AGENDA ITEM NO: Report to: PLANNING BOARD Date: 10 September, 2003 Report from: Borough Planning Officer Application Address: Proposal: Application No: Recommendation: Ward: File No: Applicant: Interest: Existing Use: Policies Borough Plan: Draft Local Plan: County Structure Plan: Conservation Area: Harrow Caravan Park and Harrow Lodge, Harrow Lane, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN37 7JZ ERECTION OF 113 DWELLINGS TOGETHER WITH ESTATE ROADS (DETAILED SUBMISSION) HS/DS/03/00518 APPROVE ASHDOWN HA52212V Gladedale Homes Ltd, per O'Keefe Scanlon Partnership, Rosemount House, Rosemount Avenue, West Byfleet. KT14 6LB Freeholder Site with outline planning permission No Conflict Housing Site No Conflict No Public Consultation Adj. Properties: Yes Advertisement: Yes - General Interest Letters of Objection: 16 Petitions Received: 1 Application Status Not delegated - Petition received SUMMARY This application is for the approval of the detailed design and layout of this development at the Harrow Lane Caravan Park. Outline planning permission has was granted on appeal recently and includes a Unilateral Undertaking on education matters and a Section 106 Agreement relating to affordable housing, play areas/open space and a transport contribution already in place. The principle of the development has been agreed and it is only the siting and design of the proposed
houses and flats and the means of access that are to be determined at this stage THE SITE AND ITS LOCATION This application relates to the former Harrow Lane Caravan Park to the north of the Little Ridge Avenue area. The site has been cleared with the exception of one building on the road frontage. The land slopes up from west to east, and it is set above the Little Ridge Avenue estate immediately to the south, separated by a low cliff. There are trees along most of the southern boundary of the site. There is a public footpath running through the site on the southern side. On the north side the site slopes up steeply and there is a substantial area of preserved trees on the slope on the western end of the site. DETAILS OF THE PROPOSAL AND OTHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION Outline planning permission has been granted on appeal for this development with both a section 106 Agreement and a Unilateral Undertaking already in place to secure contributions towards sustainable transport initiatives, play areas and open space, education and the provision of affordable housing. The principle of the development has already been agreed and it is only the details of the design and layout that are to be determined at this stage. It is proposed to construct a new estate road with a junction with Harrow Lane in approximately the position of the existing access drive. This would run across the lower part of the site and swing up around the eastern end to reach the upper section in the north eastern corner. Provision is made in the layout for a possible future link to development to the north to provide a bus route. The development would comprise a mixture of predominantly terraced and semidetached houses, with two small blocks of flats (one two storey one three storey), and a few detached houses. Three Local Areas for Plan (LAPs) and one Local Equipped Area for Play (LEAP) are proposed, spread throughout the site. Social rented and shared equity units as set out in the Section 106 Agreement, would be provided as part of the scheme in two areas; both houses and flats are included. PREVIOUS SITE HISTORY HS/OA/02/0008 Residential development and improvements to existing access to highway and associated ancillary operations
Appeal against failure to determine. ALLOWED 12 March 2003 ( A copy of the decision notice is included in the appendix.) The proposals for development of the wider Holmhurst St Mary area generated a high level of objection at the consultation stage in the Local Plan, and the overall proposals have been significantly amended. The Inspector was content to consider this site separately and concluded that 112 or so dwellings on the site would make a useful contribution to the Structure Plan housing requirements. He recommended that the deposit draft of the local plan be modified to provide for a scheme of 112 or so dwellings. DETAILS OF CONSULTATIONS I have received 16 individual letters and a petition of objection to the proposal. The Hastings Highways Manager has advised on the scheme. The latest amended layout is acceptable. The Council's Engineers have commented that they will need to approve details of retaining walls and that a site investigation will be required. These details are covered by conditions attached to the outline planing permission. The Borough Arboriculturist has raised no objection in principle. He raised concerns about the proximity of some of the trees to the access road in the south western corner of the site, and the layout has been amended to maximise this distance. Unfortunately the levels on the site do limit where the road can go if gradients are to be kept to an acceptable level. Southern Water have advised that there is no capacity for additional surface water to be discharged into the adjacent sewerage system. It is a condition of the existing permission that these details be agreed. The Environment Agency have raised no objection in principle but would require details of a surface water disposal to be agreed. Again this is covered by a condition attached to the outline planning permission. Sussex Police have made detailed comments on the layout and the layout has been adjusted to satisfy their principal concerns. The Play Development Officer advised that the LAP's were acceptable, but concerns were raised over the gradient of the LEAP and its proximity to the adjacent flats. The LEAP has now been repositioned to maximise the distance to the nearest dwellings, and to minimise the gradient. A 10m buffer zone is required between the equipped area and the nearest house, and this has now been achieved. In other respects the play area is well positioned being overlooked, and in a position where existing trees can be retained as a feature PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
