Outline Application For Residential Development & Extra Care Housing (Up To 41 Residential Units and 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). Report by the Senior Planning Officer (attached).

Councillor Prowse arrived at the meeting

Councillor Mack declared a disclosable pecuniary interest and left the room during the consideration thereof.

The Committee considered a report by the Senior Planning Officer (circulated previously).

RESOLVED that it being 1.00 p.m. the meeting continue in order for the remaining business to be transacted.

Maurice Brailey (objector), Mr T Brailey (objector), Mr Boyle (objector) and Mrs Boyle (objector) addressed the Committee.

The Senior Corporate and Community Services Officer read a statement from Mr and Mrs Jackson (objectors) to the Committee.

Councillor Knight, Ward Member, addressed the Committee.

Councillor Lofthouse, Ward Member, addressed the Committee.

In response to questions, the Senior Planning Officer (SM) advised the following:

·       It was not standard practice to write to everyone who had submitted a letter of objection.

·       In terms of property litigation any concerned party would need to demonstrate and provide evidence. Devon County Council had provided the LPA with a copy of the transfer of land. There was no reference in this document that the site should be used for a school.

·       Deeds and covenants were not a material consideration.

·       Landscaping would form part of the reserved matters application.

·       There were two access points to the site.  The layout on the site was not fixed at this stage as it was an outline application.

·       A South West Water advisory had been imposed (proposed informative no. 4, page 271 of the report.

·       Proposed condition 41 addressed the issue of loss of light. A detailed Landscape and Environmental Management Plan would be a condition and submitted as part of the reserved matters application.   Layout of the site would also form part of the reserved matters application.

·       An informative note was included in relation to designing out crime prevention.

·       The comments made by the Highways Officer were detailed within the report.

·       Officers could request a climate impact assessment to be provided at the reserved matters stage.

·       The layout was not fixed and therefore a green buffer along the north of the site could be pursued as a reserved matter.  The configuration of windows and balconies were not fixed and would be considered as a reserved matter.

·       Extra care housing tended to be for older people, however the accommodation would be for people with differing needs.

·       Discussions had taken place with the Highways Officer regarding traffic generation who had advised that there was negligible difference between the traffic generation created for the residential development and extra care housing. Therefore if the layout of the site was reversed, this would not result in an increase in traffic generation.

·       A needs analysis had been undertaken which concluded that there was an ageing population who required specialist care. The design would need to be considered as a reserved matter. Section 106 contributions would be sought for the provision of the care package and qualifying person.

Paul Young, Highways Officer, Devon County Council addressed the Committee.  He advised that the application had been submitted 3 years ago. A transport assessment had been carried out during the early stages of the application and included junctions within the vicinity.  It was considered that in principle the proposal was acceptable. The traffic generation and car parking were similar for both the residential development and extra care housing. The two other elements that made the application more acceptable in highways terms. The proposed relocation of the bus gate would result in all traffic to the Larkbear development and other housing development built along the Old Torrington Road disappearing from the Wrey Arms junction.  Following the Yelland Planning Inquiry, the indicative scheme at the Wrey Arms junction was unlikely to come to fruition.  The Highways Authority was not in a position to require section 106 contributions and considered that there was an acceptable impact on the highway network.

Councillor Walker declared a personal interest as Chair of the North Devon Crematorium Joint Committee.  Councillor Gubb declared a personal interest as a member of the North Devon Crematorium joint Committee.

In response to questions, Paul Young, Highways Officer, Devon County Councillor advised the following:

·       In relation to the Old Bideford Road, the agreed alignment of 5.5m for the carriageway and 2m for the pavement provided an adoptable layout to the site.

·       The cycle network along Old Torrington Road was a shared vehicle and cycle on the highway. Due to the low speeds, it was not considered appropriate to segregate the vehicle and cycle traffic.

·       The vehicle speeds were expected to be low and on the site it was expected to be 20mph or less. 

·       The road was considered to be acceptable and adoptable in accordance with the design guide.

·       The provision of 2 access points was considered acceptable due to the relocation of the bus gate.

·       The vehicles accessing the site via Old Torrington Road would serve the care home and vehicles accessing the site via Old Bideford Road would serve the contained units.  The only link between the two was the proposed foot/cycle path.

·       The Highways Authority considered that the development would be acceptable whether or not the bus gate was relocated.  The Highways and Traffic Orders Committee had approved the relocation of the bus gate and there was now 12 months to implement the relocation.

RESOLVED (unanimous) that the application be APPROVED as recommended by the Lead Planning Officer subject to the Senior Planning Officer being delegated authority to seek a plan seeking the reversal of the layout of the site so that it is “flipped” and that the Ward Members and Devon County Councillor be consulted.