Minutes:
Edmund Hopkins on behalf of Margaret Knowles updated the forum. The following was noted:
Strategic matters
a) The Greater Nottingham Strategic Partnership is consulting stakeholders on the Draft Greater Nottingham Blue-Green Infrastructure Strategy. This will inform both the Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan and the development of policies and allocations within it. The strategy will also inform the preparation of subsequent Local Plans, and Blue-Green Infrastructure provision priorities through the determination of planning applications across the Greater Nottingham Area.
b) strategy provides evidence on existing strategic Blue Green Infrastructure which should be protected, their functions and connectivity, and opportunities to improve them or create more. It focusses on the strategic network that provides the foundations of the Blue-Green Infrastructure network across Greater Nottingham. It considers coherent ecological networks alongside more multi-functional Blue-Green Infrastructure networks.
c) The consultation closes on Friday 13 August 2021. Margaret had volunteered to coordinate a response, but would welcome input from others, both in the planning group and those with an expertise/interest in biodiversity issues. A copy of the report has been sent to planning group members.
Comments on Planning Applications
d) The logistics of making comments has become more difficult as it is taking several weeks before some validated applications are entered on the system. This has been raised with City Council officers but with no satisfactory outcome.
e) 21/01032 Phase 2 of the Island Site Development - Construction and operation of Purpose-Built Student Accommodation and associated hard and soft landscaping, foul and surface water drainage infrastructure, and local highway improvement works
f)
Overall Nottingham LAF welcomes the
opportunities that the planning application presents to improve and
enable cycle and pedestrian activity within this area and support
wider cycle/ pedestrian connectivity within our city. However, we asked for the
following:
i) Assurance that the improvements to cycle and pedestrian provision on City Link will take full account of the revised Cycling Infrastructure Design Guidance standards with improved connections at both ends.
ii) Pedestrian and cycle routes segregated on Manvers Street. The Framework Travel Plan refers to a combined foot/ cycle way.
iii) Cycle parking provision meeting NCC standards. The Framework Travel Plan states that 270 secured covered cycle parking spaces will be provided for students but this is less than the 310 required by NCC standards.
iv)
That full account is taken of cycle and
pedestrian movements in redesigning the junction of this site with
Manvers Street and Sneinton Hermitage and that these also meet the
revised DfT guidance.
g) 21/00968/PFUL3 Bendigo Building, Brook St Demolition of existing building and development of purpose-built student accommodation (up to 13 storeys), also with ground floor commercial units, car and cycle parking
h) NLAF welcomes the fact that cycle parking spaces for the student accommodation is in line with local plan guidance on quantum. A planning condition to see that these spaces are delivered should be applied.
i) That significant numbers of car parking spaces for students are also proposed is disappointing and will encourage private car use. Some basement car parking spaces could be devoted to cycle parking for the commercial units and as an alternative to the two-tier facility for students, particularly for heavier cycles such as e-bikes.
Charging facilities for e-bikes should be included.
· Additional on street parking adjacent to the site is proposed, contrary to local plan policy number. A number of these would come at the cost of lost footway width and NLAF objects to this.
· NLAF welcomes the additional footway width proposed to be provided on Cowan Street. The City Council may wish to consider adoption of this area as highway so as to secure public access in perpetuity.
Ongoing applications
j) 20/02228/PVAR3 Student Accommodation on Triumph Road - LAF objected to the reduction in cycle parking from the original approval.Approved 21 June 2021 with a condition that secure cycle parking shall be provided for a minimum of 122 cycles in accordance with details that shall first have been submitted to and agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority. This should help encourage an alternative mode of transport to accord with Policy 14 of the ACS and Policy TR1 of the LAPP.
k) Sherwood Library.20/02688/PFUL3. This went to planning committee on 21 April A and approved with a pre-commencement condition requiring a cycle parking scheme for the library, retail and residential at suitable locations which is well lit, covered and secure to be approved before commencement, with no occupation before spaces provided.
l) Position Statement re Unity Square development and the N1 Southern Cycle Corridor, a critically important strategic cycle route serving the city. (Dave took initiative in drafting). This may be taken under Position Statements on the agenda.
m) With regards to the Island Quarter application, it was explained that the Planning sub group were in support of the development.
n) The current evidence for the cycle parking facilities and barely adequate. Difficulty that all the presumptions, assumption and modelling on the new households and development are based on pre pandemic information. Transport assessment refers to data collected in 2011 which needs to be update and revised.
o) Efforts were being made by the Police’s Design-Out Team who are working with developers to achieve a design standard for cycle parking that also reduces crime and anti-social behaviour.