COMMITTEE DATE: 16/12/2013

Application Reference: / 13/0378
WARD: / Stanley
DATE REGISTERED: / 19/06/13
LOCAL PLAN ALLOCATION: / Countryside Area
APPLICATION TYPE: / Reserved Matters
APPLICANT: / Kensington Developments Ltd
PROPOSAL: / Erection of residential development of two and three-storey buildings to provide 579 dwellings comprising 80 flats, 230 terraced houses, 165 semi-detached houses and 104 detached houses, with associated garages and car parking, public open space, a village retail unit, landscaping, drainage swales, watercourses and ponds, and vehicular accesses from Moss House Road and Progress Way (Reserved Matters Application).
LOCATION: / LAND AT MOSS HOUSE ROAD, MARTON MOSS, BLACKPOOL

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Summary of Recommendation: / Grant Permission

CASE OFFICER

Miss. S. Parker

BACKGROUND

Outline planning permission for the erection of up to 584 dwellings on land at Moss House Road was originally applied for by Kensington Developments Ltd in June 2009 (application ref. 09/0740 refers). That application sought to agree the principle of development and the point of access with matters relating to layout, scale, appearance and landscaping reserved for future consideration. The proposal was presented to the Council's Development Control Committee as was on 25th March 2010 and was deferred for delegation by the Head of Development Management under delegated powers subject to the signing of a Section 106 legal agreement to cover the payment of commuted sums towards the provision of affordable house, off-site highway works, education provision and public open space. Planning permission was granted in July 2010 but was followed by a legal challenge in the form of a judicial review. This was ultimately dismissed in March 2012 but nevertheless delayed the submission of a reserved matters application. A reserved matters application was submitted in April 2013 for the land to the south of Moss House Road but this was subsequently withdrawn to allow for this comprehensive application to be submitted.

SITE DESCRIPTION

This application relates to 16.7 hectares of land at the southern end of the borough. The site is part of the Marton Moss Countryside Area as shown on the Proposals Map to the Blackpool Local Plan 2001-2016 and defined in saved Policy NE2 of the Plan. In essence the site is bounded by Progress Way (A5230) to the south; properties fronting Sovereign Gate and Common Edge Road (B5261) to the west; properties fronting Midgeland Road and Florence Street to the east; and properties fronting Kincardine Avenue, Kildonan Avenue and Bennetts Lane to the north. However, within this broad area a number of properties on Moss House Road, Laundry Road and Dockypool Lane are excluded, as is an area of woodland to the north of Moss House Road.

The site is roughly level but does slope down somewhat towards the properties fronting Sovereign Gate and Common Edge Road. At present the site comprises the following uses (the areas quoted are approximations):

  • Existing houses and their gardens - 2.1 hectares
  • Mown grassland - 1.5 hectares
  • Disused horticultural land - 5 hectares
  • Productive horticultural land - 0.2 hectares
  • Grazing land - 4.5 hectares
  • Stables and sand paddocks - 0.45 hectares
  • Small copses of trees - 2.3 hectares

The site is dissected by a number of watercourses and hedgerows which comprise a further 1.0 hectare of the site. The Environment Agency maps indicate the site to be at low risk of flooding. There is some evidence of archaeological remains on part of the site and there may be the potential for some of the site to be contaminated by previous horticultural activities. Although situated within a designated Countryside Area, the site falls is largely surrounded by residential properties.

There are a number of community facilities in the nearby area. The Our Lady of the AssumptionPrimary School and associated church are situated on the western side of Common Edge Road opposite the junction with Moss House Road. Further along Common Edge Road to the north approximately 1.6km from the site is a designated Local Centre offering a range of shops and services. There is a Booths supermarket on Highfield Road which is some 2km from the centre of the site and which can be accessed from the Common Edge Road shopping centre. At present there is a doctors surgery on Common Edge Road approximately 1km away. HighfieldHumanitiesCollege, again situated on Highfield Road, is approximately 2km away. The Squires Gate Lane business complex comprising the Sycamore Trading Estate, Squires Gate Industrial Estate, BlackpoolBusinessPark and BlackpoolRetailPark is some 1.3km to the west with BlackpoolInternationalAirport beyond. The application site is approximately 5km to the south-east of Blackpool Town Centre. At present two bus services operate in the immediate area. The 17 line runs along Common Edge Road from Blackpool Town Centre to St. Annes with a half hourly frequency. The 10 line operates an hourly loop service from Blackpool Town Centre which takes in Midgeland Road, School Road and Common Edge Road.

