Agenda item

Otry_01 Barrack Farm

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 469

Officer recommendation: Allocate Otry_01b 70 dwellings and 1.25ha employment land

 

Cllr Grainger from Ottery St Mary Town Council spoke on the potential of the site, but balanced that with the impacts of development on the area. If the site went forward, he commented that this would be sufficient for the town requirement.

 

Ward Member Cllr Johns objected to the site, stating reasons of the lack of secondary school places, impact on the green wedge, and the scales of housing was too large for the town to accommodate after already rapid growth.

 

Ward Member Cllr Faithfull reminded the committee of the green wedge designation in the town’s neighbourhood plan. If developed, this would lead to isolated residents with limited public transport access, as well as an adverse impact visually in the area.

 

Committee debated the balance of housing need across the sites proposed for the town, including the scale of Otry_01a being too large and too rapid growth for the current and planned infrastructure.

 

A proposal to move on for Otry_01a, and include for allocation Otry_01b was made by Cllr B Collins, seconded by Cllr Ingham

 

Committee agreed to move on to the next site allocation in consideration of Otry_01a.

 

Committee endorsed the recommendation to include Otry_01b in the site allocation.

 

Otry_09 Land at Thorn Farm, Exeter Road

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 90

Officer recommendation: Allocate

 

Cllr Grainger from Ottery St Mary Town Council advised of the urgent need for school places, and concerns of the site’s proximity to Cadhay.  The site should not be allocated for housing, but for a school.

 

Ward Member Cllr Johns objected to the site on grounds of the lack of school places, asking that the site in full be allocated only for educational use.

 

Ward Member Cllr Faithfull felt the site was too close to woodland and bog land that would be adversely impacted, and that the impact on the open countryside was unacceptable.

 

Officers clarified that a large proportion of the site had already been identified for education, and work was ongoing with Devon County Council (DCC) as to what form this would take.  A housing allocation on this site, owned by DCC, could help deliver the funding to deliver a school.  Less than half of the site could accommodate 90 dwellings, needing a landscape buffer between housing and education designation.

 

Cllr J Bailey raised concern on the risk of allocation of any of the site for housing, in case that adversely impacted on the delivery of educational facilities.

Committee discussed the educational need, requesting further clarity from DCC on their plans for the site.  The Chair proposed that the policy wording should be revisited following input from DCC, to express the intention for the development of educational facilities as a priority, with a housing element as a secondary requirement.

 

Committee recommended to include Otry_09 in the site allocation with the intention of the development of educational facilities as a priority, with a housing element as a secondary requirement.

 

(Cllr J Bailey left the meeting for the debate and vote of this item due to her declaration of a directly relates NRI as a Devon County Councillor, and the site is owned by Devon County Council)

 

GH/ED/26 Land west of Cadhay Lane

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 200

Officer recommendation: Not to allocate

 

Cllr Grainger from Ottery St Mary Town Council objected to the site on the grounds of any allocation effectively removing the green wedge between the town and West Hill.

 

Ward Member Cllr Johns objected to the site and outlined some adverse impacts.

 

Ward Member Cllr Faithfull agreed with the recommendation not to allocate, particularly due to the adverse visual impact any development of the site would have on the surrounding area.

 

A proposal to move on was made by Cllr Jung, seconded by Cllr Davey.

 

Committee agreed to move on to the next site allocation.

 

Otry_10 Land to the north and south of Salston Barton

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 20

Officer recommendation: Allocate

 

Dr Dunsford spoke of inconsistencies in the appraisal of sites, explaining that no other sites had an assessment of “rounding off” a development. She advised the committee that Salston was a separate hamlet and should not be treated as an extension of the town for the purposes of additional housing.

 

Cllr Grainger from Ottery St Mary Town Council objected to the site, including flooding issues.

 

Ward Member Cllr Johns objected to the site, highlighting lack of suitable pedestrian access and the impact of run off water to lower land.

 

Ward Member Cllr Faithfull also commented on the poor cycle and pedestrian route, flood risk and detrimental impact of right to light for the existing hamlet.

 

The committee discussed:

·       Narrow lanes being unsuitable for developing safe pavements

·       Access to the site was poor

·       Existing outline planning application options for access still not suitable

·       Splitting the site to allocate only part with a suitable buffer between the hamlet and the development

·       New information on considering Salston as a hamlet in the assessment of the site

·       Risk in considering part of the site as a green wedge that as yet did not exist.

 

A proposal to allocate the site failed.

 

A proposal to move on was made by Cllr J Bailey, seconded by Cllr Bethany Collins.

 

Committee agreed to move on to the next site allocation.

 

GH/ED/27 Land south of Strawberry Lane

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 60

Officer recommendation: Allocate

 

Timothy Dudgeon spoke on behalf of a local home owners group in objection to the inclusion of the site, explaining reasons of road safety, narrow unsuitable lanes, and the impact of the school commute in that area. He also outlined flooding risks and subsequent impact of residents securing house insurance.

