facility but it can be added in the management plan to keep Ellingham Gardens sufficiently clear of debris. 

·       Councillor Connor asked is their room for a sweeper to be on duty at all times or 2-3 times per day? Nick Harding responded that he would not go as far as to define that there has to be a road sweeper but he would word the management plan so that Ellingham Gardens has to be kept free of debris and then however the road is kept clean is up to the developer.

·       Councillor Marks stated that this area struggles with mud on the road and the Police cannot enforce it so something is needed questioning whether it could be pressure washing of wheels rather than a wheel wash as he can see it being a site that will cause problems. He referred to deliveries and made the point that timeframes have been added to other sites and he feels that lorries that come to the site should come and leave via the A142 rather than through town.

·       Councillor Benney asked if there was a lighting scheme as he is not sure there are any street lights along Ellingham Gardens and this would be beneficial to the residents? Nick Harding responded that Condition 4 does include a lighting scheme.

·       Councillor Marks asked if the applicant comes back for another dwelling can the £6,000 still be requested as he is concerned that there may be another piece of land that the applicant will find to develop? Nick Harding responded that there is not sufficient space for another dwelling so he does not think the situation would arise.

Members made comments, asked questions and received responses as follows:

·       Councillor Benney expressed the view that the application cannot be refused as it is policy compliant but there is the need to ensure that the residents get the best that they can. He feels that the County Council have not asked for an archaeological report as they are short of staff but there should be a requirement for one and also a surface water drainage scheme to ensure that water does not run off from the site into other parts of Ellingham Gardens. Councillor Benney stated he is happy that there is a lighting scheme and asked if bat or bird boxes could be put into the development as it was formerly a farmyard.  Nick Harding responded that there is a condition regarding archaeology and one in relation to biodiversity.

·       Councillor Marks stated that safeguards are required in relation to vehicle movements and cleaning of the road during construction, which is a priority as the site is near to a school.

·       Councillor Mrs French made the point that Condition 16 does not mention bats and should do? Nick Harding responded that this condition is not species specific so it could include bats.

·       Councillor Hicks expressed concern over how the conditions can be policed and made the point that timed deliveries do not happen in the real world. Councillor Connor responded that this has happened before and it can be enforced, developers do not usually want to flout the conditions and feels these are reasonable conditions.  Councillor Marks added that a situation occurred in Manea, enforcement came out and as soon as enforcement was involved the developer kept to terms of the conditions.

Proposed by Councillor Mrs French, seconded by Councillor Hicks and agreed that the application be GRANTED as per officer’s recommendation to include no deliveries during school arrival and departure times and that provision needs to be made for sweeping of Ellingham Gardens so that it is not unsafe as a consequence of debris from the site being on the road.

(Councillor Benney declared, in accordance with Paragraph 14 of the Code of Conduct on Planning Matters, that he is a member of Chatteris Town Council, but takes no part in planning)

(Councillor Marks declared, in accordance with Paragraph 14 of the Code of Conduct on Planning Matters, that he is a District Councillor for Chatteris and Manea and does attend Chatteris Town Council meetings but takes no part)