Agenda item

To determine the application.

Danielle Brooke presented the report to members.

Members received a presentation, in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure, from Matthew Hall, the agent. Mr Hall stated that in the officer’s report at 2.3 it refers to the site being surrounded by residential development and in his view the site is in the built-up form of Manea and on the side of Westfield Road, which has received various planning approvals for residential developments extending back from the frontage of Westfield Road. He added that the site is all located in Flood Zone 1 and as stated in the officers report it is at very low risk of surface water flooding.

Mr Hall made the point that concerns have been raised by the Parish Council and objectors regarding highways safety, however, the County Council do not object to the application and there is already an access on Westfield Road, with the application proposing to set a new wider access onto Westfield Road which will be set further south of the S bends in Westfield Road. He explained that the visibility splays which have been shown in his drawings in both directions as 2.4 metres by 43 metres for a 30mph road can be achieved in both directions and the existing footpath will also be extended about the new access, and this has all been agreed by highways.

Mr Hall stated that the splays of 2.4 metres by 43 metres at the moment for the existing access could be achieved to the south and, in his opinion, he does not think that the existing access could be achieved to the north and, therefore, the proposed works would be an improvement if the application were to be approved. He stated that some of the objectors’ comments have raised concerns with regards to possible overlooking and if members are of the view that it is an issue, a condition could be imposed which states that development could be restricted to single storey to try and address some of the objectors’ concerns, with all the properties to the northeast already being 2 storey dwellings anyway and there have been no objections received from the Highway Authority, Environmental Health, Ecology or Archaeology.

Mr Hall added that the officer’s report states that there was a withdrawn application at this site which Manea Parish Council supported, and this application had a different Planning Officer at that time, but had been indicated that it was to be recommended for approval. He added that the reason that the application was withdrawn was because a Great Crested Newt survey had to be undertaken on the exiting pond which came back negative and then the application was resubmitted.

Mr Hall added that the officer’s report sums up the application well and the officer recommendation is to approve.

Members asked Mr Hall the following questions:

·         Councillor Marks stated that he knows the area well and knows that a field across the lane from the site was always a very wet field and as a result he would like to know what surface water drainage is planned for the application site and where will the surface water be routed to? He explained that going down to the Darcy Lode, there is a very large pipe which has been overloaded previously and he recalled a previous time when he had to get the drainage board to come out and empty and attempt to dredge the bottom in order to try and get some water flow. Councillor Marks expressed the view that his concern is where is the water going to go. Mr Hall explained that on the site at the moment there is currently a pond and the proposal is to enlarge the pond as it is not large enough in its current form. He added that the Drainage Consultant has included a further pipe from the pond which goes northeast and connects to the large pipe referred to by Councillor Marks which is in third party land and the owner of the land has provided an email confirming that they are content with that arrangement subject to Anglian Water approval. Mr Hall added that within the officers report it states that Anglian Water have been consulted on the application, but they did not raise any concerns. He stated that the water will be kept on the site and then slowly attenuated to the Anglian Water pipe on third party land.

The email Mr Hall referred to was circulated to members of the committee.

·         Councillor Mrs French referred to the officer’s report at Section 2 where it states that the development is within the catchment of Manea Town Lots Water Recycling Centre which currently lacks the capacity to accommodate the additional flows and she stated that she would like clarity on how the additional water will be handled? Mr Hall stated that he is aware that the Planning Officer has been in discussions with Anglian Water, and it is his understanding that there are no concerns with regards to the actual surface water flows but the actual foul water flows is where there is some concern.

·         Danielle Brooke explained that she has had detailed conversations with Anglian Water about the situation and they are comfortable with submitting and proposing a pre commencement condition to ensure that foul water flows can be accommodated in respect of the timetable of their upgrades to Manea Water Lots being undertaken.

·         Councillor Connor stated that it is the same as the previous application and the upgrade needs to take place before development can commence.

·         Councillor Marks stated that the biggest concern to the residents in the village appears to be the access for the site and he expressed the view that he is amazed that the Highway Authority are content that the access is safe for seven dwellings. He added that he has significant concerns, and he referred to the presentation screen and indicated where the area narrows and it is where people park vehicles and there will be further vehicles which will feed out into the roadway. Councillor Marks asked Mr Hall whether he has considered incorporating double yellow lines into the scheme? Mr Hall explained that the access shown on the plan is what was submitted at the start and Highways did not ask for any changes and did not ask for a speed survey. He stated that with regards to the existing access he agrees that it is very tight and, in his opinion, there will be more cars if the application is approved. Mr Hall stated that the visibility splays can be achieved in both directions and the footpath will lead into the site along with a pedestrian crossing, however, the Highway Authority did not ask for any more information and, therefore, nothing further has been incorporated including double yellow lines as they deemed it acceptable.

