Beaumont Road Application Approved by TDC
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR (PLANNING) - A.1 - PLANNING APPLICATION – 21/01831/FUL –
LAND TO THE SOUTH OF THE ALLOTMENTS, BEAUMONT ROAD, GREAT OAKLEY, CO12 5BA
Proposed residential development of 86 dwellings, community building and play area, public car park, landscaping and ancillary works.
I’m pleased to report that the Application was Approved last night – this has been a long time coming as I was involved on initial discussions with TDC back in 2008!
The Committee heard Parish Council concerns read out by me as below. We were thanked for our pragmatic approach in supporting.
It was good to hear Committee Councillors questioning and asking for clarification / control on a variety of points (over an hour’s discussion) the key ones I list below.
The Community Centre, Play Area and Car Park must be completed before the 45th house is sold.
The Developer will be encouraged to get the adopted road, car park and footpath to the school completed before housing built. This may well be covered by TDC when they finalise the access and egress requirements.
GOPC will have first refusal to take on the maintenance of the above and non-PC owned green spaces. We will need detail to confirm this, the S106 funding and other legally binding issues.
The use of local labour and businesses to construct the development will be made a condition of the approval.
Councillors questioned why the NHS have only asked Developer to pay £52k to support the inability of local GPs to provide sufficient local service for the new residents. (It apparently is to support ‘additional floor space’ at Harewood & Fronks Rd Surgeries)
Planning need to get confirmation from the Police that their concern over Estate Car Park security has been resolved by the re-design of adjacent property.
The meeting was recorded and can be accessed via the TDC Planning Website.
Comments read out by Parish Councillor, Nick Daniels on behalf of GOPC:
1. We have recorded comment on the Planning Portal and although supporting do not welcome the 30% increase in housing this will give Great Oakley Parish since 2017. This is disproportionate to other area developments. TDC have said they intend to add only 17% up to 2033?
2. We also question why such an increase is required in an area with poor employment opportunities, transport links, amenities, and services?
3. As the Director of Planning is recommending approval, we believe little point in formally objecting and have concentrated on securing much needed facilities to benefit our community.
4. We don’t believe the large number of social houses proposed is justified as a survey for the approved Red House Development, put this at just 8 homes.
5. We appreciate the 6-month time scale suggested to get legal agreements in place which will help the PC to confirm funding required. We do however need a clear timeline for the items being gifted to the PC to budget appropriately.
6. The provision of the Car Park will provide safer access for children being dropped at the adjacent Primary School by car. If you had visited the site at 0845 today, you would have struggled to park for all the parents’ cars on verges and roads. with no pavements. Given the extra traffic the construction works will create we ask that the car park and adopted road and path to school be built before any of the houses to avoid conflict and reduce risks to children.
7. There is no clear timing for when the Community Centre and Play Area will be built. The previous approval was to have it completed before the 24th residence constructed; we see no reason for this to change.
8. We ask that ownership of the land that these amenities sit on be gifted to the Parish Council before any housing development starts as that security will allow us to plan to manage the new facilities to compliment those already managed by the Parish Council
9. We regard the design of the Community Hall and Play Area as outline and ask that the Developer be compelled to consult with GOPC before finalising with the approval of TDC Planning.
10. GOPC will be pleased to have first refusal for the maintenance contract of the Play Area, Community Hall and Car Park and will need to know how much S106 money will be allocated and when available.
11. This is a very significant development that could progress for several years. Access and egress to the site along with construction work and equipment could have detrimental effects on residents and the school. We ask that the PC is consulted about these arrangements before agreeing with the Developer.