Agenda item

To consider a full planning application from The Northumberland Estates for the construction of 67 residential dwellings (C3) including 17 affordable homes (25%) and 14 No. B1, B2 & B8 commercial units totalling 650 sqm, with associated road infrastructure, car parking spaces, open spaces, gardens and landscaping.

The Committee considered a report from the planning officers in relation to a full planning application from Northumberland Estates for the construction of 67 residential dwellings (C3) and 14 No. B1, B2 & B8 commercial units totalling 650 sqm, with associated road infrastructure, car parking spaces, open spaces, gardens and landscaping.

A planning officer presented details of the application with the aid of various maps, plans and photographs.

In accordance with the Committee’s Temporary Speaking Rights Scheme, R & K Wood Planning had been granted permission to submit a written statement on behalf of Keenan’s Food Processing. The statement was read to the Committee. It asked the Committee to consider whether the development was consistent with Policy S4.3 of the Council’s Local Plan which had allocated an 8.5 hectare site, including the Backworth Business Park site, as a mixed use site for business and 65 dwellings. This proposal together with a separate planning application (18/01373/FUL) proposed 111 dwellings. The Committee were asked to consider whether the application had addressed the concerns expressed by a planning inspector arising from an earlier planning appeal regarding the noise levels from Keenan’s operations and whether the noise mitigation measures proposed by the applicant were acceptable.

Northumberland Estates submitted a written statement in response to the issues raised by R & K Wood. This was read to the Committee. Northumberland Estates stated that the proposed development of 67 dwellings and 14 business workshops would deliver a mixed use development of the site which fully complied with Policy S4.3 of the Local Plan. The statement described how the ecological and landscape impact would be mitigated and compensated, how the noise matters had been resolved to the satisfaction of the Council’s Environmental Health Officer and how the scheme would benefit the area in terms of regeneration, housing supply and job creation.

Members of the Committee asked questions of officers and made comments. In doing so the Committee gave particular consideration to:

a)      the impact of the proposed development on the local highway network, in particular Station Road, Backworth;

b)      the proposed highway improvements to be secured by way of a Section 278 agreement;

c)       the comments of the Council’s Biodiversity Officer in relation to the loss of part of the Local Wildlife Site, the impact on a wildlife corridor and the evidence provided by the applicant to demonstrate that the off-site compensation land could be successfully converted from arable land to species rich brownfield grassland;

d)      the comments of the Council’s Environmental Health Officer regarding the proposed noise mitigation measures;

e)      the Planning Officer’s advice on the status and effect of relevant policies contained within the Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework and the Planning Inspector’s findings arising from an earlier appeal; and

f)        the relationship in planning terms between this and planning applications 18/01373/FUL and 18/1374/LBC to be considered by the Committee during the meeting.

Resolved that planning permission be refused on the following grounds:

1.    Insufficient information regarding the off-site mitigation on the arable land has been provided.  The proposal would have a significant adverse impact on biodiversity contrary to the advice in National Planning Policy Framework (2019) and policies S5.4 and DM5.5 of the North Tyneside Local Plan (2017).

2.  The proposed development would sever an existing wildlife corridor undermining its function contrary to policy DM5.7 of the North Tyneside Local Plan (2017).

3.  The proposal would adversely impact upon an existing business’ ability to operate contrary to the advice in National Planning Policy Framework (2019) and policies S1.4 and DM5.19 of the North Tyneside Local Plan (2017).