153 homes and infrastructure at Land to the east of Pennington Lane Cross-a-moor, Swarthmoor

What was proposed

Outline permission was sought for up to 153 homes, including 35% affordable housing, with access, roads, open space and other infrastructure.

“SUMMARY 1.1 Outline planning permission is sought for the erection of up to 153 dwellings, including 35% affordable housing provision, together with associated roads, footpaths, car parking, landscaping, biodiversity enhancements, and infrastructure works. All matters are reserved except for access, on Land to the east of Pennington Lane, Swarthmoor.”

“RECOMMENDATION 2.1 It is recommended that subject to the completion of a S106 agreement for the provision of 35% affordable housing on-site and a financial contribution towards the construction of Cross-a-Moor roundabout, planning permission be granted subject to the conditions set out in Part 11 below.”

Officer report

The site

The site comprises 6.72 hectares of gently sloping agricultural fields with hedgerows, near existing homes, the A590, Pennington Lane and community facilities.

“The Development Framework Plan submitted in support of the application shows an indicative layout. The development is envisaged to retain existing green infrastructure where possible, contain a large area of public open space/Local Equipped Area of Play (LEAP) in the centre of the site, and incorporate sustainable urban drainage features (SuDS) including an attenuation pond in the north-east corner of the site, set amongst a further, larger area of public open space.”

“To the south-west are existing houses accessed from Cross-a-Moor and the 1.3ha rectangular field belonging to the housing allocation where the parallel full application by the same applicant has been submitted. Further to the west is Pennington Lane. To the north-west is Pennington Village Hall and children’s nursery. Existing hedgerows define the internal field pattern within the site and represent the main landscape features.”

Officer report

Earlier applications

Earlier proposals included 160–170 homes, 141 homes, 27 homes and related reserved-matters and access applications, with mixed outcomes.

“Application Ref: 2024/0021/RMA Proposal: Application for approval of reserved matters following outline approval SL/2017/0681 (Erection of 27 dwellings, including 35% affordable provision, public open space, and associated infrastructure) Decision: Withdrawn Decision Date: 09/01/2025”

“Application Ref: 2024/1649/FPA Proposal: Variation of condition 5 (Access) attached to outline approval SL/2017/0681 (Erection of 27 dwellings, including 35% affordable provision, public open space, and associated infrastructure) Decision: Withdrawn Decision Date: 09/01/2025 6.0 CONSULTATIONS AND REPRESENTATIONS The following persons/organisations were consulted in relation to the development: Consultee: Nature of Response: W&F Highways 13/2/26”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval subject to affordable housing and roundabout contributions, concluding that the allocated site, access and proposed mitigation were acceptable.

“This contribution would be included in the S106 agreement for any approval granted. CONCLUSION 9.1 In assessing the material issues, the proposed development, in this location on an allocated housing site, is considered to be acceptable in principle. The proposed access into the site is acceptable. All other matters would be dealt with at the reserved matters stage.”

“(1) Subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement for the provision of 35% affordable housing on-site and a financial contribution towards the construction of Cross-a-Moor roundabout as set out in Paragraph 10.1 above, planning permission be granted subject to the following conditions: 1.”

Officer report

What was said at committee

Further residents’ comments challenged infrastructure, school capacity, traffic evidence and road conditions, while another developer challenged the drainage evidence and strategy.

Why members deferred it

The updated drainage position indicated groundwater levels could require an alternative solution outside the application boundary, prompting a recommendation to defer.

“In response to the comments from Story Homes, the LLFA had looked again at the drainage information provided, and stated that the level of the ground water within the proposed drainage basin within the red line boundary was to such a height that it meant that the developer would have to use an alternative solution which involved drainage outside of the current red line boundary.”

“Given the objection from Story Homes and the comments subsequently received from the LLFA regarding the proposed drainage strategy, the Principal Planning Officer recommended that a decision on this application should also be deferred. The proposal would then be presented to the Committee at a later date.”

Minutes

The vote

A motion to defer the application was proposed, seconded and agreed unanimously.

“Cllr Baker proposed that this application also be deferred. This was seconded by Cllr McEwan and put to a unanimous vote.”

Minutes

The decision

The outline application was deferred so further investigations could be undertaken.

“RESOLVED, that the outline planning application be deferred to allow for further investigations to be undertaken.”

Minutes