Agenda item

Report of the Executive Manager - Communities

Mr Kevin Hard – Managing Director, Stagfield thanked the Group for inviting the Team, Stagfield and Peveril Homes, to the meeting to present their design proposals. Mr Hard expressed the desire to take forward the Council’s vision for the development and delivery of a landmark and exemplar scheme through sustainable design, urban design and energy technology, and to create desirable homes that are functional and sustainable.

Mr James Smith – Managing Director, Peveril Homes, provided a brief introduction to other local partners who will be involved with the delivery of the project. These include Futures Housing Group for the affordable homes and Allan Joyce Architects Ltd. In addition, Mr Smith advised that it was standard practise to use local suppliers and sub-contractors also.

Mr Toby Evison – Allan Joyce Architects, the projects lead architect advised the Group that he would be working towards the design principles as specified by the Council and aims to provide detailed drawings and plans for the reserved matters and planning application. Mr Evison, continued to explain that there would be a good mix of property sizes, a central village green, footpaths running throughout the development linking with existing roads and communities, including an integrated landscaping scheme. The dwellings will be designed to be energy efficient, with EV charging points, bike storage, enhanced security and each plot will have parking provision to prevent burden to nearby roads.

In respect of the outline planning application, members were asked to note that some tweaks to the layout had been made to provide a better solution, these include, switching the apartments to the southern end of the development and replacing the northern entrance with houses.

Mr Hard presented a visual to highlight the design principles and features, including:

·       Sustainable energy – heat pump systems and technology

·       Fabric and orientation of the houses – insulation glazing and solar gain

·       Natural ventilation – stack ventilation

·       EV Charging points – solar energy

·       Smart living – Smart homes

·       Permeable paving

·       Rainwater harvesting – urban drainage schemes on all homes

Members asked specific questions in relation to the 30% offer for local employment to construct the houses and how this will be achieved. Mr Smith assured the group that all partners involved pride themselves on using local labour, sub-contractors and local materials, adding that this would need to be confirmed within the reserved matters for planning. The Service Manager – Transformation advised that the Economic Growth Team as part of development programme would support developers with the delivery of their employment and skills plans and connect them with local partners.

Members commented on Nottinghamshire County Council’s new Highways Design Guide, and whether this is likely to affect the planning application. Mr Evison explained that he would need to look at the regulations in more depth. However, he expressed the scheme brought to the meeting this evening is a head of the planning changes and would be adequately covered with this design.

Members asked whether the lockdown restrictions in respect of Covid would have any influence on the programmes timeline and delivery. Mr Hard advised that the outline planning application is expected to be completed in the next 3 to 6 months and does not anticipate any delays, adding that working arrangements have changed considerably with the implementation of health and safety restrictions around social distancing on site. In addition, the Executive Manager – Transformation advised members that to prevent further delay the Council has overcome the decontamination issue on site, which has allowed for a better position going forward.

There was some concern around the location of the affordable housing and it being in one place and not dispersed throughout the site. The Executive Manager – Transformation advised that this solution was the preferred option of the Management Company operating the affordable housing. In addition, Mr Hard explained that all the house types would be built to the same specification, using a mixed pallet of materials across the whole site.

It was RESOLVED that the Group welcome the update and look forward to seeing the successful completion of the development.