Agenda item

This full major application is for the erection of 32 dwellings, 1no retail unit and 1no veterinary surgery following the demolition of existing buildings.

This application was deferred at the April meeting of the Committee due to concerns over highway safety, to seek clarification on the ownership of the land to the north east of the site and issues of landscaping and site drainage. [Heworth]

Members considered a full major application by Andy Cramer and Jeremy Binnian of Linden Homes Yorvale for the erection of 32 dwellings, 1no retail unit and 1no veterinary surgery following demolition of existing buildings. This application was deferred at the Committee’s April meeting where concerns were raised from Members over highway safety and clarification was sought over the ownership of the land to the northeast of the side of the site, landscaping and site drainage.

In their update to Members, Officers informed the Committee that the Parish Council had restated their previous concerns over parking problems. It was also reported that the Yorkshire Ambulance Service were satisfied with the two way traffic that would occur as a result of the development.

Some Members highlighted that the area of public open space at the far end of the site, which was owned by the Council might be prone to vandalism as the land’s future ownership had yet to be decided. One Member suggested that it might be worth asking whether the applicant wished to purchase the land following approval.

Representations in support were received from the agent for the applicant. He spoke about how the applicant would retain the ash and oak tree and that the poplars on site would be replaced, Additionally the applicant was happy for bat boxes to be installed, and would be content to buy the area of open land to extend the properties’ gardens.

Members asked a series of questions to the agent including;

·        Whether the road would be shared by residents, ambulances and users of the veterinary surgery.

·        Whether the hours of delivery to the retail unit could be altered to make the hours more sociable given the proximity to plots 4, 5 and 6 which would be used for housing.

·        At which point the hours of operation for the retail unit could be conditioned.

The agent responded that the road would be adopted, with the width increased to 5.8 metres and that only one car would access a property opposite the entrance to the ambulance station. Some Members felt that the parking for plot 18 was sufficient as long as it did not encourage parking on the road opposite the ambulance station.

Further discussion took place between Members on the opening hours and delivery hours on Monday to Friday and Sundays and Bank Holidays for the proposed retail unit. Some Members felt that the size of the delivery vehicles were too large, and would block the road. Some Members proposed that the delivery hours would be;

·        Monday- Saturday 8 am to 6pm with Sundays and Bank Holidays 10 am to 6pm.

It was suggested that the retail unit would also open from 7 am to 10 pm throughout the week.

Councillor Warters asked that his vote against the application was recorded on the grounds that the proposals would cause problems for the ambulance service in the future.

RESOLVED:       That the application be approved subject to the following amended condition;

·        The hours of delivery to and dispatch from each commercial premises shall be confined to the following times, unless otherwise approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority:

Saturday, Sunday & Bank Holidays 10:00-18:00

REASON:           In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority the proposal is acceptable in principle and, subject to the conditions listed above, would not cause undue harm to interests of acknowledged importance, with particular reference to residential amenity, highway safety and flood risk.  As such the proposal complies with Policies SP7, GP1, GP4, GP7, GP9, NE1, T4, H2 and H4 of the City of York Development Control Local Plan.