A proposal to build 30 new homes on land in Barrow is to be scrutinised by the borough council’s planning committee.
Mullberry Homes wants to build the properties on land off Lichfield Close.
Case officer Charles Wilton recommends the application for approval, subject to certain conditions, in a report produced ahead of a meeting of the borough council’s planning committee on Tuesday.
In his report, Mr Wilton says that decision-taking for the application was complicated by the development according with some local plan policies, achieving partial compliance with one and conflicting with others.
He says the site is one allocated for housing and that the development achieved an efficient use of the site.
Sport England has objected to the application, which would result in the loss of open land last used as a playing field, on the grounds that it does not accord with the organisation’s playing fields policy.
“Limited weight is given to the objection from Sport England,” says Mr Wilton. “The objection from Sport England is a non-statutory objection.”
Mr Wilton says: “Cumbria County Council as local highway authority advise that planning permission should be refused as being contrary to the Cumbria Development Design Guide.
“This is based on the proposed layout incorporating cul-de-sacs. Moderate weight is attached to the objection. This is due to the Cumbria Development Design Guide adopting rather flexible wording re road layouts.
“Cumbria County Council also advise refusal based upon footway width and one footway stopping at the entrance. Moderate weight is given to this objection based on the size of the development and that the existing footway widths are maintained.”
He says the application delivers three affordable homes. This exceeds the requirement under planning policy.
He recommends approval of the application subject to the applicant entering into a section 106 obligation to secure certain financial contributions, such as £15,000 to upgrade an off-site footpath.
He advises that any amendments to planning wording arising from the section 106 negotiations be delegated to the borough council’s head of development management for approval.
