Agenda item

Demolition of existing structures and construction of 96 residential dwellings (Use Class C3), flexible community floorspace (Use Class F), with the provision of an access, vehicle and cycle parking, landscaping, sustainable urban drainage systems and other associated works at Land to the Rear of Woodlands Cottage, Oxhey Lane, Carpenders Park, Watford.

Recommendations:

(1)   that members agree for officers to arrange a site visit prior to this application being presented to Planning Committee for a decision; and

(2)   that the Committee notes the report and is invited to make general comments with regard to the material planning issues raised by the application.

Note: A decision will not be made on this application at this time. The application will be returned to a future committee meeting for determination.

Councillor Morris left the meeting and did not return.

The Committee received a preliminary report on an application for demolition of existing structures and construction of 96 residential dwellings (Use Class C3), flexible community floorspace (Use Class F), with the provision of an access, vehicle and cycle parking, landscaping, sustainable urban drainage systems and other associated works at Land to the Rear of Woodlands Cottage, Oxhey Lane, Carpenders Park.

The Committee was invited to note the report, comment on any material planning considerations and consider undertaking a site visit.  The application would be brought back to the Committee in due course for determination, and Committee Members were invited to note that it was a full application.

The Committee received a presentation from the Planning Officer providing an overview of the proposal and setting out the context of the site, topography, and site access.

County Councillor Vishal Patel and Councillor Rue Grewal spoke on the proposal.

The applicant spoke in favour of the proposal.

Committee Members asked questions about the detail of the application which were responded to by officers.  Members’ comments included the following:

·          A speaker highlighted that there were a number of objections from consultees pending further evidence. These included Herts Highways, the Lead Local Flood Authority, Herts Ecology and National Grid.  Additionally, a number of consultees had objected, and the Council’s Housing Team had responded that the tenure split was not yet aligned to the Council’s policies and local need.  Updates on all of these matters and a number of others identified by the speaker (to be provided to officers by the speaker following the meeting) would be needed when the application came before the committee for decision. 

·          A Committee Member commented that there was a need for consistency with application 25/1020/OUT, particularly in relation to urban sprawl and the consequences for other developments nearby of the argument that the site is ‘detached’ from Carpenders Park.  Another Committee Member disagreed with this view, and highlighted the need for a site visit so that Members could form their own conclusions.

·          A number of issues (such as whether the site was Green Belt or Grey Belt, access, and highways impacts) would be the same as had been discussed under application 25/1020/OUT earlier on the agenda.

·          A number of sustainability features within the development as mentioned by the applicant were to be welcomed, although there was a need to fully understand how they would work in practice.

·          A Committee Member recommended that consideration be given to staggering the access from and onto Oxhey Lane, in order to help alleviate the issues identified by Herts Highways.

Councillor Mitchell moved, and Councillor Drury seconded, that Members agree for officers to arrange a site visit prior to this application being presented to Planning Committee for a decision, and that the Committee notes the report.

RESOLVED: that

(1)    Members agree for officers to arrange a site visit prior to this application being presented to Planning Committee for a decision; and

(2)    the Committee notes the report.