Agenda item

Willow Farm, Ashby Road, Moira, Swadlincote, Derby, DE12 6DP

The Principal Planning Officer presented the report to Members.

Councillor S McKendrick, Ward Member, addressed the Committee. She stated that the development was in the wrong location as it was outside the Limits to Development, it was on a road where a request for a reduction in the speed limit to 30mph had been turned down recently and the development would impact on the view of the countryside. She informed Members that there was only one small store and a hairdressers close by and all other facilities were located at the other end of the village, and that the proposed shuttle bus could not replace the bus service that had recently been lost. She expressed concerns that there would be 156 further residents that would require medical support, but there was no section 106 monies requested for health care. Councillor S McKendrick accepted that there was a need for more care homes in the area, but felt that there were more suitable locations such as the decommissioned sheltered housing scheme in the village.

Ms P Thomas, Town Councillor, addressed the Committee. She advised the Members that the Town Council had fully considered the application and felt that the site was inadequate highlighting the following points:-

-       That there was inadequate infrastructure to support the development

-       that the speed limit along the road needed to be reduced

-       the site was outside the Limits to Development

-       there was insufficient parking proposed on the site

-       the access arrangements were unsuitable

-       the site was unsustainable

-       the proposals were at variance to the Ashby Woulds Regeneration Strategy

-       there was no provision for health care for the additional residents.

Mr P McCaffrey, objector, addressed the Committee. He highlighted to Members that the when consulted on the application the highways authority required the speed limit to be reduced, however they had recently turned down a residents request to do so. He was concerned that approval of the scheme would set a precedent for infill development. He advised that the site was unsustainable as there was no provision for additional medical or dental services and some of the residents on site could have complex medical needs. He added that there had been no public consultation on the application and the urban designer had objected. He urged the Committee to reject the application on the grounds that the application was unsustainable and outside the Limits to Development. 

Mr P Devlin, Design Consultant, addressed the Committee. He informed Members that the development would be a modern care provision which would meet the 2015 Care Act. He stated that the development would provide sustainable independent living accommodation allowing those that wished to downsize. He urged the Committee to support the application.

Mr P Powell, Agent, addressed the Committee. He advised the Members that the development would address the needs of the ageing population, reassuring many that they could stay in the area in that they lived in. He highlighted that there would be many facilities on site that would be open for all residents of Moira and that the village would provide a number of ways to stay including respite, ownership and referred hospital care. He asked the Members to support the application as it was sustainable.

The officer’s recommendation was moved by Councillor N Smith and seconded by Councillor G Jones.

Councillor N Smith felt that it was a ground breaking application, which would provide all the required facilities on site. He stated that through personal experiences he had been unable to find a complex like this in the area. He highlighted that only 30% of the site was outside the Limits to Development and that he understood the traffic speed would be reduced to 30mph, adding that there was no reason to object to the application, which would be a first for the country.

Councillor G Jones stated that he was happy to second and highlighted that the Labour website had stated that extra care homes were needed and the application would provide this.

Councillor J Legrys raised a point of order that a discussion around a political website was not appropriate for the Committee.

Councillor G Jones added that the application would provide transitional housing opportunities and should be supported.

Councillor J Legrys raised concerns over the objections from the Urban Design Officer, the lack of capacity available at the local water treatment works and that the site was outside the Limits to Development, He also sought reassurance that as it was only an outline application the full application would be brought back to Committee. Councillor J Legrys requested a recorded vote.

In response to Councillor J Legrys concerns the Head of Planning and Regeneration stated that yes the Urban Design Officer had concerns with the indicative drawings, but as it was an outline application the details of the design would be considered, and we can be confident that a satisfactory scheme can be achieved before detailed permission was granted, that it was accepted that the development was outside the Limits to Development, but the benefits to the area would outweigh the harm and that the final detailed design could be brought back to Committee.

The Planning and Development Team Manager added that should the application be permitted then Severn Trent Water would be duty bound to ensure that additional capacity was found at the water treatment works.

Councillor J Legrys felt that Severn Trent would need to know the timetable as it may take some time to find the capacity and was also unhappy that the proposed limits to development in the emerging Local Plan were ignored.

Councillor M Specht stated that staged care was a much needed provision to help to tackle bed blocking in hospitals, and there was nothing like the proposal within the District. He advised that he had seen firsthand how a complex similar to the application had provided care to a family member in Germany and supported the application.

Councillor V Richichi stated that he was in favour of the application, and said that recently when he needed care for a family member who had been discharged from hospital he had struggled to find a home in the area that would provide the care that was required, adding that the development would have been the perfect place. He highlighted that the medical needs of the residents would be met and that the speed limit would be reduced if permission granted.

Councillor D Harrison stated that he warmly welcomed the application and that it was a fantastic project and appeared very professional. He highlighted that it would provide a safe environment and would create much needed jobs for local people.

Councillor R Johnson clarified that of Councillor M Specht’s personal experiences the unit was in fact a sanatorium and that there were hundreds of those units throughout Europe and he informed Councillor N Smith that there were over 80 facilities similar to the proposed development throughout the United Kingdom. He stated that the development had lots of merits however being in the countryside and outside the Limits to Development it was in the wrong place.

Councillor R Adams stated that he was upset at the continual expectation to permit sites that were outside the Limits to Development and that he would not be supporting the application.

Councillor D J Stevenson advised that there would always be applications outside the limits and that he felt that many elderly and infirm who were born and lived in the countryside all their lives would like to remain in the peaceful surroundings.

A recorded vote having been requested, the voting was a follows:

For the motion:

Councillors R Ashman, R Boam, J Cotterill, J G Coxon, D Everitt, D Harrison, J Hoult, G Jones, V Richichi, N Smith, M Specht, D J Stevenson and M B Wyatt (13).

Against the motion:

Councillors R Adams, R Johnson and J Legrys (3).

Abstentions:

Councillor R Canny (1).

RESOLVED THAT:

The application be permitted in accordance with the recommendation of the Head of Planning and Regeneration.