Outline Planning permission has been granted for this development and the number of units and the principle of access via Harrow Lane has been agreed. Objections from neighbours in respect of the principle of development cannot be taken into account at this stage. At this stage the applicants are seeking approval for the layout of the site, the means of access, and the siting and design of the proposed houses and flats. There are a number of conditions attached to the outline planning permission, including details of boundary treatments and landscaping for which details will be submitted separately. There is a Section 106 Agreement in relation to the outline planning permission which provides for: i) The provision of one local equipped area for play (LEAP) and three local areas for play (LAP's), and the payment of a commuted sum for their maintenance ii) The provision of areas of open space and the payment of a commuted sum for maintenance iii) The provision of 24 social rented units and 4 shared equity units iv) The payment of a sum of money as a contribution to the Safe Routes to School Initiative v) The transfer of the play areas and open space to the Council. There is a separate Unilateral Undertaking with the County Council concerning contributions towards education. The layout provides a mix of accommodation and has used the contours of the site to create groups of properties. The layout includes two storey houses and two and three storey flats. Trees around the perimeter and the majority of individual trees within the site can be retained. Although this a big site it is largely self-contained. However local residents to the south will experience the impact of new development and the protection of their amenities has been a consideration. There is a particular issue of concern to residents in Greenfield Close with regard to the relationship between the new development and their properties. The existing houses have relatively small rear gardens and they are located at the foot of a low cliff. There is a lot of mature vegetation on the boundary, but there are significant breaks in the overall cover. Regrettably their initial concerns were increased by the fact that they were incorrectly advised that the nearest flats would be three storeys in height rather than two, as is in fact the case. They have received an apology for this error. The two storey flats would be close to the boundary, but they would be no higher than a house; they have a hipped roof which would reduce the impact of the roof.
The new building is to the north of the existing properties so there would be no loss of sunlight. Residents are concerned about loss of privacy, but the block would be at roughly right angles to the existing properties and the only windows in the south elevation would be small obscure glazed windows to bathrooms. The submitted drawings indicate additional planting on the boundary which would also reduce the impact of the development. A further concern is over security because there would be an area of open space for the flats rear to the boundary. However, I believe that this could be adequately addressed by the provision of a 2m high screening fence on this boundary. The Human Rights considerations have been taken into account fully in balancing the planning issues. RECOMMENDATION (A) APPROVE SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITION: 1. The windows in the south eastern elevation of the flats identified on the approved plans as plots 15-18 shall not be glazed other than in obscured glass. Reason: 1. In the interests of the amenities of the occupiers of neighbouring properties in Greenfields Close. Notes to the Applicant 1. Failure to comply with any condition imposed on this permission may result in enforcement action without further warning. 2. The following conditions attached to planning permission reference HS/OA/02/00008 remain to be discharged: 1) In respect of landscaping 2) In respect of landscaping 3) In respect of landscaping 4) Commencement of development 5) Details and provision of surface and foul water drainage works 6) Provision of trapped gullies 7) Provision of drainage and access 8) Provision of visibility splays 9) Provision of car parking and bus/emergency vehicle access road 10) Submission of site investigation and soils report 11) Submission of details of children's play areas and programme for their completion. 12) Submission of landscaping scheme 13) Provision of landscaping 14) Provision and maintenance of landscaping
16) Submission of tree survey and details of works to trees, details of works within the crown spread of trees and details and provision of protective fencing. 17) Submission of new tree planting scheme 18) Submission of method statement relating to the safeguarding of nature conservation interests. 3. In respect of condition 12 attached to planning permission reference HS/OA/02/0008 the details of the means of enclosure shall include an appropriate screening high close boarded fence on the southern boundary of the site adjacent to the existing residential properties (B) That authority be delegated to the Borough Planning Officer to determine the remaining conditions attached to the outline planing permission. Officer to Contact Mr. R S Crawford, Telephone 01424 783251 Background Papers Application No: HS/DS/03/00518 including all letters and documents