Agenda item

Demolition of existing buildings, alterations to 'The Married Quarters Building' and erection of new buildings to provide 101 residential dwellings (Use Class C3), 139 sqm of commercial, business and service floorspace (Use Class E) and 150 sqm of community floorspace (Use Class F1/F2) with associated open space, landscaping, access, parking and ancillary development [Fishergate Ward]

Members considered a Major Full Application for the Demolition of existing buildings, alterations to 'The Married Quarters Building' and erection of new buildings to provide 101 residential dwellings (Use Class C3), 139 sqm of commercial, business and service floorspace (Use Class E) and 150 sqm of community floorspace (Use Class F1/F2) with associated open space, landscaping, access, parking and ancillary development.

The Development Manager gave a presentation on the application, and it was reported that: Block 6 of the application had been omitted, and that access for bin lorries had been improved in order to allow bin lorry access throughout the development.

In response to questions from members, the Development Manager confirmed that bin lorries would need to drive through the gates along the roads one by one, and gated areas could act as turning points.

Members were provided with an update in which the Principal Officer Development Management advised that changes to the recommendations had been made following legal advice, it was proposed that references to money from conditions: 4, 21, and 23 be removed. It was also proposed that condition 14 be amended in so far that they are redrafted to align with advice received from Ecology Officers, and that condition 22 be amended to correct admin errors in the original wording that was used.

Public Speakers

Denise Craghill spoke in support of the application and stated that this application was proposed to go beyond low energy use buildings, and made low-carbon living possible. She advised that the highest number of new build dwellings as possible should be affordable homes.

Councillor Whitcroft, councillor for Fishergate Ward, spoke in support of this application and stated that the proposed dwellings would support nearby local services, and that having 80%-100% of the homes affordable was a step in the right direction for City of York Council.

The Chair exercised his discretion to allow Geoff Beacon to speak as Mr. Beacon had not been included on the registered speakers list due to an administrative error. He spoke in support of the application and stated that efforts to control car parking would result in lower car use, and support decarbonisation.

Sophie Round, Housing Delivery Programme Manager, spoke in support of the application on behalf of City of York Council (the Applicant). She stated that this application was an amended proposal to an application that had already been approved. She advised that people were prioritised above cars in this application and that more than 300 cycle spaces were included within the proposal.

In response to questions from members, Sophie confirmed that:

·        Investigations were ongoing to decide if a micro residents’ parking scheme would work on this scale.

·        Bollards would deter drivers from proceeding up the road to places they could not access.

·        Results from community consultation showed there was a lack of community centres in the area, and investigations were ongoing to consider how these could operate.

·        The development would be a mixture of affordable and shared ownership homes.

·        As the development would not be on an adopted highway, there would be more leeway in allocating accessible spaces and blue badges.

·        Low carbon and low car ownership was a priority for the development.

Members then asked officers a number of questions to which they responded that:

·        The application was made prior to the introduction of legislation to require 10% Biodiversity Net Gain, and as such this requirement was not applicable.

·        There was no space to include sports provision on the development, and as such this had to be delivered off-site.

·        Further investigations would be needed to implement more on-street charging spaces for EVs.

Councillor Vassie proposed to accept the officers’ recommendations and the amendments included within the officers’ update, this was seconded by Councillor Steward, and it was resolved:

That delegated authority to be given to the Head of Planning and Development Services to:

i)             Determine the final detail of the planning conditions and planning obligations, with the inclusion of the amendments proposed by Councillor Vassie and seconded by Councillor Steward below:

·        That references to money from conditions: 4, 21, and 23 be removed.

·        That condition 14 be redrafted to align with advice received from Ecology Officers.

·        That condition 22 be amended to correct admin errors in the original wording that was used in the report.

ii)            Refer the application to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Application Government under the requirements of Section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, and should the application not be called in by the Secretary of State, then APPROVE the application subject to planning conditions.