Minutes:
The Executive Member for Regeneration and the
Director of Regeneration and Culture submitted a report for the Executive’s
consideration. The purpose of the report was to seek adoption of the Stainsby
Country Park and Masterplan, which had been finalised following public
consultation, and delegate authority to the Director of Regeneration and
Culture, in consultation with the Executive Member for Regeneration, to make
any subsequent minor amendments to the Stainsby Country Park and Masterplan.
Adoption of the Stainsby Country Park and
Masterplan planned to protect the best interests of Middlesbrough and would
provide the Council the best possible control over the development of the land
between Acklam and the A19. Adoption was crucial as the first of a number of
planning applications relating to the site had already been submitted and was
currently under consideration.
The masterplan set standards for a country park
alongside new community facilities, sports facilities and play areas, as well
as hundreds of new homes. The new housing was necessary to deliver the required
number of homes by 2029.
The aim of adopting the masterplan was to give
the Council more sway when considering planning applications. The vision for a
country park would support nature, wildlife, trees and healthy living, and be
key in creating a high quality place to live.
Not adopting the masterplan would leave the
Council with limited power to influence how the area was developed, including
the design of any roads.
Without a masterplan, private developers would
have more freedom to develop housing and infrastructure - including a road - as
they saw fit. That was because while the land was allocated for housing in the
Council’s Local Plan, adopted in 2014, the Local Plan did not contain
sufficient information to control the level of detail the Council wanted to
achieve. The Local Plan was the main document that would be considered in any
application, the masterplan supplemented the Local Plan and set out how the
Council wanted to see any development delivered.
The Executive was not being asked to approve
housing or a road, simply the design standards and principles that developers
would be expected to meet.
The masterplan had been amended to make clear
that as much as possible of Mandale Meadow would be retained in its current
condition and incorporated into the wider country park. If the masterplan was
implemented it would lead to a significant increase in high quality and
accessible open space for the community thanks to the country park.
A Member commented on the importance of
building eco-friendly homes that were energy efficient.
A Member queried the reason for Highways
England making no commitment to the provision of the link road. The Director of
Regeneration and Culture explained that Highways England would not comment
until a full planning application had been submitted and further information
was available to fully assess the impacts upon the highway network.
A Member made reference to paragraph 26 of the
submitted report and enquired whether funding was available from the Tees
Valley Combined Authority (TVCA). In response, the Director of Regeneration and
Culture explained that the option to provide an alternative route across the
A19 had been assessed and discounted due to the significant additional costs
associated with its construction and the increased visual intrusion for existing
housing. Further information on the alternative options was detailed on the
Council’s website. It was added that funding options for the link road were
being explored/considered and representations would be made to the TVCA.
Two members of the public commented that they
were in support of the masterplan but objected to the proposal of the link
road, outlining concerns associated with the impact on biodiversity and the
health of residents.
OPTIONS
Not to
adopt the Stainsby Country Park and Masterplan - That would have meant that
there would have been an absence of guidance on the expectations for the
country park and the key layout principles, type of housing and quality of
development that the Council would be seeking at Stainsby. There would have
been less certainty for future developers and a potentially higher risk that
the country park would not have been delivered.
ORDERED
1. That the Stainsby Country Park and Masterplan Supplementary
Planning Document be adopted, to enable the Council to control development
proposals brought forward by private sector landowners and developers in the
area; and
2. That authority be delegated to the Director of Regeneration
and Culture, in consultation with the Executive Member for Regeneration, to
make any subsequent minor amendments to the Stainsby Country Park and
Masterplan.
REASON
The
Stainsby Country Park and Masterplan was a key Council document that reflected
the Council’s ambitions for high quality housing alongside the provision of a
country park. The masterplan planned to help to clarify the Council’s
expectations for the delivery of a high quality development scheme whilst, at
the same time, reducing risk and uncertainty for future developers.
Supporting documents: