Agenda item

To consider application UTT/21/3269/DFO.

The Principal Planning Officer presented an application for approval of reserved matters relating to outline application UTT/17/3573/OP for the erection of 350 dwellings, internal roads, open space and sports pitch provision, other associated infrastructure including that required to serve future primary school and early years facility and siting of sports pavilion.

The application was recommended for approval with conditions.

The meeting adjourned at 10.20 am to resolve some technology issues. It reconvened at 10.30 am.

The Principal Planning Officer responded to questions from members and confirmed:

• The 54 documents published 25 April 2022 were published for consistency in response to the receipt of final Highway comments on 21 April 2022. These comments detailed minor non-material amendments which did not require consultation. Material amendments would require a consultation period of fourteen to twenty one days.
• Despite the allegations made regarding insufficient parking, Essex Highways had confirmed that there was sufficient parking provision provided within the proposal.
• The Parking Strategy allocated parking spaces as follows:

1 parking space for 1 bedroom units

2 parking spaces for 2 and 3 bedroom units

3 parking spaces for 4 and 5 bedroom units

Cycle park provision in the play area

25 parking spaces for the sports pitch and pavilion

A pedestrian drop off area opposite the school

Additional visitor parking provided throughout the site.

• The majority of the garden areas were compliant with the Design Guidance Standards, which were a material consideration, but did not form part of the policy. 3% of the gardens fell short of the guidance, which overall was considered satisfactory.
• The Environmental Health Officer had reviewed the application and taken into consideration the conditions imposed on the outline application relating to noise mitigation measures, which he noted appeared satisfactory. He anticipated that the methodology would be included in an application to discharge the condition of the original consent.
• The affordable housing garden sizes had been addressed within the non-material amendments site layout changes, alongside the provision of a communal amenity space for the apartment blocks.

• The Thames Water proposed condition had been added to the late list and it advised that there was sufficient capacity for 190 dwellings and that upgrades to the network would be required to achieve capacity.

The Development Manager confirmed that the non-material amendments made related to very minor changes in response to Essex Highways comments. He said that although concerns were understandable that larger changes could also have been made and potentially missed by the volume of documentation, the case officer had checked and was happy for Members to determine the application.

Members discussed:

• The insufficient parking provision allegations.
• The consultation period for material amendments.
• The vehicular route into the site, for the early years and school access.
• The pedestrian routes for drop off and link to the station.
• That the garden sizes did not meet the Essex Garden Design Guide for the affordable housing and whether it was appropriate to lower standards for affordable housing but not market housing.
• The affordable housing units distribution throughout the development.
• The presence of low density lighting for pedestrians and the preferred associated operational timings as part of the conditions of the outline scheme.
• Whether and how Essex Highways would prevent detrimental impact by traffic on the surrounding road network, specifically through Thaxted and Stansted in relation to their new policy.
• The reduced scale of the three storey units to what was permitted within the outline application.
• The apparent mis-representation of the access from the development to Hales Wood. There was no footpath and the access could be stopped if the landowner wished, which would negatively impact pedestrians accessing the school.
• Whether the implementation of an additional condition relating to parking provision for the school would prevent residents establishing reliance on using what would eventually be the school parking area.
• The over reliance on triple tandem parking which encouraged on-street parking.
• Concerns over the lack of drop off zone at the school.
• Concerns over the lack of information on the Highway issues.
• The presence of the valid outline planning permission and the lack of evidence of the alleged highway issues raised.
• The inadequacy and unsuitability of the pavilion proposal for the current football team`s needs.

The Development Manager confirmed that the valid outline planning consent existed, as a result of which Members had found this Detailed Following Outline (DFO) application before them for consideration, irrespective of any changes in policy by Essex Highways. He advised Members that they should only be considering matters detailed within the DFO application.

Councillor Fairhurst proposed the deferral of the application, based on the detail of the documents submitted as late issues, the garden size of the affordable homes, the football pitch, outstanding questions from the Parish Council, parking in connection with the school and visitor parking and clarity of the pedestrian link footpath to Hales Wood.

Councillor LeCount seconded the proposal.

RESOLVED to defer the application.

Councillor P Lees spoke to request that the application be deferred to allow Essex Highways to explain their decisions relating to parking.

Councillor G Mott (on behalf of Elsenham PC) spoke to request that the application be deferred to enable proper consideration by the Parish Council of the significant additional documentation now received.

A Clark (Applicant) spoke in support of the application.

The meeting adjourned at 11.55 am and reconvened at 12.05 pm.