Agenda item

It was noted that having registered to speak as Ward Member for the application, Councillor A. Bailes withdrew to the Public Gallery.

Officers presented the report and in doing so, drew Members’ attention to the presentation slides, as detailed on pages 109 to 126 of the Public Reports pack.

The application was for Bordesley Hall, The Holloway, Alvechurch, Worcestershire, B48 7QA and sought reserved matters approval for the erection of 43 dwellings with associated parking and landscaping works.

Officers clarified that the principle of the development was decided at a previous Planning Committee meeting, under the hybrid application 21/00684/HYB on 6^th October 2022. Therefore, the application before Members was a reserve matters application to consider layout, scale, appearance and landscaping.

Officers further clarified that a previous reserve matters application was approved by Members of the Planning Committee on 9^th March 2023 for 46 dwellings. In comparing the two developments Officers highlighted the change in number and type of dwellings and also the changes to the road network away from a circular route.

The development supplied off road parking for each dwelling with an additional 11 visitor parking spaces around the site. The housing mix was 3/4/5 bed dwellings with a mix of 10 different housing types, a selection of which was detailed on pages 119 to 122 of the Public Reports pack.

As the application was submitted prior to the 10% diversity net gain requirement by Bromsgrove District Council, it would not be subject to a condition, therefore, the ecology consultant had raised no objection.

Condition 8 covered the proposed lighting on site, this was detailed on page 117 of the Public Reports pack. Due to concerns with light pollution, a number of 1m lighting columns were proposed, this was deemed acceptable by Officers and Consultees.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Debbie Farrington, the applicant’s Agent addressed the Committee in support of the application. Councillor Steve Hornsby, on behalf of Alvechurch Parish Council and Councillor A. Bailes, Ward Member, addressed the Committee in objection to the application.

After addressing the Committee, Councillor A. Bailes retired from the meeting room for the duration of the debate.

A number of points were clarified following questions from Members:

• Bordesley hall was a non-designated heritage asset which was the lowest designation, therefore, only limited weight was given to factors such as overlooking, which needed to be weighed up against the development as a whole.
• Due to vacant building credit the development had no requirement to supply affordable housing.
• The change from 2/3 bed dwellings to 3/4/5 bed units was a decision taken by the applicant. However, with no affordable housing requirement, there was little the Council could do to enforce specific housing types.
• The removal of additional TPO protected trees against widening the access road was discussed, the decision was made to retain the Trees as there was good viability along the road so pedestrian/cyclist safety would not be adversely impacted.
• Condition 18 covered restricting construction traffic, details of which would need to be submitted by the applicant prior to commencement.
• There were no plans to make the development a gated community, this was further supported by two areas of open space which were intended to be available to the wider general public.

Whilst Members expressed their sympathy with the Parish Council representation, in that the original development had contained a large mix of 1 or 2 bed units which had been highlighted to be a particular need in the area. Members accepted that they had to consider the application before them and without a need for affordable housing due to vacant building credit there was no requirement for the developer to supply smaller units.

On being put to the vote, it was 

RESOLVED that the Reserved Matters application be approved subject to:-

a)    Conditions 1 and 3 as detailed on pages 106 and 107 of the Public Reports pack; and

b)    An amended Condition 2 as detailed on page 3 of the Committee Update.