Agenda and minutes

Councillor Kevin Clarke – personal

Councillor Sam Harris – personal

Councillor Imran Jalil - personal

None

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 19 June 2024

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 June 2024 were confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

Rob Percival, Area Planning Manager, presented application 23/01690/PFUL3 for planning permission for purpose-built student accommodation comprising 81 beds (25 studio beds and 56 cluster beds).

A presentation was made, which included indicative images of the proposal and, in the discussion that followed, the following points were made:

a)  A previous application for planning permission for student accommodation on the site was submitted in 2017.  The new scheme is similar but there are key differences including the number of storeys on the main element of the development, the addition of a lower ground floor and the relationship with existing residential housing to the rear of the site. 

b)  The Carbon Neutral Team was asked to comment on the original application and in response to their questions about fabric and thermal performance, the applicant has stated that compared with the requirements of building regulations, there will be a minimum betterment of 18% and potentially up to 60% betterment.  The performance range is currently so broad because detailed technical design work still needs to be carried out. 

c)  The ‘green wall’ is welcomed but it is important that it is well-maintained and therefore there will be a condition relating to its maintenance.

d)  It is important to have a good quality boundary between the site and existing residential housing.  There is a private access path to the gardens of existing residential properties so there will be two boundary structures between the sites.  The boundary at the rear of the development is in the ownership of the developer and there will be a condition to cover boundary treatment.

e)  The development has a raised floor to mitigate flood risk and approval of planning permission will be subject to no material objections being raised by the Environment Agency.

f)  Details of materials are still to be agreed but the white area around the entrance is likely to be a stone product and not render.  It is recognised that materials need to be robust and good quality, particularly given the location of the site adjacent to busy traffic flows.  The restricted colour palette of the area feels classic and durable and it would be good to continue with this.

Resolved to:

(1)  grant planning permission for the reasons set out in the report, subject to no material objections being raised by the Environment Agency and to:

i.  prior to completion of a Section 106 Planning Obligation to secure the following:

a.  a financial contribution of £176,018 towards affordable housing in lieu of on-site provision

b.  a financial contribution of £106,460 towards the provision or enhancement of off-site Public Open Space or Public Realm, in lieu of on-site provision

c.  a Local Employment and Training contribution of £23,327, including targets associated with Local Employment and Training Opportunities

d.  a Student Management Scheme, which shall include a restriction on car usage, mitigation and management of potential noise nuisance, security details, cleaning and refuse management

ii.  the indicative conditions substantially in the form of those listed in the draft decision notices at the end of this report

(2)  delegate authority to the Director of Planning and Transport to determine the final details of both the terms of the Planning Obligation and the conditions of planning permission;

(3)  agree that the Committee is satisfied that Regulation 122(2) Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 is complied with, in that the planning obligations sought are (a) necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms, (b) directly related to the development and (c) fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the development.