The report of the Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing is enclosed.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing that described that the application related to a former brickworks site that has been vacant for many years. Due to past use, there was a legacy of contamination across the site which has been challenging in terms of bringing forward its redevelopment.

In 2021, the current applicant was able to demonstrate how the site could be remediated and a strategy was subsequently approved following a robust assessment of how this would be delivered.

The application now under consideration was for development following the implementation of the strategy. It would create 716 homes, with 378 (134 apartments and 244 houses) in a first phase together with a community building, a community and pocket parks. 338 dwellings would follow in a second phase, which also included the provision of a secondary school. Parking, public realm and landscaping would be provided throughout.

The Committee held a site visit prior to the meeting to see the proposed access points to the site.

The applicant’s agent addressed the Committee and referred to amendments to the application resulting from the comments raised at the previous meeting. The amendments related to the access to the site from Hallam Road. All vehicular access to the site has been removed from Hallam Road. A dedicated drop off/pick point will be introduced. The proposed pedestrian/cycle route is integral to the masterplan for the proposal site and provides sustainable access for school pupils from the canal tow path and the district centre. The applicant accepts the additional conditions proposed. The development will provide 716 much needed homes to the area, as well as a secondary school and associated playing fields, that will be available for the community to use and green space. The proposal will provide significant invest to the area and provide employment and training opportunities for local people.

Councillor Flanagan addressed the Committee as a ward councillor before leaving the meeting. The Committee was thanked for attending the site visit and receiving photographs from Councillor Grimshaw and were reminded of the objection made. The proposed site included an area of contaminated ground and the proposal to develop the area for new housing and a new high school is welcomed. The objection from the ward councillors relates to an agreement with the developer that Hallam Road would not be opened to pedestrian and vehicular access. The ward councillors have stated that they have seen a plan since speaking to the developer, that will open another entrance to the proposed school which would increase traffic usage. The plan is not included in the application being considered and includes a pedestrian and cycle route. The Committee visited the proposed site and noted the entrance to the nursery school at Briscoe Lane PS is on Hallam Road. Hallam Road is a narrow and congested road. A new crossing was installed to improve safety for accessing the school, however, the proposal will reduce safety for nursery children and parents. The Committee was requested to approve the proposal as submitted and to include an additional condition, to keep Hallam Road unchanged to ensure no pedestrian access or vehicular traffic is allowed through or as an access to a future school site. The local ward councillors believe that if access was allowed on Hallam Road, it would become a main drop-off/pick point for the proposed school and that would make the road a dangerous area for the young children attending the nursery.

The planning officer noted the concern expressed relating to Hallam Road as a future high school drop off/pick point. The committee was informed that allowing access through Hallam Road would provide the benefit of opening the existing community to the proposed community and the new facilities included in the proposed development. Not allowing access will result in a longer journey for those pupils accessing Briscoe Lane PS from the proposed development area and will include using main roads. The access through Hallam Road is supported. The new high school will have a travel plan with a designated drop off and pick up point to improve safety of school children. The application includes a condition to monitor the impact on Hallam Road, with possible additional mitigation if required once the high school was opened.

Members of the committee commented on the application. Reference was made to the size/ quality of the drawings of the road layout within the committee report. The proposed width of the roads on the development is limited and this will result in vehicles parking on the pavement. There are no details of cycling being encouraged in the new development, such as storage or accessing cycle lanes around the area. Officers were asked for information regarding the depth levels of contamination to the land in the development area, what will happen to it and what investigations have taken place. Also, is there is a significant issue regarding the removal of the contaminated ground, would any additional cost impact on the number of affordable homes within the development.

The Director of Planning reported that a programme of remediation had taken place over eighteen months ago on identification and removal of the contamination from the ground on the development site. Following the earlier application for the remediation work on the site to understand what contaminants are present, a number of conditions had been included and the developer is still required to discharge the remainder of the conditions. A condition is included within the application report being considered to ensure that all of the requirements are carried out. The developer had already stated that brownfield funding has been received to deal with the removal of the contaminated ground.

The Committee was advised that all plans relating the application and all other plans for planning applications are available to view on the Council website and can be provided to members. The width of the proposed roads met the council standards and there is 100% provision for secure cycle parking and off road car parking for the site. Due to the residential nature of the estate and it being located away from the main roads, it was not necessary to include cycle lanes, but there will be access to the Rochdale Canal tow path, to join up with the cycle network. The development has included cycling infrastructure rather than retrofitting them later on. Also, the application includes the intention is to install a pedestrian cycle route on Hallam Road.

Councillor Andrews moved the Officer’s recommendation of Minded to Approve, subject to a legal agreement in respect of a reconciliation clause and proposed the inclusion of an additional condition for the closure of Hallam Road as an access to the development site by pedestrians, cycles and vehicles to ensure the safety of school children.

Councillor Saukat Ali seconded the proposal.

Decision

The Committee resolved to Minded to Approve the application (subject to a legal agreement in respect of a reconciliation clause), for the reasons and subject to the conditions set out in the report submitted. The Committee also approved the inclusion of an additional condition that requires Hallam Road is closed to pedestrian, cycle and vehicular access to the proposed development site.

(Councillor Richards declared a personal interest in the application and left the meeting room, taking no part in the consideration and decision making.)

(Councillor Flanagan spoke on the application as Ward Councillor for Miles Platting and Newton Heath and then left the meeting, taking no part in the consideration and decision making).