Agenda item

To determine a full planning application from Bellway Homes (North East) for the erection of 215no. residential dwellings with access, landscaping, sustainable drainage and associated infrastructure.

Speaking rights have been granted to:

·         Objectors, Charli McNicol, Maureen Walsh, Katie McNally, Angela Mciver, Peter Kirkley, Paula Leathers, Martin Collins and Allan Henderson.

·         Councillors Louise Marshall and Gary Madden, Wallsend Ward Councillors

·         A representative of the applicants, Bellway Homes (North East)

The Committee considered a report from the planning officers, together with an addendum circulated prior to the meeting, in relation to a full planning application from Bellway Homes (North East) for the erection of 215no. residential dwellings with access, landscaping, sustainable drainage and associated infrastructure.

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

During the presentation the planning officer stated that:

a)      following consultee comments during the course of the application process the applicant had submitted amended plans which indicated that the onsite provision of informal open space (excluding the bowling green) would be 2.3ha which equated to a loss of 1.88ha; 

b)      the previous planning application for residential development at the application site had been subsequently withdrawn;

c)       since circulation of the report and addendum, further discussions had taken place with Newcastle City Council regarding its request for a financial contribution to take measures to reduce traffic through residential streets in the Appletree Gardens area in Newcastle. In the light of these discussions, the planning officers amended their recommendation to the Committee to include within the terms of the proposed Section 106 Legal Agreement a financial contribution of £50,000 towards the introduction of two closure points as part of Newcastle City Council’s Low Traffic Neighbourhood Scheme; and

d)      officers had been made aware of an electronic petition hosted by the website Change.org and signed by approximately 1,400 people opposed to the application. The petition had not been submitted to the Authority but the issues raised in the petition were addressed in the planning officers report.

The Chair reported that all members of the Committee had been sent a letter by Wallsend Boys Club setting out its objections to the planning application.

In accordance with the Committee’s Speaking Rights Scheme, Maria Ferguson addressed the Committee on behalf of Wallsend Boys Club and a number of objectors who had been granted permission to speak to the Committee namely, Maureen Walsh, Katie McNally, Peter Kirkley, Martin Collins and Allan Henderson. She was accompanied by Steve Dale of Wallsend Boys Club. Maria Ferguson described the Boys Club as a significant community asset and outlined details of its recent expansion. It was opposed to the loss of the publicly owned open space as this would prohibit the club’s growth and its ability to contribute to tackling social issues in the area. She challenged the applicant’s Open Space Assessment in the light of the Authority’s Playing Pitch Strategy being five years out of date and the allocation of the land as open space in the Local Plan 2017. She asked that the application be refused until the Authority reviews its Playing Pitch Strategy. She also raised concerns regarding the impact on ecology and the capacity of Rheydt Avenue to accommodate the additional traffic flows from the development. She considered the proposed improvements to the highway network to be inadequate. The Committee were urged to listen to the views of over 200 objectors, stand by Wallsend Boys Club and refuse the application as it was contrary to the Local Plan.

Councillor Louise Marshall had been granted permission to speak to the Committee as ward councillor for the Wallsend Ward. Councillor Marshall outlined the objections of Wallsend Boys Club and local residents on the grounds of car parking, highway safety, loss of open space, layout and nature conservation. She had contacted 111 residents living in the area and 80% were either against, unsure or wanted more information. She envisaged that the development would create 500 extra journeys per day along Rheydt Avenue which would cause safety issues at Western Primary School and the hazardous junction with Rutland Road. Overflow car parking problems from Rheydt Avenue were likely to be exacerbated. The open space was easily accessible for local residents and well used for exercise and recreation. The Boys Club played an important role to play in tackling aniti-social behaviour and the loss of the open space would remove the opportunity for expansion. Councillor Marshall was critical of Bellways and the Council for a lack of consultation on the matter and she expressed disappointment that works had already commenced on site.

Sandra Manson of Pegasus Group, accompanied by Mark Gabriele of Bellway Homes (North East), addressed the Committee to respond to the speakers’ comments. She thanked officers for their work with the applicants to bring forward a robust proposal which had been subject to thorough assessment by a range of professionals who had identified mitigation for the impacts and raised no objections. She highlighted that the Authority did not have a 5 year housing land supply and therefore there was a presumption in favour of the development unless its impacts significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits. In terms of highway safety and car parking it was not the responsibility of the applicant to mitigate against existing problems associated with the operation of the boys club. She outlined how the proposed development would relate to the future relocation and development of the golf club and described the benefits of the development in terms of supplying housing, improved play facilities and employment and training opportunities.

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

a)      details of the ownership, leasing and control of the application site and the potential for Wallsend Boys Club to expand onto the site. The Committee were advised to consider the application before it and to disregard any future proposals or uses of the land;

b)      the existing use of Rheydt Avenue for car parking associated with the operation of Wallsend Boys Club’s facilities and the likely impact of the development on car parking and highway safety in the area;

c)      the outcome of the applicant’s Transport Assessment in terms of the predicted number of vehicular movements on Rheydt Avenue generated by the development;

d)      the nature and location of the 54 affordable homes to be incorporated into the development;

e)      the proposed density of houses on the site;

f)        the location of the nearest bus stops to the application site;

g)      the allocation of the site as open space within the Local Plan 2017 and the findings contained within the applicant’s Open Space Assessment; and

h)      the latest Housing Land Availability Assessment which demonstrated that the Authority did not have a 5 year housing land supply and therefore there was a presumption in favour of the development unless its impacts significantly and demonstrably outweighed the benefits.

The Chair proposed acceptance of the planning officer’s recommendation.

On being put to the vote, 6 members of the Committee voted for the recommendation and 3 members voted against the recommendation.

Resolved that (1) the Committee is minded to grant the application; and

(2) the Director of Regeneration and Economic Development be authorised to issue a notice of grant of planning permission subject to:

i)    the conditions set out in the planning officers report and addendum;

ii)    the addition, omission or amendment of any other conditions considered necessary by the Director of Regeneration and Economic Development; and

iii)   completion of a legal agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to secure a financial contribution for the following:

- Affordable housing provision

- Allotments £21,600

- Ecology and Biodiversity £41,925

- Parks and Greenspace £114,421

- Built Sports Facilities £186,932

- Play/Multi Use Games Area £150,500

- Newcastle City Council’s Low Traffic Neighbourhood Scheme £50,000

(Reasons for decision: The Committee concluded that, having regard to the relevant policies contained in the Council’s Local Plan 2017 and National Planning Policy Framework, the proposed development was acceptable in terms of the principle of development. Furthermore its impact on the amenity of existing and future occupiers, the character and appearance of the area, biodiversity and landscaping, highway safety and flood risk were acceptable and did not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.)