Agenda item

Agenda item

131708/FO/2021 - 87 Rochdale Road Manchester M4 4JD - Piccadilly Ward

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

Minutes:

This application sought the erection of a part 11, part 13 storey building to form residential apartments (Use Class C3a) together with the erection of two blocks of

3 storey duplexes (Use Class C3a) to form 237 residential homes in total with associated commercial floor (Use Class E) (132 sqm), basement car parking, landscaping and public realm, and associated engineering and infrastructure works following demolition of existing buildings and structures.

 

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

 

No objectors to the application attended the meeting or addressed the Committee on the application.

 

The applicant’s agent addressed the Committee on the application.

 

Councillor Lyons addressed the committee as ward councillor. Reference was made to the lack of affordable homes and he commented that this would a good location for development. It was noted that the planning report contained some errors regarding the inclusion of affordable housing. Councillor Lyons made reference discussions held with the developer and the people who may be attracted to living there and it was concerning that there is a lack of soft play areas within the public realm element of the development for families with young children. The suggestion was made that a condition be added to the application for the inclusion of soft play areas to be included as part of the development. (Councillor Lyons then left the meeting room and took no part in the consideration or vote on the application.)

 

The planning officer confirmed that the development does not include affordable housing. A clawback mechanism would review this. A condition could be included for assessment and evaluation of a soft play area.

 

Councillor Flanagan proposed that an additional condition for the inclusion of soft plays areas and that final designs be agreed by the Director of Planning in consultation with the Chair of the Planning and Highways Committee. The councillor made the point that no reference is made in the application to the development of family homes but no reference is made to provision for families with children.

 

Councillor Richards in seconded the proposal commented that the application falls in the Northern Gateway SRF area, where developer partners already offer 20% affordable homes. In addition, the inclusion of local infrastructure needed to be included to help support the building of a community in the area and meet the needs of all residents instead of a one-sided approach. It is important that a contribution is made to help meet the cost of providing the infrastructure, if affordable housing is not achievable.

 

The planning officer reported that discussions are ongoing with key partners on the Victoria North area for the ongoing transformation of the area over the next 10-15 years. The area will see significant change that will include important infrastructure facilities such as schools and GP surgeries.

The Committee agreed the application with the inclusion of an additional condition for a soft play area with the design to be subject to approval by the Director of Planning in consultation with the Chair of the Planning and Highways Committee and members of the committee.

 

Decision

 

The Committee agreed the application as detailed in the report submitted and with the inclusion of an additional condition for the assessment and evaluation of providing a soft play area, with the design of it to be subject to approval by the Director of Planning in consultation with the Chair of the Planning and Highways Committee and local members.

 

(Councillor Lyons declared a personal interest in the application but addressed the Committee as a ward councillor before leaving the meeting and taking no part in the consideration or vote.)

Supporting documents: