Issue - meetings

UTT/21/0333/OP - Sabre House, Dunmow Road, Stebbing, CM6 3LF

Meeting: 04/08/2021 - Planning Committee (Item 35)

35 UTT/21/0333/OP - Sabre House, Dunmow Road, STEBBING pdf icon PDF 499 KB

To consider application UTT/21/0333/OP.

Minutes:

The Planning Officer presented an outline application with all matters reserved, except for access, to demolish all buildings and remove commercial uses (car sales and airport parking etc) and construct residential development of up to 9 dwellings.

 

The application was recommended for approval with conditions.

 

In response to questions, officers clarified that the scheme was indicative only and there was no commitment to details such as bedroom sizes or housing mix at this stage in the process. The site had previously received planning permission at committee in 2017, however due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the sale of the land had fallen through, and the permission had not been implemented.

 

It was confirmed that the land to the rear was owned by the same individual. Currently, the proposed development did not meet the criteria for the requirement to provide affordable housing to be triggered, however, should a further application for housing come forward on the adjacent land, then a contribution to affordable housing would be considered.

 

During discussion, members raised concerns for the following:

·         The indicative housing mix did not meet the area and District’s demand for smaller 2/3-bedroom properties.

·         The development would result in the loss of employment land, in an area of light industry. Officers clarified that as the land was not a protected employment site, there was no requirement for the freeholder to seek alternative employment options before requesting the change in usage.

·         The site was not in a sustainable location as it was not within walking distance of the village centre, had limited access to amenities and had no access to footpaths or countryside.

·         The development would be situated close to the B1256 and closely proximate to the A120, prompting concerns around noise and air pollution.

·         The access to the site was dangerous, as it is situated on a busy and fast stretch of road.

·         The site was potentially contaminated due to its historic commercial use as a petrol filling station and would therefore require input from the Council’s Environmental Health Department to clean it before development could commence.

 

Councillor Bagnall proposed that the application be refused on the grounds of unsustainability (policy S7). This was seconded by Councillor Freeman

 

RESOLVED: To refuse the application