Outline application for the erection of 19 dwellings to include access from Falkland Road (amended description).

With reference to Minute Nos. 128 and 140, the Planning Officer introduced the application and explained that this application had been refused on 6 February 2014 (Minute No. 128) for the reasons set out at paragraph 2.1 of the report.  A report setting out the risks of refusing the scheme was put to the subsequent meeting on 6 March 2014 (Minute No. 140) but was deferred in order that a reconsultation exercise could be undertaken with all properties with a boundary adjoining the revised site boundary.  The report presented to Members at this meeting provided guidance in respect of the likely implications of refusing the application for the reasons set out at paragraph 2.1 of the report.  The report also set out further additional representations received from Condover Parish Council and Shropshire Council’s Public Protection Officers in respect of sewage treatment works.  The Planning Officer continued to recommend approval of the proposal.

Members noted the additional information as set out in the Schedule of Additional Letters circulated prior to the meeting.

Members had undertaken a site visit on two previous occasions and had assessed the impact of the proposed development on neighbouring properties and the surrounding area.

Mr M Pritchard, on behalf of local residents, spoke against the proposal in accordance with the Council's scheme for public speaking at Planning Committees, during which the following points were raised:

·         The proposed route of the new footpath would take people further away from amenities and pedestrians, including children, would prefer to take the shortcut along the pavement that ran alongside the A49;

·         The proposed new footpath would put people in conflict with vehicles where it enters the Lower Fold.  The Lower Fold was used by residents and breakdown vehicles and was barely wide enough for vehicles and had no footpath;

·         There was potential danger to children owing to the close proximity of the sewage treatment plant and a report from DEFRA stated that the planning of new residential housing should take in to consideration the location of sewage treatments plants; and

·         The access to and from the A49 was notoriously dangerous and many fatal accidents had occurred.

Councillor E Marvin, representing Condover Parish Council, spoke against the proposal in accordance with the Council's scheme for public speaking at Planning Committees, during which the following points were raised:

·         The proposed new footpath connects to Lower Fold via a narrow lane and constituted a serious danger, especially with an increased footfall which the new development would generate;

·         The access along the A49 was dangerous and the proposed new footpath did little to alleviate the dangers for school children going to and from school;

·         Consultation had not been achieved with people living on The Fold and the proposed footpath would cut through a resident’s property; and

·         The proposal would be contrary to the robust Dorrington Village Design Statement.

Councillor T Barker, the local Ward Councillor, spoke against the proposal in accordance with the Council's scheme for public speaking at Planning Committees, during which the following points were raised:

·         He supported the previous concerns regarding the proposed new footpath;

·         This was an outline planning application and there would be no guarantee that it would increase the housing land supply but would only serve to increase the value of the land.  However, he acknowledged that Shropshire Council was overdue with its five year land supply. He commented that any benefits made from the building of homes to create a stimulus to the economy would be short-term; 

·         Because of the limited employment opportunities in the area people would look elsewhere for jobs.  This would mean that people would have to drive to and from the area to Telford, Shrewsbury etc; and

·         He urged refusal of the proposal until the footpath issue and concerns had been resolved.

Mr P Fenwick, the agent, spoke for the proposal in accordance with the Council's scheme for public speaking at Planning Committees, during which the following points were raised:

·         Following the comments made by Members of this Committee at a previous meeting the applicant had agreed to provide a separate footpath which would avoid the need for pedestrians to use the footpath running alongside the A49, and agreement for this had been reached with appropriate landowners;

·         The proposed dwellings would be in easy reach of all services and approximately 45% of the village of Dorrington lay on the eastern side of the A49;; 

·         The road to Lower Fold serviced very few dwellings;

·         Severn Trent Water had confirmed that the number of vehicles needing access to the sewage treatment plant on a weekly basis was minimal and the plant was and would continue to be securely fenced off;

·         There had been no objections from Shropshire Council Highway Officers and other consultees.

In the ensuing debate, Members continued to express their concerns with regard to highway safety along the A49, commented that the size and speed of vehicles using the road had never been monitored and suggested that many vehicles were breaking the speed limit. They commented that the proposal was opportunistic and contrary to the Site Allocations and Management of Development Plan (SAMDev) and acknowledged the hard work of Condover Parish Council in producing a robust Design Statement and the lack of a five year land supply.

In response to comments from speakers and Members, the Planning Officer explained that the issue of the footpath, as raised by Members of this Committee, had now been addressed and the pedestrian access through Lower Fold would provide an alternative means of access; Shropshire Council’s Public Protection Officers, Highway Officers and the Highway Agency had raised no objections; the original proposal had been for 28 properties; as the A49 came under the jurisdiction of the Highways Agency no guarantee could be given as to when the pedestrian crossing would be installed, however, it had been planned for and included in the programming schedule; a condition attached to any permission would ensure that the footway would be maintained and lit to a good standard at all times; whilst the section at the end of The Fold referred to as Brookfield did not form part of the adopted highway it was registered on the National Street Gazetteer; and drew Members’ attention to “Connecting Shropshire” and the planned rollout of Broadband throughout the County.

In response to comments from Members, the Area Planning Manager reiterated that refusal would be extremely difficult to defend at appeal; the applicant had now provided an alternative route to that of crossing the A49; and at some stage a crossing across the A49 would be provided

RESOLVED:

That planning permission be granted in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation, subject to:

·         A Section 106 Legal Agreement to secure an affordable housing contribution;

·         A public footway across ‘Lower Fold’;

·         The Area Planning Manager be granted delegated authority to ensure the footway across ‘Lower Fold’ be lit and maintained to a good standard at all times; and

·         The conditions set out in Appendix 2 to the report.