Hybrid Planning Application for mixed use development at North West Cowbridge

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1 Jane Crofts Development Management Vale of Glamorgan Council Civic Offices, Holton Road, Barry CF63 4RU. Helmont House Churchill Way Cardiff CF10 2HE nlpplanning.com Date 7 September 2015 Our ref 31131/02/GW/JMi/ v1 Your ref 2014/01505/OUT Dear Jane Hybrid Planning Application for mixed use development at North West Cowbridge On behalf of our client, Commercial Estates Group (the developer) and Mr JGR Homfray (the landowner ) (together the applicant ), we are pleased to enclose documents and plans in support of amendment to the current hybrid planning application (reference: 2014/01505/OUT) for residential-led mixed use development at North West Cowbridge. The amendments to the current application are proposed to address comments from Officers at VoGC/statutory consultees and in light of the Focused Changes to the Deposit Local Development Plan (LDP), which were published in July They are summarised as follows: 1 A reduction in the extent of built development; 2 An increase in the average net density from 25.5 dwellings per ha (dph) to 30 dph; 3 An increase in the maximum number of units that could be accommodated on the site from 390 to 475; 4 A proposed increase in the provision of affordable housing from 35% to 40%; 5 An increase in the amount of open space provided on site in order to meet policy requirements associated with the proposed increase in the number of residential units; and 6 The inclusion of a footpath within the site to the south of the safeguarded primary school site. The boundary of the application site remains unchanged. Furthermore, there is no change to the disposition of land uses across the site and provision is still made for a 2ha primary school site and a link road in accordance with emerging policy in the Deposit LDP. The proposal continues to demonstrate that the development will create a highly desirable environment and an attractive place to live. Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Limited 14 Regent s Wharf All Saints Street London N1 9RL Registered in England No Regulated by the RICS Offices also in Leeds London Manchester Newcastle

2 The Amount of Housing The Focused Changes increase the area proposed to be allocated for housing from 17ha to 27ha such that the boundary of the proposed allocation more closely reflects the extent of built development proposed by the current application. Despite this 10ha increase in site area, the Focused Changes have not made a corresponding increase in site capacity which remains at 390 units. This presents a conflict with Policy MD7 (Housing Densities) of the Deposit LDP, which requires that residential developments should meet a minimum density requirement of 30 dwellings per hectare ( dph ), because the development of 390 units across a 27ha site would fall short of this target. The average net density of the residential development proposed within the current application is 25.5 dph. This is below the minimum net residential density of 30dph. Following discussions with Officers at VoGC, the application has been amended to increases the maximum number of units to 475 in order to meet density requirements. Whilst this exceeds the 390 units assumed in the Deposit LDP, it represents the most efficient use of land and assists in delivering much needed housing. The Planning Statement Addendum and the documents that accompany this submission confirm that the increase in the number of units will not undermine the acceptability of the proposal. Amended Plans and Addenda to Reports The following plans and documents are submitted in support of this submisison: 1 Amended Parameter Plans 2 ES Addendum (August 2015) 3 ES Non-Technical Summary (August 2015) 4 Planning Statement Addendum (August 2015) 5 Design and Access Statement Addendum, including revised Illustrative Masterplan (July 2015) A full list of the plans and documents that form part of this submission is attached at Appendix 1. Appendix 1 also confirms which previously submitted documents remain extant and those which have been superseded. Amendments to the Description of Development The proposed amendments to the current application mean that the description of development needs to be revised to reflect the proposed increase in the number of units. Amendments are highlighted below for ease of reference: 1 Detailed permission for the construction of a link road connecting the Cowbridge Bypass (A48) with Llantwit Major Road (B4270) and associated highway works including footpaths/cycleways, landscaping and associated engineering/ infrastructure works. 2 Outline permission for a mixed use residential-led development, including; 3 Preparatory works including demolition of existing farm buildings as necessary; P2/ v1

3 - Approximately 390 residential units Up to 475 residential units (Use Class C3, including affordable homes); - A minimum 2 hectare reserve site for a primary school with playing fields (Use Class D1); - Associated car parking, landscaping works and public realm; - Open space including parks, natural and semi-natural green spaces, amenity green spaces and facilities for children and young people; - Associated infrastructure works including internal access roads, public realm, footpaths/cycleways and vehicular accesses; and - Associated engineering, and landscape works including surface water drainage, SuDs, a pumping station and levelling/creation of earth bunds/mounds. The Outline Part of the Planning Application The Illustrative Masterplan, Parameter Plans and Landscape Framework Plan have been updated to reflect the proposed amendments. The revised Parameter Plans set a framework for the detailed design of the scheme and establish the following: 1 Development extents (and the extent of built development has reduced); 2 Land uses (there is no change to the disposition of land uses across the site and provision continues to be made for a 2ha primary school site and a link road in accordance with emerging policy in the Deposit LDP); 3 Maximum building heights (this submission does not propose and change to maximum building heights); 4 Principal pedestrian/cycle links (which have been improved through the introduction of an additional pedestrian footbath to the south of the primary school site); and 5 Strategic open spaces (which has been increased to reflect the increase in the number of residential units and the need for wider landscape buffers in certain locations). 6 The DAS Addendum explains how the revised Illustrative Masterplan and Parameter Plans respond more positively to the site s context, constraints, opportunities and other influences. 7 There has been no need to revise the detailed highway plans already submitted for approval at the outline stage. The Detailed Part of the Planning Application Plans relating to the detailed part of the application i.e. the new link road, which will run north to south providing a link between the A48 and Llantwit Major Road B4270, remain unchanged. Conclusion The amendments to the current application do not materially change the planning considerations relevant to its determination. The proposal is still a departure from the UDP but there continue to be other material considerations which should be afforded significant weight and which indicate P3/ v1

