Agenda item

            The Planning Manager summarised the application and drew the Committee’s attention to the following key issues for consideration:

·        Principle of housing in this location;

·        Housing density;

·        Affordable housing;

·        Housing mix;

·        Adaptable and accessible accommodation;

·        Design and Placemaking;

·        Impact on amenity;

·        Flood risk and drainage;

·        Waste-water infrastructure;

·        Climate change;

·        Access and transport;

·        Health impacts;

·        Environmental protection;

·        Natural heritage;

·        Trees and landscaping;

·        Waste management; and

·        Section 76 planning agreement.

            He explained that NI Water had provided an updated response which confirmed that the wastewater treatment plan does have capacity, however, the issue was downstream wastewater network capacity and that a possible solution could be reached through engagement with the developer in order to submit a Wastewater Impact Assessment to allow for stormwater offsetting.  He pointed out that draft condition 24 required details of foul and surface water drainage to be submitted and approved by the Council prior to commencement of development.

            The Planning Manager reported that no other consultees had offered objection to the proposed development and that 22 third-party objections had been received and all issues raised had been addressed within the case officer’s report.

            He stated that, having regard to the Development Plan and other material considerations, it was recommended that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions and a Section 76 planning agreement.

            The Chairperson welcomed Mr. R. O’Toole, OTS Planning, Mr. P. Turley, Project Architect, Mr. B. Owens, S4S Group and Ms. D. Quinn, Radius Housing, to the meeting.

            Mr. O’Toole explained that the proposal sought to deliver 34 social housing units in an area of acute need and that the scheme was supported by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

            He stated that the Council had previously approved 34 apartments on the site and that the proposal had a similar layout to the previous approval.  He stated that the design had been informed by feedback from the Council’s planning officers and urban designer during the course of the application.

            He outlined how the proposal had taken consideration of density, open space, traffic, parking and tree protection.

            He concluded by stating that he believed that the proposal represented a well-considered and beneficial development for the area and asked the Committee to support the officers’ recommendation to approve the application.

            In response to a question from a Member with regard to NI Water’s response, Mr. B. Owens explained that the applicant was content to accept the condition and submit a Wastewater Impact Assessment.

            The Chairperson welcomed Mr. F. McElhatton to the meeting, a solicitor speaking in objection to the application.

            Mr. McElhatton stated that he was speaking as a resident and also on behalf of several individuals who had lodged objections to the application.  He explained that local residents had three core objections, density and impact on character, open space provision and a lack of protection afforded to trees.

            He stated that the segment of the Antrim Road where the application site was located was an area of low density which averaged at 19 dwellings per hectare and the proposal represented a density of 89 dwellings per hectare and he outlined how the density would impact on the character of the area and was overdevelopment and not appropriate to the location.

            He explained that the proposed building lines would cause harm to the established character of the area and therefore did not respond positively to its local context, contrary to planning policy.

            He stated that the proposal was on an elevated site and didn’t suit the needs of wheelchair users or the elderly.  He disputed that the trees which had been removed had not been destroyed by a storm and could have been retained, contrary to the Council’s tree policy.

            In response to a question from a Member in regard to dwellings per hectare, the Planning Manager stated that the proposal fell below the target density for a city corridor, which was 100 dwellings per hectare, and he explained that it was important to make effective use of land, particularly in sustainable locations such as the application site and that officers considered the density of the application to be appropriate.

            The Committee granted planning permission, subject to conditions and a Section 76 planning agreement and delegated authority to the Director of Planning and Building Control to finalise the wording of conditions, and to deal with any other matters that might arise provided that they were not substantive.

(Councillor Whyte returned to the meeting.)