Agenda item

Approval of reserved matters for the erection of 16no. two storey dwellings including associated detached garages and

3no. three storey dwellings with integral garages [Acomb Ward]

Members considered a Major Reserved Matters Application submitted by CALA Management Limited for the approval of reserved matters for the erection of 16no. two storey dwellings, including associated detached garages and 3no. three storey dwellings with integral garages.

Officers updated that two revised plans had been received which switched the living room to the front elevation of the 3 storey house and amended the footpath at the rear of plot 19. Comments had been received from the Police Architectural Liaison Officer and these were as follows:

-              Would not normally favour the ‘snicket’

-              Two security gates would be required rather than the one proposed

-              There are other unsecured access points on the site

The following comments had been received from Highway Network Management:

-               Parking provision wasshort by one visitor space

-               Additional conditions were required (cycle parking, use of garage for parking of cars be agreed)

An e-mail had been received from Councillor Simpson-Laing and was circulated at the meeting. The main points in this document were:

-              The design layout means that the site is very visible when walking down Ouseburn Avenue and Lidgett Grove

-              The original outline application was for 14 to 18 dwellings, which equates to a density of between 30 & 40 dwellings per hectare. This application has increased to 19 units with a number of properties now being 3 Storey (Farlington House Type). This raised concerns over loss of privacy in nearby gardens.

-              Condition 5 of the outline application restricted the building height to 8.8m.

-              The design goes against 4.2 Policy GP1 ‘Design of the City of York Local Plan Deposit Draft’ due to ‘density, layout, scale, mass and design not being compatible with neighbouring buildings and spaces.’

-              There is not enough parking provided

Members asked that a lighting condition be included and Officers said that they would make an amendment to one of the Highways conditions to incorporate this. It was noted that as the road was unadopted it would be the Management Company for the development that would be responsible for lighting.

Representations, in objection,  were received from a local resident who spoke on behalf of herself and other residents. She said that they were broadly in support of residential development but very opposed to any 3 storey dwellings being built on this site. In the Committee Report dated 21 April 2005 the Acomb Planning Panel had commented that ‘development must not be higher than 2 storeys to merge with the existing residential area.’ There is no precedent for 3 storey houses in the Beckfield Lane area.  She felt that the density of the site was excessive and this would damage the existing amenities of all properties surrounding it.  If the 3 storey dwellings were built then there would be a problem with 12 overlooking windows. There would also be an increase in traffic from the single access road. She suggested that If the 3 storey dwellings were built then they should be moved to plots 2, 3 and 4 of the proposed development.

Representations were received from the Applicants who said that they had changed the layout of some of the plots to appease some of the residents’ concerns regarding overlooking.

Members discussed the application and felt that the 3 storey dwellings were too imposing in the situation that the Applicants proposed. They felt that there was a possibility to move them to plots 2, 3 and 4 on the site.  Some Members felt that it had been made clear in the outline application that the height restriction was 8.8m and thus they would prefer to see the proposed 3 storey dwellings removed altogether.

Members were happy with the proposed arrangements for security gating.

RESOLVED:             That the application be deferred.

REASON:                  To seek the removal or relocation of the proposed 3 storey dwellings.