 

Dr Dunsford advised the committee of all four roads to the area being of single car width, as well as flooding risk.  Due to the land elevation, the site was significantly above Salston.

 

Cllr Grainger from Ottery St Mary Town Council outlined the impracticalities of the access to the site.

 

Ward Member Cllr Johns objected on grounds of unsuitable pedestrian access, and the regular flooding to the road being exacerbated.

 

Ward Member Cllr Faithfull also referred to increased flooding, and adverse visual impact.

 

Committee agreed to move on to the next site allocation.

 

Otry_15 Land at Bylands, Slade Road

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 8

Officer recommendation: Allocate

 

Cllr Grainger from Ottery St Mary Town Council did not object to the site allocation.

 

Ward Member Cllr Johns requested suitable pedestrian access.

 

Ward Member Cllr Faithfull also referred to suitable pedestrian access being required.

 

To include the site for allocation was proposed by Cllr Jung and seconded by Cllr Ingham.

 

Committee endorsed the recommendation to include Otry_15 in the site allocation.

 

Otry_18 Land east of Sidmouth Road

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 63

Officer recommendation: Not to allocate

 

David McKenny spoke on behalf of a local action group in opposition to the allocation of the site, outlining access issues and adverse impact on local roads.

 

Cllr Grainger from Ottery St Mary Town Council advised that the site was unsuitable.

 

Ward Member Cllr Johns opposed the site allocation on grounds of access.

 

Ward Member Cllr Faithfull supported the officer recommendation not to allocate the site.

 

Committee agreed to move on to the next site allocation.

 

Otry_19 Land at Slade Farm, Slade Road

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 48

Officer recommendation: Not to allocate

 

Cllr Grainger from Ottery St Mary Town Council supported the officer recommendation not to allocate the site.

 

Ward Member Cllr Johns agreed with the previous speaker.

 

Committee agreed to move on to the next site allocation.

 

Otry_21 Land at Gerway Farm, west of Sidmouth Road

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 70

Officer recommendation: Allocate

 

Samantha Thomas of Carney Sweeney representing Wain Homes, outlined the ongoing technical assessment and advised the committee of the viability of the site, including planned landscaping buffers.

 

Cllr Grainger from Ottery St Mary Town Council commented on the additional work required to resolve the access issues, advising that the town council did not support allocation.

 

Ward Member Cllr Johns opposed the site allocation on grounds of visibility and voiced her concern on the impact on the local narrow roads.

 

Ward Member Cllr Faithfull advised that the images used in the report were incorrect and that further work was needed before the site could be recommended forward.

 

Officer advice was that DCC were satisfied that the site was deliverable with the two potential access options.  Committee comments included further checks on the access and linking with a cycle path would be advantageous.

 

Cllr Jung proposed inclusion of the site, seconded by the Chair.

 

Committee endorsed the recommendation to include Otry_21 in the site allocation.

 

GH/ED/29b Gerway Farm

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 188

Officer recommendation: Not to allocate

 

Cllr Grainger from Ottery St Mary Town Council advised that the site was unsustainable.

 

Ward Member Cllr Johns  and Ward Member Cllr Faithfull supported the officer recommendation not to allocate the site.

 

A proposal to move on was made by Cllr Jung, seconded by Cllr Fernley

 

Committee agreed to move on to the next site allocation.

 

GH/ED/31 Slade Farm

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 48

Officer recommendation: Not to allocate

 

Cllr Grainger from Ottery St Mary Town Council opposed the allocation of the site.

 

Ward Member Cllr Johns opposed the site allocation.

 

Ward Member Cllr Faithfull supported the officer recommendation not to allocate the site.

 

Committee agreed to move on to the next site allocation.

 

GH/ED/32 Church Path Field, land east of Chineway Gardens

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 61

Officer recommendation: Not to allocate

 

Ward Member Cllr Faithfull supported the officer recommendation not to allocate the site.

 

Committee agreed to move on to the next site allocation.

 

GH/ED/33 Land adjacent Great Well Farm

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 80

Officer recommendation: Not to allocate

 

Committee agreed to move on to the next site allocation.

 

GH/ED/34 Land at Littlewell

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 289

Officer recommendation: Not to allocate

 

Ward Member Cllr Faithfull commented on a potential link road to alleviate traffic issues that this site would bring.

 

Committee agreed to move on to the next site allocation.

 

GH/ED/35 Land at Ridgeway

Proposed use: Housing

Number of dwellings: 130

Officer recommendation: Not to allocate

 

Ward Member Cllr Faithfull commented on the impact of offroad parking but still supported the officer recommendation not to allocate.

 

Committee agreed to move on to the next site allocation.