Agenda item

The next application of the evening was introduced, planning application number 142542, to erect 3no. dwellings on land off 72 Scothern Road, Nettleham, Lincoln. There were no updates from the Officer and Members were presented with details of the application. The Chairman stated there had been one statement submitted by Miss Emma Truelove, applicant, and he invited the Democratic Services Officer to read the statement aloud. The following statement was made.

 “Dear Chairman,

Thank you for the opportunity to address the committee. We would like to send our apologies for not being present in person to deliver this statement to you.

The application site is within an area of land allocated housing in both the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan (known as allocation B) and Central Lincolnshire Local Plan, where it is given the reference CL4661. 

The site is allocated in the Local Plan for an indicative capacity of 68 dwellings (and not 50 as stated in the objection from the Parish Council).  As such, the additional numbers proposed by this application represent a very minimal increase in overall capacity.

It is obviously worth noting that whist the figures quoted in the local plan serve as a useful guide, they are not prescriptive and nor should they be used as a barrier to growth.  Precise site capacity cannot reasonably be identified until the more advanced stages of planning when a site layout is considered.

As committee members will be aware, other developments that exceeded the ‘indicative capacity’ shown in the plan on allocated sites within the village have attracted similar concerns from the parish council, but those higher capacities were subsequently allowed on the basis of good planning and design.

The delivery of additional homes without compromising either site design or land-take should be welcomed, particularly in a popular village such as Nettleham where development.  Indeed, both the NPPF and the Local Plan advocate good design and the use of appropriate site densities to make best use of available land.

Paragraph 122 of the NPPF states that “Planning policies and decisions should support development that makes efficient use of land”.

In achieving well designed places paragraph 127 of the framework states that “Planning policies and decisions should ensure that developments…are sympathetic to local character and history, including the surrounding built environment and landscape setting, while not preventing or discouraging appropriate innovation or change (such as increased densities)”.

This planning application would not result in demonstrable harm as a result of the minor uplift in overall housing numbers proposed by this planning application.  Nor would this development cause harm to the local environment or setting, nor create a development that is wholly out of character with the village.

Instead, as confirmed by the planning officer’s positive recommendation, the development would continue to comply with the development plan when read as a whole, and it does not trigger any material policy conflicts that would justify the refusal of planning permission.

Accordingly, we trust that the Planning Committee will follow the advice provided to them in the detailed assessment presented from the planning officer and will approve planning permission for these three additional homes.

Thank you.”

The Officer clarified the difference in indicative numbers of dwellings was for 50 in the Neighbourhood Plan and 68 in the CLLP, however as the Local Plan had been adopted after the Neighbourhood Plan, it took precedence.

Members were, on the whole, not satisfied with the manner of the application and the practice of applying for additional dwellings after initial planning permission had been granted. It was highlighted that the application should be considered as a standalone application. There was concern that Nettleham as a village was being required to accept additional development as there was precedence for additional houses being granted after the original planning permission was granted for fewer dwellings. It was explained that, on this occasion, a revision to the layout had led to a more effective use of the land which the led to the additional plots.

In the absence of an alternative proposal, the Chair moved the Officer recommendation and on being seconded, it was agreed by majority vote that:

The decision to grant planning permission subject to conditions be delegated to Officer’s upon the completion and signing of an agreement under section 106 of the Planning Act 1990 (as amended) pertaining to:-

1. A capital contribution of £1,897.50 to the Council towards capital infrastructure for health services necessary to serve the development.

2. A capital contribution of £68,919 to the Council towards off-site affordable housing.

and, in the event of the s106 not being completed and signed by all parties within 6 months from the date of this Committee, then the application be reported back to the next available Committee meeting following the expiration of the 6 months.