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The Committee considered report ES/1072 which gave details of the planning application for the demolition of the existing vacant single storey office building and the construction of six two-bedroom dwellings with associated parking and outdoor amenity space at Milton Road East, Lowestoft. The properties would form part of the Council's housing portfolio and be available for rent.
The application was before Committee as the Council was the applicant.
Members received a presentation showing the aerial view, site location plan, photographs of the site and street scene, proposed block plan and floor plans, together with elevations and proposed perspective view.
The Senior Planner explained that the two-bedroomed properties would cater for three or four persons and there were no issues with the lack of parking on plot 1 as the site was in a sustainable location near the town centre. There were no unacceptable impacts on highway safety. The principle of the design was considered to be acceptable as it was similar to existing development in the area and the scale and density would make the best use of the site and both protect and enhance the area. The impact of the proposal on the amenity of occupiers of properties to the rear was considered to be acceptable. Key issues identified in the Local Plan were the growing population and housing need and these dwellings would provide an important contribution to the Council's housing stock. The type of property to be built had been identified by the Housing Needs Register. The proposal was considered to accord with Local Plan policies and approval was being recommended.
Members asked questions relating to:
- The location of solar panels.
- The ability to match non-driver applicants to the property with no parking.
- Retaining the properties for the Council's housing stock.
The Senior Planner confirmed that the solar panels were on the rear of the dwellings. The Housing Development Officer confirmed that the properties would be retained as housing stock and matching occupiers without cars for plot 1 should not be an issue. Having spoken to Tenant Services and considering the sustainable location, parking was not considered to be an issue and the lettings would remain under the control of the Council. He pointed out that there was resident permit parking in the area. The Housing Development Officer agreed that, if children shared a bedroom and got older, families might, at some future date, need to be rehoused.
During discussion, Members supported the proposal for developing the vacant site to provide much needed family homes. Comment was made that nothing was being provided in the form of bungalows for disabled and/or older people, bearing in mind there was likely to have been some demand over the last three years. The Committee accepted that the need for two-bedroomed properties had been identified and it was
RESOLVED
That permission be granted, subject to the following conditions:
1. The development hereby permitted shall be begun within a period of three years beginning with the date of this permission.
Reason: In accordance with Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended.
2. The development hereby permitted shall be completed in all respects strictly in accordance with Drawing No. 1740 01 Rev F, 03 Rev B and 04 Rev E received on 23 February 2022, for which permission is hereby granted or which are subsequently submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority and in compliance with any conditions imposed by the Local Planning Authority.
Reason: For the avoidance of doubt as to what has been considered and approved.
3. The materials and finishes shall be as indicated within the submitted application and thereafter retained as such, unless otherwise agreed in writing with the local planning authority.
Reason: To ensure the satisfactory appearance of the development in the interests of visual amenity.
4. No development (including any construction, demolition, site clearance or removal of underground tanks and relic structures) approved by this planning permission, shall take place until a site investigation consisting of the following components has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the local planning authority:
a) An intrusive/Phase 2 investigation(s), to include:
- the locations and nature of sampling points (including logs with descriptions of the materials encountered) and justification for the sampling strategy;
- an explanation and justification for the analytical strategy;
- a revised conceptual site model; and
- a revised assessment of the risks posed from contamination at the site to relevant receptors, including: human health, ground waters, surface waters, ecological systems and property (both existing and proposed).
All site investigations must be undertaken by a competent person and conform with current guidance and best practice, including: BS10175:2011+A2:2017 and the Land Contamination Risk Management (LCRM).
Reason: To ensure that risks from land contamination to the future users of the land and neighbouring land are minimised, together with those to controlled waters, property, and ecological systems, and to ensure that the development can be carried out safely without unacceptable risks to workers, neighbours and other offsite receptors.
5. No development (including any construction, demolition, site clearance or removal of underground tanks and relic structures) approved by this planning permission, shall take place until a detailed remediation method statement (RMS) has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the LPA. The RMS must include, but is not limited to:
- details of all works to be undertaken including proposed methodologies, drawings and plans, materials, specifications and site management procedures;
- an explanation, including justification, for the selection of the proposed remediation methodology(ies);
- proposed remediation objectives and remediation criteria; and
- proposals for validating the remediation and, where appropriate, for future maintenance and monitoring.
The RMS must be prepared by a competent person and conform to current guidance and best practice, including the Land Contamination Risk Management (LCRM).
Reason: To ensure that risks from land contamination to the future users of the land and neighbouring land are minimised, together with those to controlled waters, property and ecological systems, and to ensure that the development can be carried out safely without unacceptable risks to workers, neighbours and other offsite receptors.
6. Prior to any occupation or use of the approved development the RMS approved under condition 5 must be completed in its entirety. The LPA must be given two weeks written notification prior to the commencement of the remedial works.
Reason: To ensure that risks from land contamination to the future users of the land and neighbouring land are minimised, together with those to controlled waters, property, and ecological systems, and to ensure that the development can be carried out safely without unacceptable risks to workers, neighbours and other offsite receptors.
