Agenda item

Planning Reference – 191034

 

All documents associated with this application can be found at the following link and enter the reference number above:-  Link.   

 

Planning Officer:  Gavin Evans

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning, which recommended:-

 

That the application for planning permission in principle for the erection of a residential development comprising 23 affordable dwellinghouses with associated landscaping, garden ground, parking and access road, be refused.

 

The Committee heard from Gavin Evans, Senior Planner, who spoke in furtherance of the application and answered various questions from members. 

 

The Convener moved, seconded by Councillor Copland:-

That the application be refused in line with the recommendation contained in the report. 

 

Councillor Allan moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Cooke:-

That there be a willingness to approve the application, subject to conditions and subject to an appropriate legal agreement to secure the developer obligations sums identified in the report and to ensure that the development was delivered as affordable housing.    This was for the following reasons:-

·       It was considered the provision of a wider range of affordable housing in Kingswells to be of benefit in allowing local residents with growing families to remain in the community;

·       It was considered this was an acceptable departure from the Local Development Plan on the basis of being a development of exclusively affordable housing units. The proposal exceeds the requirements of Aberdeen Local Development Plan (ALDP) policy H5 (Affordable Housing), which requires 25% of any housing development to be provided as affordable units. This is consistent with the ALDP, which states “To maximise the provision of affordable housing it is the aim of the Council to take a flexible approach to its delivery, with a view to maximising opportunities to achieve the highest level possible”;

·       It was noted that part of the site was currently zoned for residential use (policy H1 applies), and as such there was no conflict with the Development Plan on that portion of the site;

·       Whilst it is recognised that policy NE2 (Green Belt) does not provide for such development, it was noted that the site was relatively small-scale and would not result in any coalescence or loss of integrity for Kingswells as a distinct settlement, and the proposed structural landscape planting along the northern and eastern boundaries of the site would assist in mitigating the visual impact of the proposal and any adverse impact on the character and amenity of the green belt, such that the development would not undermine these key aims of Green Belts, as expressed by Scottish Planning Policy (SPP).

 

Conditions

(1)           DETAILED DESIGN

No development pursuant to this Planning Permission in Principle may be undertaken unless details of a finalised site layout have first been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority, via a formal application for the approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSC). Any such application shall include details of the following matters:

 

·       Full details of the site access and internal road layout, including: identification of the adoptable extent of roads and footpaths; connections to surrounding road and path infrastructure; details of materials used in roads & footpaths construction; swept-path diagrams illustrating the accessibility of the internal road layout to refuse vehicles; details of traffic calming measures on the main access road; details of the site access from Old Lang Stracht; and the finalised route of a rural footpath around the site, making connection to the roadside footway on Old Lang Stracht;

·       The layout, orientation and detailed design of buildings, including elevational treatment, materials specification and boundary treatments/enclosures;

·       Hard and soft landscaping, including: details of the location, species and size at time of planting of any new trees, including the composition of structural landscaping along the northern and eastern boundaries; details of any other landscape planting throughout the site, including areas of identified public open space; details of the timing/phasing of landscaping works, to include ‘advance greening’ whereby structural landscape planting is undertaken as early as is practicable to offset landscape & visual impact; measures for the protection of any such early planting during the construction phase; and arrangements for the management and maintenance of open space within the site.

 

Thereafter, development shall not be carried out other than in full accordance with the details so approved.

 

Reason: In order to ensure that the development is of a high quality, demonstrating due regard for its context and making a positive contribution to its setting, with any adverse impacts on landscape mitigated as far as is practicable, as required by policies D1 (Quality Placemaking by Design) and D2 (Landscape) of the Aberdeen Local Development Plan.

 

(2)           LOW AND ZERO CARBON BUILDINGS

No dwelling within the development hereby approved shall be occupied unless a scheme detailing compliance with the Council's 'Resources for New Development’ supplementary guidance has first been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority via a formal application for the approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSC). Thereafter, no dwellings within the development may be occupied unless any approved measures to reduce carbon emissions have been implemented in full.

 

Reason: to ensure that the development incorporates appropriate measures to reduce carbon emissions and ensure compliance with policy R7 (Low and Zero Carbon Buildings and Water Efficiency) of the Aberdeen Local Development Plan.

 

(3)           WATER SAVING

No dwelling within the development hereby approved shall be occupied unless a scheme detailing the incorporation of water saving technologies/techniques has first been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority via a formal application for the approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSC). Thereafter, no dwellings within the development may be occupied unless any approved technologies/techniques have been implemented in accordance with the details so agreed.

 

Reason: to ensure that the development incorporates appropriate measures to reduce water usage and ensure compliance with policy R7 (Low and Zero Carbon Buildings and Water Efficiency) of the Aberdeen Local Development Plan and the associated ‘Resources for New Development’ Supplementary Guidance.

 

(4)           DUST MANAGEMENT PLAN

No development pursuant to this Planning Permission in Principle may be undertaken unless a detailed Dust Management Plan, including control measures to be implemented during construction, has first been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority via a formal application for the approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSC). Thereafter, all works shall be undertaken in accordance with the Dust Management Plan so agreed.