·         Councillor Marks expressed the view that he believes that the Highway Authority will have only carried out a desktop survey when reviewing the application and as a committee, in his view, members need to take that into consideration. He expressed the view that Highways Officers should be undertaking site visits as in this case it is going to cause problems, especially when more vehicles are feeding out from the site.

·         Councillor Mrs French stated that she also has concerns with regards to the highway and she believes it probably is a desk top study. She added that there is a public right of way which runs through there which Mr Hall has taken into consideration, and it runs along two sides of the boundaries.

·         Councillor Connor asked what will the access road which leads into the site be constructed of and is it the intention to have the road adopted with street lighting or will a management company be set up. Mr Hall stated that there will be the existing property plus the seven new dwellings and the road will be a private driveway made up of either permeable tarmac or permeable block paving. He added that there would have to be a management company set up or residents would own it but this level of detail is still to be considered as the application is only in outline form at the current time. Mr Hall added that the road is 6 metres wide and has a turning head incorporated to ensure that the waste collection vehicles are not hindered.

·         Councillor Connor stated that he is fearful that the application has not been considered properly by the Highway Authority and, in his view, the access is very close to the bends and whilst he would like to think they visited the site as, in his view, a desk top study in this instance is not acceptable.

Members asked officers the following questions:

·         Councillor Marks asked whether officers are aware whether the highways officers undertook a site visit or is their assessment a desk top survey? Danielle Brooke stated that from their comments it was not clear either way, however, they have suggested that the access and visibility splays are of appropriate dimensions for the area. She added that presumably they have looked at the appropriate data to ensure that the access is acceptable, and they raised no objection.

·         Councillor Marks stated with regards to the drainage, there appears to be a lot of tarmac on the site which will stop the water on the site, and he asked whether the Internal drainage Boards have been consulted at all on the application with regards to taking on the additional water.

·         Councillor Mrs French stated that the answer to Councillor Marks question will be no because they are not statutory consultees, and they do not have to reply.

·         David Rowen stated that Middle Level Commissioners were consulted on the proposal, however, there has been no feedback on the application received. He added that as it is not a major application there are no comments either from the Lead Local Flood Authority as it does not fall within their remit. David Rowen referred to the presentations screen and explained that whilst it is an indicative layout, there is quite a bit of surface shown, however, there is also a large amount of landscaped area too. He made the point that he would suggest that the proposal is not significantly different to a number of other schemes of this kind of scale which the Council grants on a regular basis.

·         Councillor Marks stated that he knows how Manea suffers from flooding, and he has concerns with regards adding more development onto the site and where all the water is going to go.

·         Councillor Connor added that he has noted the construction management plan and if the application is passed as it is located so near to the bends there does need to be a strong condition added to include a wheel wash or a sweeper to keep the road up to a satisfactory standard during development. David Rowen stated that the wording of condition 6 requires the construction environmental management plan to be created in accordance with a template available on the Council’s website and that template has been devised by Planning Officers and Environment Health, which does refer to matters such as mud on the highway.

Members asked questions, made comments and received responses as follows:

·         Councillor Purser stated that he visited the site, and he noted that there were numerous vehicles parked up and down the road, which made the visibility around the already dangerous bends even worse and, in his view, it is an accident waiting to happen.

·         Councillor Marks stated that he also has concerns as when coming round the corner from the High Street, you are greeted with parked cars meaning you must get onto the other side of the road and you are either going to be meeting vehicles coming in and out of the development even with the gateway. He stated that he has concerns with regards to the whole S bends and not just the site along with his worries concerning the water off the site, with the fields behind the application site being waterlogged most of the time and he recalled the issue on the other site where the pipe was overwhelmed going down to the Darcy Lode. Councillor Marks expressed the view that the application is just too much at the present time and he will not support the application.

·         Councillor Benney stated that he reviewed the application and researched to see what the visibility splays in a 30mph area needed to be and he was able to ascertain that you go 2.4 metres back into the boundary and then 70 metres either way for a splay in a 30mph zone. He added that he is content that it could be achieved if you were turning right coming out of the site but does have concerns that it is another desk top survey, and the splay cannot be achieved unless the Highways Officers could advise otherwise.

·         David Rowen added that it is his understanding that the recommended visibility splays for a 30mph zone are 2.4 metres by 43 metres.

