Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies noted (see above).

The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday, 11 July 2024 were confirmed and signed as an accurate record.

All Members are invited to declare at this point any interests, including the nature of those interests, or lobbying in respect of any items appearing on this agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

Report of the Assistant Director Planning – Community Development Services

View Plans and Documents

The Assistant Director Planning – Community Development Services sought determination of a planning application for 241no. dwellings and associated infrastructure on land off Sandpiper Place, Whitby.

The proposal was brought to the Scarborough and Whitby Area Planning Committee to ensure consistency with decisions, having previously considered other applications forming part of the same Local Plan Housing Allocation determined by the Committee.

Presenting the report, Officers drew Members’ attention to an amendment to Condition 18 that the number of dwellings constructed during the first phase will be 120, not 125 as written in the report.

Local Division councillor, Councillor Neil Swannick, spoke and, whilst not objecting to the application itself, wished to raise residents’ concerns about construction traffic through existing residential areas.

The applicant’s agent, Becky Richmond, spoke in support of the application.

During consideration of the application the Committee discussed the following issues:

·        The suitability of the roads through the Eskdale Park estate to manage the volume and weight of construction traffic

·        Impacts on the cinder track, any financial contribution and disabled access to the track

·        The removal of hedges and the impacts on wildlife. Members were advised that a planting scheme would be provided and that any hedgerow removal would have to meet legislative requirements.

·        Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). Members were advised that the application was submitted prior to the statutory BNG requirement.

·        The possibility of restricting any homes being purchased as second homes. Members were advised that there was no legalisation available to prevent this, however 30% of the housing was affordable homes.

DECISION

That planning permission be GRANTED, subject to:

a)     the conditions set out in the report and a requirement for the provision of disabled access to the cinder track included within condition 14:

b)     the completion of a Section 106 agreement subject to the obligations as outlined in the report.

c)     Members of the committee were concerned to discover that no consultation advice was provided to Planning Officers from colleagues outside the service to ascertain whether the applicant could and should make a financial contribution towards improvements to the Cinder Track, which sits alongside the application site. It was resolved that the chair should write to the Corporate Director of Community Development to express the committee's disappointment that a potential funding opportunity may have been missed, and to reinforce the importance of all parts of the Council engaging in the planning process when appropriate to do so, thereby ensure that decision makers are able to make fully informed determinations.

Voting record

Unanimous

Any other items which the Chair agrees should be considered as a matter of urgency because of special circumstances.

There were no items of urgent business.

Thursday, 12 September 2024 at 2.00pm

Thursday, 12 September 2024 at 2.00pm.