Issue - meetings

Committee considered a report presented by the Planning Manager in relation to the above application.

The application had been called in to Planning Committee by Councillor Nick Clarke, and there were 14 public objections to the proposal due to concerns centred on the substandard nature of Mill Lane, and fears that the proposal would increase traffic without mitigating the effects. 

The report noted that accounting for the established industrial/depot use, which could restart if permission was not granted for residential, the amount of increased traffic predicted was very low (1 vehicle every 30 minutes at peak times) and did not justify refusal.

Some betterment to the existing highway system would be delivered in the form of a footpath link from Mill Lane to Oxcroft Lane and the opportunity to stop up Mill Lane in the future (should it prove to be appropriate) is being safeguarded for a period of 20 years by S106 agreement.  There were no other highway safety reasons to withhold planning permission and the County Highway Authority did not object.

Further information was contained in the Supplementary Report previously circulated to Members.

The Planning Manager advised the meeting that comments from Yorkshire Water (YW) had been received the day prior to the meeting.  Their comments confirmed that they had no objections to the proposals, subject to the imposition of suggested conditions to deal with drainage details and their approval.  The Planning Manager confirmed that the conditions already suggested in the Supplementary Report addressed the conditional requirements YW were seeking. 

District Councillor Nick Clarke, spoke against the application.

Derbyshire County Councillor Mick Yates, spoke against the application.

Jamie Brown, agent for the applicant spoke for the application.

Councillor Tom Munro queried if there were any provision in the plans for alternative forms of heating in the properties as per District Councillor Nick Clarke’s comments.  Jamie Brown advised that the buildings would be a fabric at first approach and were looking at high levels of insulation.  The developer had not yet stipulated how they wanted to heat the houses but this could be looked at.

Councillor Duncan McGregor agreed that the site in question was an eyesore.  He noted that as the site was previously a commercial site, it could be sold to any commercial developer at any time.  However, as it was in a housing setting, it lent itself to housing.  He noted that the depot used to accommodate 200 staff with a number of services delivered from it.  The number of vehicles arriving, leaving and returning to the depot when it was in use outweighed the number of vehicles doing the same from the homes which were now there.  He added that Derbyshire County Council was required to address the pinch point on Mill Lane not the District Council.  He noted that there were 23 points in the report that accorded with policy of the Council and the application was a strong case for development.

Councillor Tom Munro added that the site was identified in the Council’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24