4 that the application can be determined otherwise than in accordance with the development plan. Notably: 1 The proposal still accords with PPW; 2 The proposal still accords with emerging LDP development management policies (accepting that that the number of units is now higher than that proposed by the site allocation in order to resolve the conflict with emerging policy on residential density); 3 The benefits that the proposed development will bring to the area are still significant and greatly outweigh any adverse impacts arising; and 4 The proposal will still amount to sustainable development and the scheme is acceptable in all other respects. In summary, the amendments to the current application needto be considered in the context of a time expired UDP, the sustainable nature of the development and the inclusion of the site as a housing allocation within the Deposit LDP. Moreover, given that the benefits of the development would significantly and demonstrably outweigh any adverse impacts, it is clear that that the scheme should be approved without delay. We look forward to receiving confirmation that the additional information has been received and consultation has begun. We will contact you shortly to discuss the progress of the planning application. Please do not hesitate to contact me or Sophie White should you require clarification on any aspect of the application. Yours sincerely Gareth Williams Senior Director Copy J Allen Commercial Estates Group P4/ v1

5 Appendix 1: Plan and Document List Enclosed Plans and Documents (August 2015) 1. Planning Statement Addendum (August 2015) 2. Design and Access Statement Addendum (August 2015) 3. Environmental Statement (ES) Addendum (August 2015), comprising: - ES Addendum Volume 1 Non-Technical Summary; - ES Addendum Volume 2 Technical Assessment; - ES Addendum Volume 3 Appendices and Figures; 4. Parameter Plan 1: Extent of Development and Land Uses (Drawing Reference PS Rev K) 5. Parameter Plan 2: Open Space and Accessibility (Drawing Reference PS Rev K) 6. Parameter plan 3: Heights (Drawing Reference PS Rev J) 7. Illustrative Masterplan (PS Rev F) 8. Landscape Framework Plan (Ref: 2147/P35a) Previously submitted plans and documents which remain extant 1. Design & Access Statement (December 2014) 2. Site Location Plan (Ref: IL ) 3. Application Boundary (Ref: IL Rev B) 4. Hybrid Application Boundaries (Ref: IL Rev A) 5. Statement of Community Involvement (December 2014) 6. Cowbridge Pattern Book Mapping the DNA of Place (July 2014) 7. Service Supply Statement (December 2014) 8. Waste Assessment (December 2014) 9. Planning Statement (December 2014) 10. Environmental Statement (ES) (December 2014), comprising: - Volume 1: Non-Technical Summary - Volume 2: Main Technical Studies P5/ v1

6 - Volume 3: Appendices to the Main Technical Studies (including): 11. Environmental Statement (ES) Addendum (June 2015), comprising: - ES Addendum Volume 1 Non-Technical Summary; - ES Addendum Volume 2 Technical Assessment; - ES Addendum Volume 3 Appendices and Figures; 12. Proposed Link Road Between A48 and Llantwit Major Road Sheet 1 (Ref: JNY Rev G) supersedes previously submitted plan ref: JNY Rev F; 13. Proposed Link Road Between A48 and Llantwit Major Road Sheet 2 (Ref: JNY Rev D) supersedes previously submitted plan ref: JNY Rev C; and 14. Overall Plan of Proposed Link Road between A48 and Llantwit Major Road (Ref: JNY Rev D) supersedes previously submitted plan ref: JNY Rev C. 15. Long Sections Sheet 1 (Ref: JNY ) 16. Long Sections Sheet 2 (Ref: JNY ) 17. Typical Cross Sections (Ref: JNY ) 18. Proposed Improvements at Llantwit Major Road and B2468 (Nash) Junction (Ref:JNY ) Superseded Plans 1. Parameter Plan 1 (Ref: PS Rev E) 2. Parameter Plan 2 (PS Rev E) 3. Parameter Plan 3 (PS Rev E) 4. Illustrative Masterplan (PS Rev E) 5. Landscape Framework Plan (Ref: 2147/P26b) 6. Proposed Link Road Between A48 and Llantwit Major Road Sheet 1 (Ref: JNY Rev F); 7. Proposed Link Road Between A48 and Llantwit Major Road Sheet 2 (Ref: JNY Rev C; and 8. Overall Plan of Proposed Link Road between A48 and Llantwit Major Road (Ref: JNY Rev C. P6/ v1