Residential scheme set to move forward

Outline plans for a residential development of almost 100 homes at a site in Exeter look set to move forward after they were recommended for conditional approval.Salter Property is seeking approval for up to 93 dwellings on land off Spruce Close and Celia Crescent.A report to be scrutinised by Exeter councillors next week finds that the proposal accords with the development plan as a whole and there are strong material considerations to indicate planning permission should be granted.Accordingly, planning officers have recommended the sustainable scheme for approval as long as a section 106 agreement is completed within the requisite timeframe.The recommencation is despite the application being “very contentious in the eyes of local residents who are used to using the fields for recreation”.The proposal will include more public open space than a typical residential development of this scale, accounting for approximately 80 per cent of the land affected by the application.An arrangement is in place to effectively stop any further development encroachment into the countryside in this part of the city.If a section 106 agreement is not secured, the application is recommended for refusal.The legal agreement and conditions are said to be necessary to secure public open space, affordable housing, infrastructure contributions and other aspects of the development to make it acceptable in planning terms.