Agenda item

To consider application number UTT/18/2959/DFO

The Planning Officer presented the application for the approval of reserved matters following a grant of outline planning permission for 85 residential dwellings including all necessary infrastructure and landscaping. Details of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale were approved via an appeal on 21 August 2017 UTT/16/2210/OP).

The outline permission included the approval of access, with the current application seeking the approval of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale.

The application was recommended for Approval with Conditions.

Councillor Freeman raised concerns that up to 85 houses would be built as permission had already been granted, but that the committee had the opportunity to get the whole thing right before they were stuck with them.  He raised concerns about the water run-off and drainage. He also raised issue with additional documents being added to the planning portal since December 2018, and the Town Council having not been consulted again.  He said that only half of the issues that had been brought by the Town Council had been dealt with.

The Development Manager clarified that there was no obligation to re-consult with the Town Council.  He pointed out that a number of items mentioned had already been dealt with on the outline planning permission and he was mindful not to ‘double do’ anything.

Councillor Fairhurst raised the issue with the removal of scrubland, the impact on bats and the ‘bat corridor’.  He said that he felt that he was not in the position to make the decision and proposed that the application be deferred.

The Development Manager advised that the application had been in process a number of months and asked Councillor Fairhurst to clarify for what reason he proposed deferral.

Councillor Bagnall said that he couldn’t find one of the drawings referred to in the application and that Highways had based their response on that drawing.

The Planning Officer advised that all the documentation was available online.

Councillor Bagnall said that it looked like that drawing had been superseded and Highways should have been given the new drawings to base their responses on.

Councillor Gerard said that the Committee deserved respect, that they know how to look at plans, and that the information in front of them was not adequate enough to make a determination.  He said that he was aware that the Police wanted to comment on this application but that they had not done so. He said that there needed to be proper consultation for the new material considerations.

Councillor Freeman proposed a deferral as the three storey buildings were a cause for concern as they have been historically hard to occupy, this was raised as a concern by the housing officer and would also impact on the housing association.

The Development Manager said that this wasn’t necessarily an issue for refusal but a delivery issue and void affordability issue.  Briefing sessions would be arranged outside of Committee.

Councillor Freeman proposed deferral of the application.

Councillor Fairhurst seconded the motion for deferral.

RESOLVED to defer the application pending

1.         Addressing issues over affordable housing delivery

2.         Review of matters raised by Saffron Walden Town Council

P Summers, J McLaughlin, C Fiddy and T Tissard spoke on the application.

Councillor Storah returned to the room.

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