Agenda item

The Principal Development Management Officer introduced application no. 137511, a planning application to erect 13no. dwellings at Pingley Vale, Bigby High Road, Brigg DN20 9GZ.

The application had been assessed against the revised NPPF and did not alter any considerations nor did it alter the officer recommendation.

There was one speaker on the application, Mr Andrew Burling from Cyden Homes, the applicant for the application.  Points he raised are listed below:

·         The land in question was a former prisoner of war facility known as Pingley Camp, later used for low level commercial operations before falling into disuse.  The northern section of the site had recently been completed and was known as Pingley Park;

·         The land on the southern section of the site was classified as brownfield land and contained derelict buildings, areas of contamination and sheet structures.  All of these buildings and contamination had been removed and decontaminated by Cyden Homes;

·         The land did have outline approval for 10 dwellings back in 2008, with subsequent reserved matters approved on a plot by plot basis; however due to market forces this permission had elapsed, with the exception of plot 4 which had been lived in for a number of years now;

·         The site was acquired by Cyden Homes in 2014, with a planning application submitted for Pingley Park granted in October 2015.  The final properties on that section of the site were completed in March 2018;

·         The road network for the site was constructed, and then subsequently inspected by Lincolnshire County Council’s Highways department.  This road also connected to plot number 4 and the land to the rear of that property, connecting the plot to Bigby High Road.  The road was pending adoption following a 12 month maintenance period;

·         This application would complete the picture in that particular area of Bigby High Road;

·         Cyden Homes contributions towards affordable housing for this development are around £176,000, and have also demonstrated they are committed to providing homes in West Lindsey.

Councillor Lewis Strange, district ward Councillor for the application was unable to attend Committee, but wanted to reinforce his comments in the report.  In response, the Principal Development Management Officer informed Committee that Lincolnshire County Council Highways had visited the road on the site for a second time, but there was no grounds to impose a lower speed limit.

Members then had a discussion about the application, and the following points were highlighted:

·         LP2 of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan (LP2) (settlement hierarchy) and part 6 of LP2 may apply to this application;

·         There was opposition to the application on highways grounds;

·         The lowering of the speed limit on Bigby High Road requested by Bigby Parish Council and district Councillor Lewis Strange was for desirability, and wasn’t on safety grounds;

·         This land was in the plan preceding the 2006 First Draft Review West Lindsey Local Plan;

·         If the committee were to minded to agree with the officer recommendation, then this application should be approved in isolation, and should not be used as a standing precedent;

·         It was understood that there had been a joint bid from North Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire County Councils to the safer roads fund to make improvements to Bigby High Road.  It was also understood that this bid had been approved.

There were no further questions or comments and it was therefore moved, seconded and voted upon that the decision to grant planning permission be AGREED, subject to conditions, and would be delegated to the Chief Operating Officer, to enable the completion and signing of an agreement under section 106 of the Planning Act 1990 (as amended) pertaining to:-

·         An affordable housing contribution of £125,928.00

In addition to the S106 as the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is in force a contribution to this will also be required.

In the event of the s106 not being completed and signed by all parties within 9 months from the date of this Committee, then the application will be reported back to the next available Committee meeting following the expiration of the 9 months.