Agenda item

To consider application UTT/17/2832/OP.

To enable public speaking on both applications, the Chairman moved proceedings on to Item 4 and asked the Development Management Team Leader to present the report on application UTT/17/2832/OP.

The application sought outline planning permission, with all matters reserved except access, for the provision for up to 100 mixed dwellings, including 40% affordable housing. As part of the development there would also be associated open space, drainage, landscaping, access and parking. The provision of land to facilitate an extension to an already approved primary school, which formed part of the wider UTT/13/3467/OP application, was also proposed in order to enable a 2 form entry school on the site. 

The Chairman invited those who had registered to speak on applications UTT/17/2832/OP and UTT/18/0824/OP to address the Committee. The statements can be heard in full on the Council's website.

The Development Manager said the Council did not have a five year land supply and therefore required the 250 houses that were proposed by the two applications. He said the link road, which was advised as a highways and air quality mitigation measure, would only be built if both applications were approved. 

In response to a procedural question from Councillor Lodge, which referenced email correspondence between Councillor Rolfe and the former Leader of the Council, the Solicitor said the personal opinions espoused by members did not bring the Body Corporate into disrepute and was irrelevant in determining this application.

Members discussed the impact both developments would have on the highway network, with particular regard paid to air quality and the nature of the proposed link road.

Councillor Freeman said if the applications were approved, the proposed link road would be nothing more than a rat run, which would have a negative impact on quality of life for the people living in the new developments. He said he also had concerns relating to the dataset that had been used for the air quality modelling and questioned its legitimacy.

Councillor Lodge said there had been an anomaly in the first dataset he had seen. He added that there was a real air quality problem in Saffron Walden, with fourteen deaths relating to air quality in the past year.

Ana Grossinho(AQEG), an air quality expert, explained how the cumulative assessment had been carried out. She said the data set had been scrutinised by independent consultants (Ringway Jacobs) and she was confident that the conclusion in the report, which stated that the impact of these developments on air quality was negligible if the mitigation scheme was carried out, was sound.

Councillor Lodge said the link road would pass in front of the proposed primary school. This was contrary to the Essex Design Guide.

Councillor Fairhurst proposed to refuse application UTT/18/0824/OP. Councillor Lodge seconded the motion and said he was doing so as the application was contrary to policies GEN1, EN13, S7, ENV3 and ENV5 of the Uttlesford Local Plan (adopted 2005).

A recorded vote was requested.

The motion to refuse the application was defeated.

Councillor Mills proposed approval of application UTT/18/0824/OP. Councillor Chambers seconded this motion.

Councillor Lodge proposed an amendment to the motion. He asked that no work commence until a clear mitigation plan was approved by UDC and ECC Highways to show that proposed mitigation measures would prevent deterioration of air pollution levels within the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA). 

The Environmental Health Manager – Protection said the conclusions of the cumulative air quality impact assessment stated that no further mitigation methods were required to prevent deterioration of air pollution levels within the AQMA, in relation to these proposed developments.

Councillor Fairhurst seconded the amendment.

The amendment was defeated.

Members then voted on the original motion to approve applicationUTT/18/0824/OP.

The application was approved.

The Chairman proposed to approve application UTT/17/2832/OP.

Councillor Ryles seconded the motion. 

The application was approved.

The following people spoke on these applications:

Councillors B Light, A Gerard (on behalf of N Hargreaves) and H Rolfe. Keith Eden, Paul Gadd, Jim Ketteridge, Ian Mitchell, Matthew North, Dan Starr and James Waterhouse.