Agenda item

We considered the report of the application which was recommended for approval subject to the six conditions, as outlined in the report.

Planning Committee had previously considered the application on 3rd July 2018. After discussions about the merits of the application, Members had approved the proposed development subject to the applicant signing a Section 106 Legal Agreement requiring a commuted sum of £26,068 for a contribution towards affordable housing provision in the locality.

The application was re-presented to the Planning Committee on 2nd October 2018, as the applicant had provided information to confirm that it would not be viable for the development to be constructed with the financial contribution sought. The information submitted by the applicant had been scrutinised by the Council’s Senior Housing Strategy & Policy Officer who had concluded that this particular site was not able to provide a financial contribution towards affordable housing.   On the 2nd October 2018 the Planning Committee had deferred a decision on the application until the figures in relation to the viability of the scheme had been scrutinised by the Planning Committee.    

In terms of a timeline of this site, there is an extant outline planning consent on the site under application DC/2016/00519 (16/02/2017) where a S106 legal agreement had been signed for an affordable housing contribution of £26,068.  This application had been submitted and the legal agreement signed by the previous owner of the site.   The applicant for this application (DM/2018/00858) had purchased the site and had submitted a full planning application and after fully considering the build costs of the development was unable to provide an affordable housing contribution given the viability of the scheme.  This had been evidenced by the applicant and verified by the Councils Affordable Housing Officer.

Given that a full viability appraisal of the development had concluded that a financial requirement was not viable for this particular site, it was recommended that the application be approved, subject to the conditions outlined in the report, without any requirement for a financial affordable housing contribution.

Having considered the report of the application, it was noted that the Planning Committee should receive Supplementary Planning Guidance to deal with the issues of viability. Some local authorities have made issues of viability public which has improved the situation for these authorities. The Head of Planning, Housing and Place Shaping informed the Committee that there was no need for Supplementary Planning Guidance. However, he has liaised with other authorities about publishing viability statements.  In the meantime, this information will be shared with the Planning Committee on a confidential basis.

It was also considered that Condition 1 of the report of the application should be amended so that the development shall begin within three years from the date of permission, rather than five years.

It was proposed by County Councillor R.J. Higginson and seconded by County Councillor P. Murphy that application DM/2018/00858 be approved subject to the six conditions, as outlined in the report without any requirement for a financial affordable housing contribution. Condition 1 to be amended so that the development shall begin within three years from the date of permission, rather than five years.

Upon being put to the vote, the following votes were recorded:

For approval              -           9

Against approval      -           0

Abstentions               -           0

The proposition was carried.

We resolved that application DM/2018/00858 be approved subject to the six conditions, as outlined in the report without any requirement for a financial affordable housing contribution.  Condition 1 to be amended so that the development shall begin within three years from the date of permission, rather than five years.