The Committee will have visited the site on 16th December 2013.

DETAILS OF PROPOSAL

The application seeks to agree the detail of those matters reserved from the previous submission, namely the layout, scale, appearance and landscaping of the development.

The scheme now proposes 579 dwellings of which 80 would be apartments, 225 would be terraced houses, 169 would be semi-detached houses and 105 would be detached properties. The houses proposed would be two and three storey in height. Three apartment blocks are proposed. The smallest would sit at the north-western corner of the site with two larger blocks positioned more centrally within the estate. The development would also include a community shop of some 86sq m.

The principle access to the estate would be from Progress Way to the south. This access would lead onto the main estate road which would form a roughly rectangular ring road bisected by Moss House Road. Secondary estate roads would lead off this main road. Moss House Road would be blocked on either side of the main ring road to prevent it from being used as a cut-through or rat-run. Three properties would be accessed directly from Common Edge Road to the west whilst forty-six properties would be accessed from Midgeland Road to the east.

Linear ponds and areas of public open space would run along the Progress Way frontage of the site on either side of the site access. These would form part of the overall site drainage scheme but would also create an attractive point of arrival for the development. Two additional areas of public open space would be provided within the development. The largest of these would form a village green including a pond and landscaping and would sit between Moss House Road and the northern stretch of the ring road. The other would be triangular in shape and would include children's play facilities.

The drainage strategy proposed for the site would form a key part of the site layout and would be central to the appearance and character of the estate. Watercourses would run along many of the main roads with hedgerows separating them from the housing. These would drain into the ponds on either side of the access road. As such, surface water run-off from the site would be attenuated at a discharge rate of 5 litres per second per hectare. This flow would be released into an existing watercourse draining into the combined sewer system. Trees are proposed throughout the estate in addition to the hedgerows and areas of open space in order to create a rural feel.

The following information has been submitted in support of the application:

  • site masterplan
  • site layout plans
  • streetscenes
  • site level information
  • house type plans and elevations
  • apartment plans and elevations
  • garage, refuse and cycle storage information
  • materials plan and schedule
  • drainage strategy
  • landscaping strategy
  • refuse management plan
  • biodiversity enhancement statement.

MAIN PLANNING ISSUES

The main planning issues are considered to be:

  • the adequacy of the layout in terms of residential amenity
  • the impact of the proposed building levels on residential amenity
  • the quality of the house designs and streetscenes
  • the standard of accommodation proposed
  • the extent to which the design and materials palette would create satisfactory character within the development
  • the adequacy of the drainage scheme
  • the suitability of the internal road network in terms of highway safety, parking provision, accessibility and refuse collection
  • the adequacy of the landscaping strategy
  • the extent to which the proposal would enhance biodiversity on the site.
  • the standard and suitability of the public open space proposed

These issues will be discussed in the assessment section of this report.

CONSULTATIONS

Head of Transportation (Traffic Management): the estate road must be formally adopted through a Section 38 Agreement and a detailed plan showing the areas for adoption must be provided. The width of the main estate road, the minor roads and the footpaths are acceptable. There are some localised pinch points but these are considered to be acceptable. A lighting scheme must be agreed and provided as part of the S38 process to PFI standard. The surfacing of the areas to be adopted must be agreed. Details of drainage must be agreed with United Utilities. The responsibility for the management of the watercourses and ponds must be clarified. The refuse tracking information is inadequate as it does not cover the whole estate and does not demonstrate if a standard refuse vehicle measuring 11m x 3m could properly manoeuvre as required. It is anticipated that access to some roads would be problematic. Parking numbers have not been confirmed and to it is unclear if standards have been met. On-street spaces cannot be allocated to individual properties. Each unit must have dedicated off-street parking. Parking provision should be maximised and garages should be conditioned for car storage only. Garages must measure 6m x 3m. Cycle storage to be conditioned. It is not clear how the retail unit would be accessed and serviced.

It is unfortunate that the development does not seek to widen Docky Pool Lane and Laundry Road to cater for two-way traffic with suitable lighting and drainage. Randsom strips may be created in these areas which would pose an issue when the remainder of the site is adopted. This situation must be clarified. There would be no requirement for the Docky Pool Lane to be stopped up. Moss House Road is currently closed in the vicinity of no. 55, a second closure is proposed adjacent to plot 132. This would be likely to increase journey times for some existing residents and would require a traffic order. It is not clear whether or not access would be available from the main ring-road adjacent to plots 188 and 235. Access points should be limited using soft landscaping. Moss House Road does not have any dedicated footways, it is unfortunate that the scheme does not include any improvement to this means of access. Works to improve the surface of Moss House Road should be conditioned.

There is a pumping station at Docky Pool Lane that does not appear to be on the plans. They play area is shown in an unusual location. The applicant to contact the Head of Transportation to discuss the payment and delivery of the off-site highway works agreed at outline stage, and the formal postal addresses that would be required. A Construction Management Plan must be conditioned to include temporary access to the site and any phased works. All construction traffic must use the strategic network with access along Moss House Road avoided. No works within the confines of the site should commence until the signal junction previously agreed has been built and is in operation. A Residential Travel Plan should be conditioned.

Blackpool Transport: no response received to date. Any comments that are received will be reported through the update note.

Highways Agency: no objection.

LancashireCounty Council Traffic and Development Service: no response received to date. Any comments that are received will be reported through the update note.

LancashireCounty Council Archaeology Service: the site was the subject of an archaeological desk-based assessment as part of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared for the outline planning application in 2009. A number of assessment and mitigation measures were recommended and agreed. The works outlined in this EIS should be made a condition of any permission granted. The Committee is respectfully reminded that such a condition was attached to the outline permission granted.

LancashireCounty Council Ecology Service: it is still considered that the proposals would result in a significant reduction in biodiversity in this area. This opinion is based in part on the ecological assessment submitted in support of application ref. 09/0740. The currently proposed layout does appear to largely accord with the outline masterplan but it is disappointing that the 'undeveloped' areas are now to be even smaller than indicated on the outline plans. As such, there will be less opportunity for wildlife. The Biodiversity Enhancement Statement does not demonstrate that biodiversity will be maintained, let alone enhanced. It merely states that some habitats not previously present will be created. However, as outline planning permission has been granted, comments in respect of the current proposal are limited to the details of the scheme. Monkey Flower should not be included in the native species planting plan. Similarly butterfly bush is not native and would be inappropriate for hedgerow planting. Instead it would be suitable for use as amenity planting elsewhere. A condition should be attached to any permission granted to ensure that a habitat creation, monitoring and management plan is produced and adhered to. A construction environmental management plan and method statement should be conditioned to ensure that existing landscaping is adequately protected during construction. This should include the protection of retained features of biodiversity including habitats and protected priority species such as bats, breeding birds, hedgehogs and amphibians. Japanese knotweed is present on the site. The applicant will need to adopt appropriate working methods to prevent the spread of this or any other invasive species. The NPPF emphasises the need for planning decisions to avoid light pollution of nature conservation interests. Although little of nature conservation value would be retained within the development, it is nevertheless important to ensure that light pollution of retained and new wildlife habitats is avoided through the imposition of an appropriate planning condition. A condition should also be attached requiring bat roosting and bird nesting opportunities to be incorporated into the built fabric of the development.

Natural England: from the information provided, the scheme does not appear to be one that Natural England would routinely comment on. This suggests that the application is unlikely to result in significant impacts on statutorily designated sites, landscapes or species. It is for the LPA to determine any environmental impacts with particular attention paid to the possible presence of a protected or Biodiversity Action Plan species; possible impact on a Local Site, a Local Nature Reserve or a priority habitat; the potential for biodiversity enhancement; and any impacts on nationally designated landscapes. All proposals should complement and where possible enhance local distinctiveness. The LPA is advised to use Natural England standing advice and obtain their own ecological advice. Should the proposal be amended in a way that significantly affects its impact on the natural environment, Natural England should be consulted again.

Head of Parks and Green (Environmental Services): the two most distinctive elements of the general landscaping concept are the provision of open watercourses and extensive hedgerows. The design is unusual and interesting and, with appropriate management, would create an interesting living environment with distinctive character. There are some concerns however relating to security, safety, and efficacy. Elsewhere, surface watercourses have been of mixed success. Effective management is essential. Watercourses can capture litter and can make the pruning of vegetation difficult making sites look untidy. There is also a risk of drowning. A more conventional piped drainage system would be preferred or a reduction in the amount of open water. The benefit to flora and fauna is, however, recognised. The proposed village green would be well landscaped and, if properly maintained, would look attractive. Life savers would be required by the proposed pond but they may prove to be a focal point for vandalism. The children's play area is bounded by hedgerows and a watercourse which pose safety issues through drowning and reduced natural surveillance. The use of fences and the removal of the watercourse is recommended. Generally speaking the hedges would provide privacy but reduce natural surveillance leading to reduced security. The final height should be limited to 1m.