Leyland test track planning saga heads to finish line

The development of more than 300,000 sq ft of employment space and 950 homes could finally be signed off at a meeting tonight, around two years after developer Property Capital first put forward a planning application.

Developer Property Capital received approval from South Ribble for the 120-acre brownfield site’s masterplan in summer 2017 following a public consultation that took in the views of 6,500 local people and businesses; this was followed by a hybrid application in December that year.

This is split between full permission for the first phase of 197 homes, and an outline permission including 653 to 753 homes, office space of up to 53,800 sq t, up to 161,400 sq ft of B2 space and 86,000 sq ft of B8 space; along with 30,000 sq ft of local centre facilities including a primary school and health centre. Turley is the planning consultant

However, the developer has been made to wait for consent, with an initial planning application recommended for refusal in March this year.

This initial phase was for the first 197 homes, but was recommended for refusal by planning officers due to non-compliance with an affordability threshold of 30%, and spatial standards, with 12 plots not meeting separation distances set out in the borough’s 2013 supplementary planning document.

A decision was then deferred by committee, and in the latest twist in the planning saga, the hybrid application has been given a “minded to approve” recommendation at South Ribble’s planning committee, which meets tonight.

To address officers’ concerns, Property Capital, which is advised by Cushman & Wakefield on viability, has upped its affordable housing provision across the site to 30%, split half-and-half between affordable rent and shared ownership.

Attempts have also been made to placate the council on separations distances between the housing plots, with officers now supportive of the revised layout for the homes across the site, which are to be delivered by Barratt Homes.

The scheme remains vital to the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal,; it offers the South Ribble the opportunity to make up a large part of its housing targets, while the scheme can potentially bring in Community Infrastructure Levy payment of £7.3m, a £1.4m New Homes bonus and £500,000 in non-domestic rates.

The disagreement around affordable homes largely stemmed from land values, viability, and purchase price; Consultant Keppie Masssie has advised the council on the matter, concluding that a payment of £18.09m to be paid in four instalments over five years would represent fair value for the site, in broad agreement with the applicant.

However ,the applicant, factoring in an additional 6.5% discount for deferred payments, saw the residual value as £20.7m, equivalent to £286,000 per developable acre for the residential land and £171,650 sq ft for the commercial land. A third-party advisor, David Newham, agreed broadly with Keppie Massie’s view that £18.09m represents fair value.

This issue has now been resolved with the developer’s proposals for 30% affordable homes being agreed following “extensive” discussions with the council, allowing the proposal to proceed.

Ahead of committee, officers said: “The Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal was the first of 20 second wave City Deals to be agreed and was signed in September 2013. New investment of £434 million will expand transport infrastructure in Preston and South Ribble at an unprecedented rate, driving the creation of some 20,000 new jobs and generating the development of more than 17,000 new homes over the next 10 years.

“The test track is an important site and provides the opportunity to deliver a flagship scheme supporting the delivery of strong place making for all sections of society

“The scheme would provide the opportunity to redevelop a brown field site, allocated primarily for residential within the South Ribble Local Plan and address the council’s requirement to implement the Government’s Housing targets.”

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Hey, you leave the puns to us!

By Mr M Walker

So after a good population of South ribble apposing these new homes, you’re just just gonna ignore them and crack on? Nice one, have you seen how congested these roads already are? Oops sorry you have? What’s that you’re not really bothered as long as your growth targets are on track? Same old story. Say hello to more ugly buildings and even worse travel times.

By A. Nnoyed

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