Agenda item

Report of Head of Planning Services (enclosed).

Councillor P Malpas declared an interest in the item. He stayed in the meeting but took no part in the discussions or voting on the item.

The Head of Planning Services presented a report advising the Planning Committee on the decision made by the Government Office of the North West on Application: 04/01457/OUTMAJ for the development of land adjacent to the Training Centre, Carr Lane, Chorley for residential purposes.

At the Development Control Committee in April 2005, Members had been minded to grant planning permission for the proposal, subject to the referral of the application to the Government Office of the North West (GONW) as a projected departure from development plan policies.

GONW has now confirmed that they did not intend to call the application in for determination by the Secretary of State and, therefore the Borough Council could now determine the proposal locally.

RESOLVED that planning permission be granted, subject to the prior completion of a Section 106 Legal Agreement and to the following conditions:

1.      That a scheme for the implementation of a surface water drainage of the site together with sustainable drainage techniques, and for the foul drainage of the site, shall be agreed with the Local Planning Authority and form part of the detailed reserved matters application; the scheme shall also incorporate a separate system for foul and surface water drainage, while the land drainage system or sub soil drainage water shall not be connected to the public sewer; subsequently the approved scheme shall be implemented as part of the overall site development.

Reason: To ensure satisfactory site drainage for the avoidance of any floodrisk, and to accord with Polity EP18 of the Chorley Borough Local Plan Review.

2.      The application for the approval of Reserved Matters shall be accompanied by a detailed scheme shall be submitted to the Local Planning Authority for its approval in respect of any alteration to the existing site levels; the scheme shall include a topographic survey including tree canopies together with details of levels as existing and proposed as well as the details of any fill and the transportation methodology; the existing soil levels around the site perimeter trees shall be maintained as existing.  Such details shall include existing and proposed cross sections and spot heights.

Reason: In order to retain control over the topography of the site in the interests of safeguarding visual and residential amenity as well as ensuring the longevity of site perimeter trees that will be retained, and in accordance with Policy GN5 of the Local Plan Review.

3.      Before the development hereby permitted is first commenced full details of the proposed building slab levels (all relative to ground levels adjoining the site) shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, notwithstanding any such detail shown on previously submitted plan(s).  The development shall only be carried out in conformity with the approved details.

Reason: To protect the appearance of the locality, in the interests of the amenities of local residents and in accordance with Policy Nos. GN5 and HS4 of the Adopted Chorley Borough Local Plan Review.

4.      Before development commences full details of mitigation measures required to be implemented by the specialist ecology report (J 1025, June 2005, as submitted by AMEC Earth and Environmental UK) with regard to the protection of protected species including any proposed phasing of measures.  Such details as approved including any phasing of measures shall be implemented in full and retained thereafter.

Reason: To enable evaluation of and the safeguarding of protected species, and to accord with Policy Nos. EP4 AND GN5 of the Chorley Borough Local Plan Review.

5.      A scheme shall be agreed for the protection of corridors of site perimeter trees, as identified with the Local Planning Authority, during the period of construction works on the site; the areas of trees shall be delineated with protective fencing no lower than 1.2 metres high as specified in paragraph 8.2.2 to British Standard BS5837: 1991 sited at a distance from the tree trunk equivalent to the outermost branch spread; there shall be no mounding of earth of debris or the storage of building materials within the fenced area.

Reason: In order to safeguard the protection of the trees whilst construction is undertaken in the interest of visual amenity and to accord with the provisions of Policy Nos. GN5 & EP9 of the Adopted Chorley Borough Local Plan Review.

6.      The approved plans are:

Reason: To define the permission and in the interests of the proper development of the site.

7.      The access arrangements to the site, as approved upon drawing no. N20107/DWG/1 shall be constructed, drained, laid out, surfaced and available for public use prior to the first occupation of any of the dwellings on the development site.

Reason: In order to ensure a satisfactory means of vehicular access to the development site, and to accord with Policy TR4 of the Adopted Chorley Borough Local Plan Review.

8.      The application for the approval of reserved matters shall be accompanied by a scheme for the provision of public open space for passive use.  The scheme shall include a landscaping layout, and shall incorporate a timetable for its implementation.

Reason: In order to provide leisure and recreational opportunities for residents upon the development site and to accord with the provisions of Policy HS19 of the Adopted Chorley Borough Local Plan Review.