Issue - meetings

Planning application for residential development of 132 dwellings (Use Class C3), with highways, landscaping and associated works (Major Development) (Affecting public footpath)at Land north of Burns Drive and East of Southfield Drive on the south side of Chesterfield Road, Dronfield

(Planning Manager – Development Management)

Councillor D Cheetham left the meeting at this point.

The report to Committee explained that an Application had been submitted for the residential development of 130 dwellings, with highways landscaping and associated works, at land to the north of Burns Drive, on the south side of Chesterfield Road, Dronfield. The Application had been referred to Committee by Local Ward Member, Councillor W Jones, who had raised concerns about it. The Planning Manager (Development Management) also considered the Application of strategic importance which he felt should be determined on by Planning Committee.

Planning Committee was recommended to refuse the Application. The report to Committee explained the reasons for this.

Officers felt that although the site had been identified for development in the Local Plan, the proposals in the Application would not reach the standards of good design which would be appropriate to the character and function of the Dronfield settlement. They contended that the development would not respect the local character of the area. It would neither preserve nor enhance the quality and local identity of existing communities and their surroundings.

The report also raised concern about the proposal to locate the Attenuation Tanks for the development on Green Belt land adjacent to the site for the main development. Officers contended that the proposal had not demonstrated that very special circumstances exist to justify the tanks’ location. Furthermore, the proposal would fail to meet its obligation to improve the remaining Green Belt land. The proposed measures would not provide sufficient improvements to environmental quality or accessibility of the remaining Green Belt land to offset the loss because of the scheme.

In addition, officers felt that the Application did not include sufficient plans for adequately managing surface water on site. The proposal fell short of demonstrating that surface water could be effectively managed through sustainable urban drainage systems in perpetuity. Moreover, there would betoo much reliance on small scale measures, including the use of individual gardens.

Finally, the report contended that the proposed development would create an unacceptable relationship between existing properties on Burns Drive and the proposed dwellings along the southern boundary of the site. The existing properties and the new dwellings would be in close proximity to each other, consequently, the development would fail to protect the amenity of both existing residents and future occupiers of the new dwellings.

Officers concluded that the scheme would not be acceptable in its current form. They felt that the development would not represent an acceptable form of design, it would not adequately compensate for the loss of Green Belt land (as required by the relevant Local Plan policy), nor adequately protect the amenity of existing and future occupiers. They recommended, therefore, that the Application be refused. 

Before the Committee considered the application it heard from Local Ward Member Councillor W Jones, Councillor A Dale, representing Dronfield Town Council, S Hallett, M Hanrahan and S Hemsley who spoke against the application. It also heard from the Agent, M Edgar, who spoke  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12