Agenda item

DC/18/2514 - Land west of Brighton Road, Brighton Road, Shermanbury

Ward: Cowfold, Shermanbury & West Grinstead

Applicant: c/o Agent

Minutes:

The Head of Development reported that this application sought permission for 20 dwellings.  The application included a new highway access off the A281, on site roads, parking, and footpaths, a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDS) with attenuation basin, and soft and hard landscaping. The dwellings would be set back from the site boundaries. The proposed housing mix comprised: three 2-bedroom; nine 3-bedroom; six 4-bedroom; and two 5-bedroom dwellings.  Seven units would be affordable housing.

 

It was an undeveloped field outside the built-up area of Shermanbury. Partridge Green lay approximately 1,600 metres to the east.  There were a number of Grade II Listed Buildings in the vicinity.  The application site was included in the Wineham & Shermanbury Neighbourhood Plan for up to 20 dwellings. 

 

An addendum to the report advised that following further negotiations the applicant had agreed to highway infrastructure improvements, including regulatory signage along Brighton Road, upgrade of north bound bus stop, and a contribution towards improved footway and crossing to link the site to Partridge Green Road. The recommendation was amended to reflect the need to secure the infrastructure improvements through the legal agreement.

 

The Parish Council objected to the application.  Thirteen objections and one letter of comment had been received. One member of the public spoke in objection to the application and the applicant’s agent addressed the Committee in support of the proposal. A representative of the Parish Council spoke in objection to the application.

 

Members considered the officer’s planning assessment which indicated that the key issues for consideration in determining the proposal were:  the principle of development; affordable housing and dwelling mix; impact on the character and visual amenity of the locality; amenity of neighbouring and future occupiers; heritage impacts; sustainability of the site; ecology; and highways issues including access and pedestrian safety.

 

Members welcomed the additional footpath and considered the density of the proposal to be appropriate for the site. It was noted that the copse to the south west of the site would be retained. Condition 19 required onsite trees to be protected in line with the arboricultural recommendations.  The Head of Development recommended that Condition 19 be amended to explicitly state the requirement to retain the existing trees for a minimum of 5 years, the maximum allowed for trees without a TPO.   

 

RESOLVED

 

(i)      That a legal agreement be entered into to secure the provision of on-site affordable housing and highway infrastructure improvements.

 

 (ii)    That on completion of (i) above, planning application DC/18/2514 be determined by the Head of Development with a view to granting permission, in consultation with the Local Members. 

 

(iii)     During determination of the item, Condition 19 be amended to include a requirement to retain the existing trees on site for a minimum of 5 years, in line with the Arboricultural Report.

 

(iii)     In the event that the legal agreement is not completed within three months of the decision of this committee, the Director of Place be authorised to refuse permission on the grounds of failure to secure the Obligations necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms.

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