Community hub changes at Knighton Lane, Poole

What was proposed

The application sought changes to the approved community hub, including removing the badminton reference, lowering the roof, reducing internal space and adding external space.

“Application Address Phase 1 Land North of Bearwood, Magna Road & Knighton Lane Poole BH11 9NB Proposal Variation of condition 1 (Approved Plans) of planning permission APP/22/00092/R (Reserved Matters application following approval of Hybrid Planning Application APP/19/00237/P for the southern phase of the development shown on Site Location Plan LP01 and comprising of: 269 houses, retail units, office units and a Community Hub Building) to amend wording to facilitate changes…”

“Case Officer Frances Summers MRTPI Is the Proposal EIA Development? No Title: Description of Proposal 1. The proposal is to remove reference to Badminton pitch from the floor plans of the community hub building, reduce the height, increase the external space available to the hub whilst decreasing the internal space, increase soft landscaping, increase the bin store for the retail units and provide a loading bay in replace of two visitor spaces within the northern layby for…”

Officer report

The site and earlier approvals

The site forms part of the allocated UE2 urban extension, beside existing homes, and earlier permissions approved up to 695 homes and a southern phase including 269 houses.

“To the south, the Site is adjacent to the rear gardens of existing houses fronting onto Magna Road. 8. The Site is located within an area of allocated housing land – upon the adoption of the Poole Local Plan (PLP) in 2018, the area of land (which contains the Site as part of a larger parcel) of the South East Dorset Green Belt was removed from the Green Belt.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval, finding the proposal compliant with earlier permissions and most policies, with alternative sustainability measures replacing the BREEAM requirement.

“As such the scheme is compliant with the previous permissions and the design code and therefore Policy PP10 and PP27 of the Poole Local Plan. Bin stores 49. Condition 26 of the outline permission requires each development parcel to show the location and type of bin storage and collection point. This application proposes to make the bin storage larger. This is acceptable and allows for suitable amenity for the residents and retail that will reside there.”

“The scheme is compliant with policy and the previous permissions with the exception of Policy PP37 relating to the need to achieve a Very Good BREEAM rating for the community hub. There are alternative mechanisms to providing sustainable buildings and these are secured by condition 7 negating the need for the BREEAM rating. 59. The proposal is therefore recommended for approval. Recommendation 60.”

Officer report

Who spoke at the meeting

An objector, the applicant and two ward councillors addressed the committee.

The vote

Members voted unanimously to refuse the application.

“RESOLVED to refuse the application for the following reasons:”

“The proposed variation would materially reduce the scale, quality and usefulness of the approved community hub. The smaller internal hall, lower roof and removal of internal features would leave a less capable building. Therefore, it would not properly deliver the community hub required to form the heart of a new community, contrary to PP10 of the Poole Local Plan.”

Minutes