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

The application submitted relates to the erection of two three-storey buildings providing six apartments in each (twelve in total) including two car parking spaces and associated cycle shelter, landscaping and boundary treatments following demolition of existing buildings.

The application site measured 0.15 hectares in area, is of a roughly rectangular shape and is bounded by a functioning railway line to the rear (east), two-storey semi-detached dwellinghouses to the north and a children’s day nursery to the south. Opposite the site on the other side of Slade Lane is a church and associated church hall. The site relates to a disused haulage yard which incorporates industrial type outbuildings, including a single storey, double height shed and an inspection pit to the side of 17 Slade Lane, together with a single pair of two-storey, semi-detached, bay fronted residential properties to the southern half of the site at 17-19 Slade Lane.

The Planning Officer did not provide any further updates on the application to the information already submitted to the Committee.

The applicant’s representative was present at the meeting and addressed the Committee on the proposed development.

There were no objectors to the application present at the meeting.

The Chair invited members to ask questions and comment on the application.

A member made reference to the Council’s affordable housing policy of the properties proposed and why this had not been included within the report.

The Planning Officer reported that the number of units in the development did not meet the threshold of Council’s affordable housing policy.

A member referred to consultation with any existing residents neighbouring the site and whether the residents could be included in any ongoing consultation with the constructors such as the construction management plan to help reduce any potential impact during the construction process.

The Planning Officer reported that the properties on the site are in a poor state of repair and not habitable and there is no requirement for the constructors to consult with neighbours on the construction management plan. Liaison with the constructor and officers from Environmental Health and Highways would take place to ensure compliance with the construction management plan. Planning Officers undertook to encourage all constructors to start and maintain a dialogue with local residents before and during the construction process.

A member referred to the density of the proposal, as referred to in Policy H5, in view of the proximity of Longsight District Centre and asked what consideration had been given to that Policy. Officers were also asked what consideration had been given to the arrangements of the bin store for the proposed development.

The Committee was informed that the density of the proposed development was assessed as part of the application process regarding scale, massing, parking and mixture of properties and had met those requirements. The bin store has been designed to be appropriate for the landscaping of the development and to be unobtrusive to the street scene and practical to allow good access for residents.

Decision

The Committee approve the application, subject to the conditions and reasons set out in the report submitted.