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

Permission was sought to remove condition no.44 attached to planning permission

reference 125596/FO/2019 (approved subject to conditions and a section 106

agreement on 10November 2020), which related to affordable housing.

The approved scheme for 410 new homes, was accompanied by an Affordable

Housing Statement, which outlined that the viability of the scheme had been

considered in line with best practice and as such a Viability Assessment was

submitted for consideration. There are complex ground conditions on the site, which

impact on viability, and it was demonstrated that the development could not

support affordable housing. Through the involvement of a Registered Provider,

however, 114 affordable dwellings are to be provided on the site through grant

funding from Homes England.

Since the granting of the planning permission, Homes England has confirmed that

the houses would not qualify for funding if they are subject to a planning condition. In

this instance the affordable homes would be delivered and secured via the

Development Agreement with the City Council and provisions in the leases (fulfilled

by virtue of the City Council’s landownership interest), rather than by way of condition no.44.

The application site covers an area of approximately 6.4 hectares and includes the

former Manox site (chemical dye factory). It is bounded by the Rochdale Canal (and

associated tow path), grassed brownfield land and commercial /industrial uses to the

north. To the south is Iron Street; this area to the south is largely residential and

includes a play area. There are further residential properties to the west and across

Varley Street is Victoria Mill (Grade II * listed building) which has been converted to

residential use. To the east across Alan Turing Way there are commercial /industrial

uses.

The Planning officer had no further information or additional comments to make.

Councillor Hitchen addressed the Committee and requested that consideration of the application be deferred to allow the Committee to see a copy of the development agreement to ensure that affordable dwellings will be included in the application.

A member of the committee commented that the executive summary made reference to the removal of condition 44 and there was concern that by removing the condition there should be an undertaking within the development agreement to ensure the inclusion of affordable housing.

Councillor Andrews proposed that the application be deferred until the next meeting of the Committee to allow members to see the development agreement and be satisfied that a robust agreement is in place to ensure the 144 affordable dwellings will be included within the development.

The planning officer reported that he had spoken to both the applicant and colleagues in Corporate Property and they have advised that the development agreement does include the requirement for the provision of 114 affordable dwellings.

The Director of Planning advised that Committee that the development agreement contained commercially sensitive information and therefore checks would be made to ensure only non-sensitive extracts were presented to members of the Committee to confirm the inclusion of 114 affordable dwellings.

Councillor Flanagan seconded the proposal to defer consideration of the application until the next meeting of the Committee.

Decision

The Committee agreed to defer consideration of the application until the next meeting to allow members to be satisfied that the inclusion of 114 affordable dwellings is clearly stated within the development agreement for the proposed development.

(Councillor Richards declared a personal interest in the application having had an involvement previously as an Executive member and left the room during the consideration of the application).