7. A validation report must be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA prior to any occupation or use of the approved development. The validation report must include, but is not limited to:
- results of sampling and monitoring carried out to demonstrate that the site remediation criteria have been met;
- evidence that any RMS approved in pursuance of conditions appended to this consent has been carried out competently, effectively and in its entirety; and
- evidence that remediation has been effective and that, as a minimum, the site will not qualify as contaminated land as defined by Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Reason: To ensure that risks from land contamination to the future users of the land and neighbouring land are minimised, together with those to controlled waters, property and ecological systems, and to ensure that the development can be carried out safely without unacceptable risks to workers, neighbours and other offsite receptors.
8. In the event that contamination which has not already been identified to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) is found or suspected on the site it must be reported in writing immediately to the Local Planning Authority. No further development (including any construction, demolition, site clearance, removal of underground tanks and relic structures) shall take place until this condition has been complied with in its entirety.
An investigation and risk assessment must be completed in accordance with a scheme which is subject to the approval in writing of the Local Planning Authority. The investigation and risk assessment must be undertaken by competent persons and conform with prevailing guidance (including BS10175:2011+A2:2017 and the Land Contamination Risk Management (LCRM)) and a written report of the findings must be produced. The written report is subject to the approval in writing of the Local Planning Authority. Where remediation is necessary a detailed remediation method statement (RMS) must be prepared and is subject to the approval in writing of the Local Planning Authority. The RMS must include detailed methodologies for all works to be undertaken, site management procedures, proposed remediation objectives and remediation criteria. The approved RMS must be carried out in its entirety and the Local Planning Authority must be given two weeks written notification prior to the commencement of the remedial works.
Following completion of the approved remediation scheme a validation report that demonstrates the effectiveness of the remediation must be submitted to and approved in writing by the LPA.
Reason: To ensure that risks from land contamination to the future users of the land and neighbouring land are minimised, together with those to controlled waters, property and ecological systems, and to ensure that the development can be carried out safely without unacceptable risks to workers, neighbours and other offsite receptors.
9. The use shall not commence until the area(s) within the site shown on Drawing No. 1740 01 Rev E for the purposes of manoeuvring and parking of vehicles has been provided and thereafter the area(s) shall be retained, maintained and used for no other purposes.
Reason: To ensure that sufficient areas for vehicles to be parked are provided in accordance with Suffolk Guidance for Parking 2019 where on-street parking and or loading, unloading and manoeuvring would be detrimental to the safe use of the highway.
10. Prior to first occupation the EV charging point as shown on Drawing No. 1740 01 Rev E shall be provided and shall be retained thereafter.
Reason: To ensure the provision for charging of electric vehicles in accordance with Suffolk Guidance for Parking (2019) and to promote sustainable transport methods.
11. The use shall not commence until area(s) within the site shown on Drawing No. 1740 01 Rev E for the purposes of secure cycle storage has been provided and thereafter the area(s) shall be retained, maintained and used for no other purposes.
Reason: To ensure that sufficient areas for secure cycle storage are provided in accordance with Suffolk Guidance for Parking 2019 to promote sustainable travel.
12. The areas to be provided for the storage and presentation of refuse and recycling bins as shown on Drawing No. 1740 01 Rev E shall be provided in their entirety before the development is brought into use and shall be retained thereafter for no other purpose.
Reason: To ensure that space is provided for refuse and recycling bins to be stored and presented for emptying and left by operatives after emptying clear of the highway and access to avoid causing obstruction and dangers for the public using the highway.
13. Before the development is commenced details shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority showing the means to prevent the discharge of surface water from the development onto the highway. The approved scheme shall be carried out in its entirety before the accesses are first used and shall be retained thereafter in its approved form.
Reason: To prevent hazards caused by flowing water or ice on the highway.
Informatives:
1. The Local Planning Authority has assessed the proposal against all material considerations including planning policies and any comments that may have been received. The planning application has been approved in accordance with the objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework and local plan to promote the delivery of sustainable development and to approach decision taking in a positive way.
2. The applicant is advised that the proposed development may require the naming of new street(s) and numbering of properties/businesses within those streets and/or the numbering of new properties/businesses within an existing street. This is only required with the creation of a new dwelling or business premises. For details of the address charges please see our website www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/planning/street-naming-and-numbering or email
llpg@eastsuffolk.gov.uk
3. Note: It is an OFFENCE to carry out works within the public highway, which includes a Public Right of Way, without the permission of the Highway Authority.
Any conditions which involve work within the limits of the public highway do not give the applicant permission to carry them out. Unless otherwise agreed in writing all works within the public highway shall be carried out by the County Council or its agents at the applicant's expense.
The County Council's East Area Manager must be contacted on Telephone: 01728 652400. Further information can be found at: www.suffolk.gov.uk/environment- andtransport/highways/dropped-kerbs-vehicular-accesses/
A fee is payable to the Highway Authority for the assessment and inspection of both new vehicular crossing access works and improvements deemed necessary to existing vehicular crossings due to proposed development.