·         Councillor Connor asked what the splays are in the case of this application? David Rowen confirmed that they are 2.4 metres by 43 metres, however, he is aware that historically the measurements have been 2.4 metres by 70 metres but that has been reduced in revised guidance.

·         Councillor Mrs French made the point that she believes that this is a desk top survey undertaken by the Highway Authority and, in her view, further information is needed and she would be quite content to see the application deferred in order for further detail to be provided by the Highways team. She added that the application is on a nasty bend and if it is approved then, in her opinion, the applicant should be paying for the introduction of double yellow lines.

·         Councillor Connor stated that if the application is to be deferred, he would support that view. He added that Councillor Marks is the local Ward Councillor and is looking at the flooding issues at the Darcy Lode as he does have concerns with regards to how the water is going to be disposed of along with the highway concerns.

·         Councillor Marks requested that the IDB be asked for their input as well.

·         Councillor Mrs French asked which IDB is it? Councillor Marks stated that it is the Doddington and Wimblington Board. Councillor Mrs French advised that it is the March Third or March Fifth Board and she will contact them.

·         Councillor Connor stated that if the application is deferred then the IDB can be asked for some comments and the Highway Authority can be asked to provide some further detail.

·         Matthew Leigh stated that, in relation to the surface water, as David Rowen advised the site is relatively green and is of low density. He explained that condition 5 associated with the application relates to a drainage scheme being submitted and he explained that it would not be normal practice to require these details as part of a full, outline or reserved matters application and it would normally be something that would be definitively dealt with through the subsequent scheme and taking into account the final materials that are going to be used for the hard standing including the permeability and run off impacts. Matthew Leigh added that he will contact the IDB and ask them to respond to the consultation, however, there will still be the opportunity to double check and ensure that there will not be any additional harm just through the condition.

·         Councillor Marks stated that he appreciates the comments from officers, however, the committee need to have peace of mind before they move to the next steps. He expressed the view that as the local Ward Councillor and having seen first hand the flooding which has occurred along with attending village meetings concerning the flooding, he would not be doing the right thing if he did not try and safeguard the area along with having the input from the local drainage boards.

·         David Rowen advised members that the drainage board have already been consulted on this application, and he explained that at the moment the drainage strategy proposed does not involve an IDB watercourse and he would, therefore, be surprised if they would actually comment. He added that the current proposal is for a new pipe which is to be put across third party land to connect to the Anglian Water combined sewer in Coxs Way which the agent Mr Hall confirmed is correct.

·         Councillor Marks asked for clarity that there is no surface water going from the site into an IDB drain and it is all going into the Anglian Water system which is almost overloaded already as if that is the case then he is even more hesitant to approve the application. David Rowen stated that in the officer’s report at 10.15 it confirms what the outline of the drainage strategy is proposed to be and also outlines that whilst Anglian Water have noted that the proposal does not necessarily follow the SuDs hierarchy, they have not objected to the proposal. 

·         Councillor Marks made the point that as the local Ward Councillor he feels it is his responsibility to outline what flooding has occurred in the past and by adding further water into the system, he is even more concerned and whether the water goes into the IDB system or the Anglian Water system, he would be very keen to hear their views as well.

·         Councillor Mrs French stated that from attending monthly meetings she knows that Anglian Water have stated that they do not wish to take any more surface water. She added that she recalls the flooding episode in Manea in 2020 and she stated that it cannot be ignored that there is a major flooding issue. Councillor Mrs French added that when she visited the site, the whole place is flooded and she would have expected there to be a drain there, however, it maybe that there was one and it has been filled in. She expressed the opinion that the surface water cannot be going into the pipes belonging to Anglian Water and there needs to be more questions asked and further information for members.

·         Councillor Imafidon asked whether the Highways Officer can come to the committee when the application is brought forward again. Councillor Connor explained that they will not attend the committee for such a small application.

Proposed by Councillor Marks, seconded by Councillor Mrs French and agreed that the application be DEFERRED to receive further information from the Highway Authority, Anglian Water and the IDB.

(Councillor Benney declared that the agent has undertaken work for Chatteris Town Council and himself personally, but he is not pre- determined and will consider the application with an open mind.)

(Councillor Imafidon declared that the agent has undertaken work for him personally, but he is not pre-determined and will consider the application with an open mind)

(Councillor Marks declared, in accordance with Paragraph 14 of the Code of Conduct on Planning Matters, that he is a member of Manea Parish Council but takes no part in Planning.)