Issue - meetings

Application for approval of reserved matters (layout, landscaping, scale, and appearance) for residential development of 442 no. residential units comprising Phase 2 pursuant to Outline permission 17/00862/OPM.

The Committee considered a report on planning application 23/00890/RMM seeking permission for the approval of reserved matters (layout, landscaping, scale, and appearance) for residential development of 442 no. residential units comprising Phase 2 of the land to the North of Stevenage development, pursuant to Outline permission 17/00862/OPM.

It was RESOLVED that application 23/00890/RMM be granted planning permission, subject to the conditions set out in the report, and that authority be given to the Assistant Director (Planning and Regulation), in consultation with the Chair of the Planning and Development Committee, to amend or add to those conditions prior to the decision notice being issued, where such amendments or additions would be legally sound and most effectively deliver the development that the Planning and Development Committee has resolved to approve.

The Committee considered a report on planning application 23/00890/RMM seeking permission for the approval of reserved matters (layout, landscaping, scale, and appearance) for residential development of 442 no. residential units comprising Phase 2 of the land to the North of Stevenage development, pursuant to Outline permission 17/00862/OPM.

The Principal Planning Officer gave an update to the Committee. Regarding Local Plan Policy HO11, which related to accessible and adaptable housing requirements, there was an error in paragraph 9.10.4.3 of the report where the total percentage of accessible and adaptable housing being provided should read 47%.

She advised that since the report was published there had been discussions with the agents that had resulted in the need for minor alterations to some of the conditions to allow for discharge through sub-phase and sub-parcels of the area. A further condition was being imposed relating to the custom, self-build plots, that would allow for further details to come forward should there be a take-up of the self-build allowance. The wording of conditions was to be agreed by the Assistant Director (Planning & Regulatory), in consultation with the Chair & Vice-Chair of the Committee.

The application being considered was the final instalment of reserved matters in respect of the site. There had been several reserved matters applications considered including the infrastructure which included the main highway network, all foot and cycleway provision, landscaping provision within the main non-residential areas of the site, Phase 1A-C of 243 residential units, Phase 1D of 115 residential units, and the Country Park application.

Photos of the site plan and location were presented which included the spine road which formed part of the infrastructure plan along with bus connection through into the North Herts Council’s NS1 site. Footpath and cycleway connections to NS1 were under negotiation with North Herts Council who had asked for additional connectivity. This had been agreed, in part, with the developers and would be a non-material amendment to the infrastructure reserved matters.

The Principal Planning Officer advised that Phase 2 was most directly accessed from the northern vehicular access off North Road. The spine road approved under the Infrastructure RM provided a tree-lined avenue throughout the development. Phase 2 had several secondary and tertiary roads leading off the spine road to form cul-de-sacs and shared driveways, as well as the main connection through to NS1 and leading to the Country Park car park and entrance.

The proposed apartment blocks formed gateway buildings into the first two roads off the western end of the spine road. The spine road itself was fronted by predominantly semi-detached dwellings, with some detached dwellings on corner plots. The rest of the site was largely made up of semi-detached dwellings and rows of terraces, with policy compliant levels of affordable housing located across the whole site.

The ‘Custom-build Strategy’ submitted detailed that the plots would be marketed for up to two years. However, if they were not taken up by the public within this two-year window they would revert to conventional build plots and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3