Agenda item

Major Full: Residential relief road with associated works

Mr Joshua Parkinson, Planning Manager (Development Manager), informed the committee of the application. Noting that the proposed development comprises the construction of a residential relief road known as Huncoat Lane / Relief Road with associated works. The proposed development is intended to serve Huncoat Garden Village, which is an emerging strategic location for housing that would deliver around 1,500 to 1,600 homes.

The application site is a linear area measuring 10.6 hectares (ha) located east of the village of Huncoat and wholly within the Hyndburn Borough Council (HBC) and Lancashire County Council (LCC) administrative areas. It extends from Altham Lane in the north to a roundabout on Burnley Road (A679) to the south and is located west of the Accrington Bypass (A56). The roundabout has four arms, two for Burnley Road and two slip roads for Accrington Bypass. The middle of the site crosses Burnley Lane.

Mr Parkinson advised that the proposal would contribute to the overall aim of Policy A9 of the Hyndburn Core Strategy as the first phase of a link road between Altham Lane and Burnley Road. Adding that there is overwhelming support for the proposal in the Emerging Local Plan, Huncoat Garden Village Masterplan and Huncoat Design Code, which weighs significantly in favour of granting planning permission.

Mr Parkinson explained that the proposal would involve a degree of conflict with policies BD1 and A9 of the Hyndburn Core Strategy, it would contribute to the overall aim of the latter as the first phase of a link road between Altham Lane and Burnley Road.

The proposal would have a harmful effect on the character and appearance of the area, including landscape and visual effects, and adverse effects relating to the splitting and severance of agricultural holdings.

There would also be some less than substantial harm to the setting of some nearby listed buildings and limited harm to some non-designated heritage assets. However, such adverse effects are to be expected with a scheme of this nature and scale.

The committee were informed that the Local Planning Authority had commissioned independent landscape and visual impact advice from a Chartered Landscape Architect.

While they raised some points for clarification, they state that the proposal generally shows a well considered scheme that works with the undulating topography to achieve a sensitive alignment with the minimum of cut and fill.

Mr Parkinson advised that the Planning officers consider that the proposal accords with the development plan taken as a whole. The proposal draws support from the Emerging Local Plan, Huncoat Garden Village Masterplan and Huncoat Design Code, which would be a material consideration of sufficient weight to outweigh any conflict and would also result in further benefits including a substantial biodiversity net gain above and beyond the mandatory BNG requirement.

The recommendation was to give the Head of Planning and Transportation delegated powers to grant planning permission subject to conditions to their satisfaction.

Members highlighted the importance of the application in reference to the larger Huncoat Garden Village Project. Noting that the road should remove some traffic from Huncoat.

Resolved – Members voted to approve the officer recommendation and delegate powers to the Head of Planning and Transportation to grant planning permission subject to conditions to their satisfaction.

N.B. 1. – Nick Whittaker – Spoke against the application

·         30 million pounds of public funding committed to the Huncoat Garden Village with 6.7 million to the relief road.

·         Question posed on if improvements to the Griffins Head Junction will rely on public funds or future developers?

·         Question posed on if an independent traffic assessment will be undertaken?

        2. Miles Parkinson – Spoke in support of the application

·         Noted that the application was a key part of Huncoat Garden Village.

·         Asked the committee to keep Huncoat residents involved in future consultations and to keep an open line of communication surrounding the project.

·         Hyndburn Council will likely cease to exist in its current form in the next few years due to Local Government Reorganisation. Noted that Huncoat Garden Village will be Hyndburn Councils legacy.

        3. Madaline Davis – Spoke in support of the application

·         The application aims to improve travel links and relieve pressure on the local network.

·         Improvements made to cycleways, walkways and bus stops proposed.

·         The road is essential to support Hyndburn’s Largest Housing Project.

·         Over 10% biodiversity net gain included in the proposal.

·         High quality design which will set the tone for Huncoat Garden Village.

·         Future enhancements to key locations such as Burnley Lane can be implemented as needed through safeguarded land.