20 dwellings with open space at Land Between 410 And 398 North Road, Engine Common, Yate

The site and surroundings

The site consists of two agricultural land parcels outside the settlement boundary, with hedgerows, trees, a public right of way and neighbouring homes and a travelling showpeople’s yard.

“The application site relates to land Between 410 And 398 North Road, Engine Common, Yate. The sites is located outside of any defined settlement boundary, therefore outside of Engine Common and the nearby town of Yate. The site is not within the Bristol and Bath Green Belt.”

“The site sits on the eastern side of North Road and consists of two individual land parcels last in use for agricultural purposes. The land is Grade 4 agricultural land, and is therefore not Best and Most Versatile. A public right of way runs from the eastern boundary to the western boundary. The site is bounded by mature hedgerow and trees. To the immediate north of the site, fronting north road, is no.410 pear Tree Cottage, a detached residential dwelling.”

Officer report

Planning history and emerging plan

There was no relevant planning history, while the emerging Local Plan identified the site for 30 homes but had not reached examination.

“The site is allocated within the emerging Local Plan for 30 dwellings. The plan has not yet gone to examination, and can only be given limited weight.”

“South Gloucestershire Local Plan Policies, Sites and Places Plan (Adopted) November 2017 PSP1 Local Distinctiveness PSP2 Landscape PSP3 Trees and Woodland PSP6 Onsite Renewable and Low Carbon Energy PSP8 Residential Amenity PSP10 Active Travel Routes PSP11 Transport Impact Management PSP16 Parking Standards PSP17 Heritage Assets and the Historic Environment PSP19 Wider Biodiversity PSP20 Flood Risk, Surface Water and Watercourse Management PSP21 Environmental Issues PSP22…”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval, giving substantial weight to housing and affordable homes and finding that the site was reasonably sustainable despite a small open-space shortfall.

“At the Committee Site Visit Members discussed nearby Coal Mining Activities, and visited a mine shaft to the north of the site. The site is a known Coal Mining area, but not a high risk area where a site specific Coal Mining Risk Assessment is not required. High risk areas are known to the east of the site, and there are records of Mine Entry’s to the north and south.”

“Benefits of the proposed development include the provision of 20no. dwellings to the housing supply. The provision of housing should be given substantial weight in the balance. Furthermore, the application would provide 7no affordable units which is also given substantial weight.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

consultees raised issues about drainage, biodiversity, public rights of way, education, transport, design and security, while several consultees raised no objection subject to conditions or legal obligations.

“The current drainage layout and landscape plan illustrate multiple clashes between proposed trees and drainage infrastructure. We therefore request both plans are revised and resubmitted to ensure there are no clashes and all on- site drainage infrastructure has the required easements.”

“Public Rights of Way The application will affect public footpath LIA/16. This has been recognised in the DAS but no details have otherwise been given - only that the path is being moved "slightly". Any alteration to the legal line of the footpath can only be carried out by a legal order and we must therefore place an objection until…”

Officer report

What residents said

Eleven residents objected over unsuitable design, traffic and transport, limited facilities, school capacity, drainage, construction effects and impacts on privacy, light and noise.

“Transport - North road is becoming more and more dangerous for road users and pedestrians alike. - Trying to cross the road to get to the primary School or the Codrington arms or even to get to the post box to post a letter, is becoming dangerous. as more and more vehicles fly up and down the road. - Increased traffic danger to local residents and pupils at North Road school. Vehicles exceed the set speed limits daily and are now using the Road as a speed track.”

“OFFTEM - who is going to resurface and repair North road? as it seems to be slowly falling apart since they started the great oaks project - The road itself is already busy with numerous people using it as a cut through which causes problems. - The road is frequently used by horse riders and they will be forced out of their own area if large construction vehicles are there and if traffic increases even more.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The agent supported the proposal, citing affordable homes, open space, biodiversity, design, sustainability, education contributions, drainage and housing supply.

What members considered

Members considered sustainability, education contributions, drainage adoption, the emerging plan, public-open-space management, traffic and noise from the neighbouring yard.

“PSP11 sets out appropriate walking and cycling distances to services and facilities and whilst it was acknowledged that the site was not within walking distance to a number of key facilities, due to its proximity to a large employment area, Yate Railway Station and the Yate Park & Ride, the site was considered to be reasonably sustainable and as such no objection is raised in this regard. • The development will provide policy complaint education contributions.”

“Regarding the future management of public open space, the Solicitor explained that the standard wording used within the Section 106 Agreement allows flexibility on how the public open space is managed in the future - the developer can elect to retain ownership of the public open space, or more likely, they can transfer or elect to transfer the public open space to a management company/entity.”

Minutes

The committee vote

A motion to delegate permission, subject to obligations, reported conditions and an additional noise condition, was carried by six votes to two.

“That authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Place to grant planning permission, subject to the conditions set out within the report and the applicant voluntarily entering into an Agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) to secure the following:”

“Prior to the commencement of works above ground level a Noise Assessment in compliance with BS8233, with noise attenuation measures if necessary, for protecting the proposal from noise from the adjacent site shall be submitted and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. All attenuation measures within the approved Assessment shall be completed before any part of the development hereby approved is occupied.”

Minutes