Agenda item

Outline Application For Residential Development & Extra Care Housing (Up To 41 Residential Units (C3 Use) an Up To 63 Sheltered/Extra Care Housing Flats) (With Some Matters Reserved) (Amended Indicative layout plan, amended ground floor plan and site plan and first and second floor for extra care housing and additional information, amended description) (Amended Flood Risk Assessment and plan).

Councillor Gubb re-joined the meeting.

The Senior Planning Officer advised the Committee:

·       The application was for outline permission for access to the site. It was only access that was being fixed at this stage.  This consisted of two separate access points – Old Bideford Road and Old Torrington Road.

·       There would be no vehicular access on the site itself between the proposed residential and extra care housing.  There would be only be pedestrian and cycleway access through the site.

The Committee continued on to the site through a pathway in the wooded area which was just past Birch Lane. This was the route of the proposed vehicular access to Site ‘A’ as shown on the parameters plan.  Due to access and conditions of the path, Councillors Gubb, D Spear and L Spear remained at the roadside.

Once on the site, the Senior Planning Officer identified:

·       The wooded area which bordered the industrial area to the south of the site.

The areas to the south and west of the site where the existing trees would be retained and where there would be 10m wide wildlife corridors as shown on the parameters plan.

In answer to questions from the Committee, the Senior Planning Officer advised:

·       An arboriculture report has been submitted with the application. There would be a requirement for some trees to be felled.  A LEMP would be conditioned on the grant of approval which would need to be submitted at the reserved matters stage.

·       The layout and design of the site would be part of the reserve matters stage although a connection of the footpath/cycleway to the Larkbear site, across Old Torrington Toad, would be sought.

·       Highways had no concerns regarding the proposed accesses.

Councillor Gubb left the meeting 12:30pm

Councillors D Spear and L Spear re-joined the group.

The Councillors continued along Grange Avenue and stopped near no.13 and the Senior Planning Officer advised that the trees seen at the rear of the property formed the boundary along this side.  The Senior Planning Officer commented that whilst street scene elevations/sections had been submitted they were for illustrative purposes only.

The Councillors continued along Old Torrington Road where they were advised of the second vehicular access (to ‘Site B’ as shown on the parameters plan), then stopped opposite the junction to the Larkbear development, along Riverton Road. They were advised this was an allocated site in the North Devon and Torridge Local Plan for 820 dwellings. The Councillors noted the location of the existing bus gate. The Senior Planning Officer advised of the HATOC decision to move the bus gate onto Old Torrington Road.  The Senior Planning Officer confirmed that since the resolution of HATOC to approve the arrangements for the Bus Gate and its restrictions DCCHW had been asked for revised comments.  DCCHW had confirmed they still had no objections. 

The Councillors continued along Gratton Way where the Senior Planning Officer advised that the site would follow the route of the tree line to the rear of the industrial units (behind Western Truck Rental) to the rear of Sainsburys.

The Senior Planning Officer showed the Committee the cycle/footpath at the rear of Sainsburys which was currently a dead end. The possibility of opening up this path could be explored under reserved matters.