Agenda item

The Committee considered

·  a report by the Development Manager on a planning application on land rear of Holly Farm, Brookside Drive, Farmborough

·  an Update Report by the Development Manager on this application, a copy of which is attached as Appendix 1 to these Minutes

·  oral statements by members of the public etc., a copy of which is attached as Appendix 2 to these Minutes

RESOLVED that, in accordance with their delegated powers, the application be determined as set out on the Decision List attached as Appendix 3 to these Minutes.

Land rear of Holly Farm, Brookside Drive, Farmborough - Residential development comprising 38 dwellings with associated access, car parking and landscaping – The Case Officer reported on this application and her recommendation (A) that the application be referred to the Secretary of State as a departure from the Development Plan; (B) to authorise the Planning and Environmental Law Manager to secure an Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as detailed in the Report; and (C) upon completion of the Agreement, to authorise the Development Manager to Permit the application subject to various conditions. She referred to the Update Report which informed Members of further consultation responses having been received. Members of the public etc then made statements against and in favour of the proposal which was followed by a statement by the Ward Councillor Sally Davis.

Members asked questions to which Officers responded. Concerns were expressed about the size of the proposed development, its access and highway safety.

Councillor Bryan Organ moved that permission be refused which was seconded by Councillor Martin Veal. Members debated the motion and raised various other concerns such as the layout of the development and the location of the affordable housing, the effect on residents of Brookside Drive, parking, cramped development and sustainability. A Member however, considered that this was a good development providing both affordable and retirement housing. After hearing the debate, Councillor Bryan Organ clarified that the reasons for refusal were: overdevelopment of the site, an adverse effect upon highway safety in terms of the junction with the main road, an adverse effect from construction traffic, the sustainability of the site’s location outside the housing development boundary, unacceptable layout in particular the location of the affordable housing and the effect upon parking conditions in Brookside Drive.

The Development Manager explained that, because this was an outline application, layout and the location of the affordable housing could not be considered until the Reserved matters stage. She advised Members that this was a safeguarded site in the Local Plan and the proposal, together with the proposed S106 Agreement complied with the principles of the Council’s Draft Core Strategy and she reminded the Committee that the Highways Officers had no objection on highway safety grounds. The Development Manager further advised that the effect of construction traffic could be dealt with by the imposition of a suitable condition and that the number of dwellings proposed was close to that included in the Council’s Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment.

The motion was put to the vote. Voting: 6 in favour and 5 against with 1 abstention. Motion carried for the following reasons: Members considered that the proposal would result in an overdevelopment of the site. The development would have an adverse effect on highway safety due to the site being located close to the substandard junction of the A39 and The Street and due to the effect on parking in the surrounding area. Also because the site is located outside of the Housing Development Boundary, it is considered to be located in an unsustainable location.