30-home housing scheme at Farm Lane, Leckhampton, Cheltenham

The site and surroundings

The site is an orchard parcel beside Farm Lane, with protected trees, a public footpath, a brook, housing, a school and countryside designations nearby.

“DESCRIPTION OF SITE AND PROPOSAL 1.1 The application site relates to a parcel of land, with an approximate size of 2.84 hectares, and is located to the northeast of the junction between Church Lane and Farm Lane in Leckhampton. This road junction forms the edge of the Cheltenham administrative boundary. Land to the west is within the Tewkesbury Borough and consists of a newly completed Redrow housing development known as Brizen View.”

“To the north- west and west of the site is land which is allocated as Local Green Space. Planning Permission was sought in 2021 under planning application reference 21/02750/FUL, for the erection of 30 dwellings with associated works including access, pedestrian and cycle links, highway improvements, public open space, landscaping, orchard planting, children’s play space, and surface water attenuation.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because revisions addressed design, layout and environmental concerns, while the number of homes stayed the same.

“Overall, officers consider the amended house types to achieve a high standard of design and appropriate use of materials for its location and context. Officers identified a distinct lack of new tree planting across the proposed site layout when compared with the approved scheme, this has been addressed in the revised plans and officers are satisfied that the exact details can be secured through the detailed landscaping proposals required by condition.”

Officer report

Who spoke

An objector, the applicant’s representative and the ward member addressed the committee on drainage, landscaping, design, environmental effects and conditions.

Members’ questions and debate

Officers explained how the buffer, drainage concerns, neighbourhood plan and landscaping conditions were treated in this variation application.

“In response to Members’ questions, officers confirmed that: - The scope of the recommended conditions at the moment are those of the appeals inspector, with two additional that had been captured agreed with the applicant. As this is a new permission, new conditions could be introduced if the committee can demonstrate that there is a material planning reason for their introduction.”

“As this is a section 73 application, permission already exists for the same number of dwellings on this site, and this application cannot be considered to be increasing pressure on the foul water system beyond that already approved. - The Leckhampton and Warden Hill Neighbourhood Plan (LWHNP) has progressed since the original application was submitted.”

Minutes

The vote

Members voted ten in favour, none against and one abstention on the recommendation to permit the application subject to a S106 agreement.

“The matter then went to the vote on the officer recommendation to permit subject to a S106 agreement.”

Minutes

The decision

The committee permitted the application subject to a S106 agreement and the recommended planning conditions and obligations.

“Voted to permit subject to a S106 agreement.”

Minutes

Key conditions

The permission requires approved drainage, ecological, landscaping and tree details, construction controls, access works, no mains gas and solar panels before occupation.

“3 Prior to the commencement of development, and notwithstanding any details on the approved plans, drainage plans for the disposal of foul and surface water flows, together with a SuDS Strategy document, a SuDS management and maintenance plan and a timetable for the implementation of the works shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.”

“9 Prior to the commencement of development an Arboricultural Method Statement and a Tree Protection Plan, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The Tree Protection Plan shall include measures and practices to protect the trees to be retained during the construction phase (including how hardsurfacing, roads/paths, and services are going to be laid within the vicinity of retained trees) and also after the construction period has…”

Officer report