 

Reason: to mitigate construction-related impact on neighbouring properties.

 

(5)           CAR PARKING

No development pursuant to this Planning Permission in Principle may be undertaken unless full details of on-site car parking, including proposals for accessible disabled spaces and electric vehicle charging infrastructure (1 active charging point and 2 passive charging points), have first been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority via a formal application for the approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSC). Thereafter, no dwellings within the development may be occupied unless the approved parking provision has been fully constructed and made available for use.

 

Reason: to ensure that adequate car parking is provided on site, and to ensure compliance with the Council’s relevant ‘Transport and Accessibility’ Supplementary Guidance.

 

(6)           RESIDENTIAL TRAVEL PACK

No dwelling within the development hereby approved shall be occupied unless full details of a Residential Travel Pack to be distributed to residents upon occupation have first been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority via a formal application for the approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSC). Thereafter, no dwellings within the development may be occupied unless the approved Residential Travel Pack has been provided to the occupier.

 

Reason: to ensure that residents are made aware of sustainable travel options in the local area, and to encourage sustainable travel, in accordance with policy T3 (Sustainable and Active Travel) of the Aberdeen Local Development Plan.

 

(7)           DRAINAGE

No development pursuant to this Planning Permission in Principle shall be undertaken unless full drainage details, based on the finalised site layout and including proposals for the incorporation of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, have first been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority via a formal application for the approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSC). Thereafter, no dwellings within the development may be occupied unless the approved drainage infrastructure has been implemented in full.

 

Reason: to ensure that the site is adequately drained and to demonstrate accordance with policy NE6 (flooding, Drainage and Water Quality) of the Aberdeen Local Development Plan.

 

(8)           WASTE / RECYCLING

No development pursuant to this Planning Permission in Principle may be undertaken unless details of waste management proposals, including arrangements for the segregation, storage, collection and management of residential waste, have first been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority via a formal application for the approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSC). Thereafter, no dwelling shall be occupied unless provision has been made on site in accordance with the details so agreed.

 

Reason: to ensure that adequate provision is made on site for the storage and collection of waste and recyclables, as required by policy R6 (Waste Management Requirements for New Development).

 

(9)           NOISE MITIGATION DURING CONSTRUCTION

No development pursuant to this Planning Permission in Principle may be undertaken unless details of an acoustic barrier to be erected during construction as a means of mitigating noise impact on neighbouring residents have first been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority via a formal application for the approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSC).

 

Thereafter, the approved noise barrier shall be erected and retained as approved.

 

Reason: to ensure that construction-related noise is appropriately mitigated in order to protect the amenity of neighbouring residents.

 

(10)        BUS STOP UPGRADE

No development pursuant to this Planning Permission in Principle may be undertaken unless a scheme detailing full specifications for the upgrading of the existing bus stop on the west side of Fairley Road, 75m south of Kingswood Drive, to provide a shelter and a raised kerb, has first been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority (in consultation with the Council’s Public Transport Unit) via a formal application for the approval of matters specified in conditions (AMSC).

 

Thereafter, no dwelling within the development shall be occupied unless the bus stop has been upgraded in full accordance with the approved scheme.

 

Reason: to encourage sustainable travel and reflect the potential for increased usage as a result of the approved development, consistent with the Council’s ‘Transport and Accessibility’ Supplementary Guidance.

 

(11)        AIRPORT SAFEGUARDING (1)

No development shall commence until the location, height, layout, form and materials of buildings and structures within the proposed development have been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority in consultation with Aberdeen Airport.

 

Reason: Buildings/structures in the proposed development may penetrate the obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) surrounding Aberdeen Airport and could endanger aircraft movements and the safe operation of the aerodrome; and:

 

Buildings/structures in the proposed development may interfere with communication,

navigation aids and surveillance equipment and could endanger aircraft movements and the safe operation of the aerodrome.

 

(12)        AIRPORT SAFEGUARDING (2)

No development shall take place until full details of soft and water landscaping works have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority in consultation with Aberdeen Airport. Details must comply with Advice Note 3 ‘Potential Bird Hazards from Amenity Landscaping & Building Design’ (available at

www.aoa.org.uk/publications/safeguarding.asp). These details shall include:

 

·       The species, number and spacing of trees and shrubs

·       Drainage details including SUDS – Such schemes must comply with Advice Note 6 ‘Potential Bird Hazards from Sustainable urban Drainage Schemes (SUDS) (available at www.aoa.org.uk/publications/safeguarding.asp ).

 

No subsequent alterations to the approved landscaping scheme are to take place unless submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority in consultation with Aberdeen Airport. The scheme shall be implemented as approved.

 

Reason: To avoid endangering the safe movement of aircraft and the operation of Aberdeen Airport through the attraction of birds and an increase in the bird hazard risk of the application site.

 

On a division, there voted, for the motion (4) – the Convener and Councillors Copland, Delaney and MacKenzie; for the amendment (5) – the Vice Convener and Councillors Allan, Cooke, Cormie and Malik. 

 

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the amendment and therefore approve the application conditionally subject to a legal agreement and contributions to developer obligations.